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voted for single member, well, we did, but we didn't pass it by a great number, and
<br />there are people who are dissatisfied with the single member districts, so I think that's
<br />why he brought it.
<br />RAY:
<br />HIGASHI:
<br />Other comments?
<br />Waiting for your comments. Did you have something to say?
<br />RAY: I, personally, like the single member districts. I like the simplicity of
<br />it. I like the idea of a smaller common denominator in terms of the district you serve,
<br />especially with the dynamic of the County being the only form of government here, and
<br />not having townships or other entities below that. It really makes you beholden and
<br />you're, sort of, the Mayor of Waimea, Waikaloa, and Kohala, as well, and I think you're
<br />much better able to serve a smaller area versus a larger area. Another dynamic, and
<br />Bill Graham spoke to this, is this is a relatively new change, and it's still playing out,
<br />The dynamics are just playing out, and it's still playing out in people's minds, so I think
<br />that's going to be a big part of the negative reaction against this, is that it really hasn't
<br />had enough time to play out in people's minds. On the simplicity of it, I just like things
<br />simpler versus more complex. It's already people can't figure out who's elected from
<br />the County versus the State, and they don't really care. Actually, they just want an
<br />answer. They just want it fixed. But to create a different class of Council people where
<br />you have, well, who's the two year guy, who's the four year guy, and this and that, I just
<br />think that's not necessarily a good way to go. Would it work fine? Sure. It's a perfectly
<br />routine model that works well, and I think there are good points to it as well as the
<br />negatives, but I feel most strongly that it's going to be very negatively received,
<br />especially in West Hawaii, and you know I'm biased. I think I'm a fair minded person,
<br />and so I worked for the island as a whole, but I did feel like I represented West Hawaii
<br />more than East Hawaii, and it's always been an uphill battle and a struggle to get equity
<br />in terms of West Hawaii's interests, and 1 think that this is going to be very poorly
<br />received, I know, in West Hawaii, and I don't know on the rest of the island. So we can
<br />take this out if that's the will, but I'd be pretty apprehensive about it. I think people are
<br />going to react pretty negatively, and 1 think, basically, it's going to be portrayed as a
<br />power grab on East Hawaii, and you know, that's not really supported by the way the
<br />population's going, and I think you could make a case just in the opposite. And Marni,
<br />mean, come out and vote. West Hawaii could make it easier to dominate and control
<br />the island, if you really get it together. So, I don't think that's supported necessarily, in
<br />the reality, by facts, but I think that's going to be the perception. So that's another
<br />reason I don't favor this. I think it would taint our overall slate of recommendations, but
<br />I'm sure we'll get a lot of reaction on this. Anyway, I don't support it, but - Sue.
<br />IRVINE: I was going to ask you if you had any thoughts on the three
<br />persons from each Senate district, or making two -person districts if we didn't go along
<br />with that.
<br />RAY: No, I think this is, sort of, the acceptable model, and this is the way
<br />it works most places. It's my understanding that you have a mix like this, and it's
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