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H.wcni e e . _ • t \ i „. '� . 1.e " no :, ,, t - in west H . . .. ® } e. dap"`. •- ` N , . 1 t .r"• •r w U r ,4 C I I . ...} r. rc • � �r .... � _; r . . . • At a time when it is obvious to everyone that west Hawaii population vary widely. In the coming Charter political autocracy since taking over the leadership post ' • Hawaii is growing rapidly in both population and tax Commission hearings, the Kona Coast Chamber of in early 1978, so his proposal is not really surprising.It is . base,the two most powerful county politicians have come Commerce, the West Hawaii Committee and other a blatant attempt to muffle the political voice of west • up with proposals that would actually weaken the political community groups from Hawi to Pahala will be expected Hawaii. strength of the area. • to offer convincing statistics to support the appeal forMataysohi's proposal, like so much of his.policy, is • Mayor Matayoshi and Council Chairman Yamashiro more representation.Beyond that,the most authoritative somewhat fuzzy. Nonetheless, the end result of his - have submitted to the Charter Commission recom- 'source for population figures is generally thought to be recommendations, if carried out, would be to damage mendations for reapportioning the County Council that • the federal census (although some Konans would dispute west Hawaii's political capabilities. would, in effect, diminish the already feeble franchise of that claim), so a re-evaluation of Council representationThe mayor proposes a realignment of Council districts , west Hawaii. would seem to be justified after the 1980 census is coin- in the same way suggested by Yamashiro, • using the four Fortunately,Matayoshi and Yamashiro do not have the pleted. legislative districts as Council districts. The mayor also last word on the subject. The U.S. Supreme Court, in its The final suggestion we offer for consideration is that suggests that either two or four additional members be one-man, one-vote rulings, has provided guidelines that Council members be elected for two-year terms rather elected at-large"depending on whether or not you want a would cover the proper apportionment of Council than the current four-year terms. Although this does not seven-or nine-member Council." members. -bear directly on reapportionment,it is closely linked with Either way, east Hawaii comes out stronger than it is ' • • su But even with thesupport of the high court rulings,it is the whole issue of securing a stronger voice for west today. still up to west Hawaii residents to make a solid case Hawaii in the County Council because two-year terms Matayoshi's proposal, unlike Yamashiro's, is indeed before the Charter Commission when it begins public - surprising. Since his re-election in 1976, the mayor has hearings next month. _ In connection with the upcoming hearings, we would • demonstrated an increasing (though not satisfactory) like to make four specific suggestions for public con- _ awareness of west Hawaii's interests, as reflected in the sideration. Editoia 9 larger appropriations he has announced for public works • The first is that all Council members be elected by projects in the area and in several other ways. . district; or, to put it.another way, that the charter It was beginning to appear that Matayoshi was dispense with at-large election. The so-called at-large recognizing that west Hawaii,although not quite capable Council members are invariably elected from Hilo or-its of producing an electable opponent for mayor, can environs, thus giving that area a weight disproportionate would require that all the politicians, including those in nevertheless marshal enough votes to block his own re- to its population. east Hawaii, keep in closer touch with their con- election next year. That is certainly a political reality • The second suggestion is that North Kohala be kept stituencies. Matayoshi must deal with if he intends to remain.in his within the west Hawaii area. This question, of course, A quick look at the Yamashiro and Matayoshi proposals $43,644 job after the 1980 election. should be handled by North Kohala residents, but we will show west Hawaii residents what we are up against. Matayoshi and Yamashiro both see reapportionment as mention it here because of some proposals that would_ evidence is mounting that many west Hawaii residents- Yamashiro wants five Council members elected frorn an important issue before the Charter Commission. The place North Kohala in the same Council district with the existing four legislative districts (presumably, two also regard reapportionment as the central matter before - Hamakua. At one time, when Kohala was a sugar- would come from the Hilo district) and the remaining producing area, the line-up with Hamakua was logical; four to be elected at-large. the commission.- today, however, the interests of North Kohala seem to The switch to legislative districts would have the effect First and foremost,politics is numbers,the vote count: coincide more with those of west Hawaii. of wiping out the seat now held by Moon Sameshima of the more people there are, the more representation they . The third suggestion is that the revised charter provide Kohala.The addition of a fourth"at-large"member(the should get. a mechanism allowing additional representation, along nine-member Council now has three "at-large" mem- West Hawaii — from North Kohala through Waimea v. • the one-man, one-vote guidelines, for any district that bers) would, in effect, give east Hawaii another Council• and the Kona Districts and Ka`u—has been getting more shows a significant population increase after completion member. people(and paying more taxes). of the 1980 federal census. Existing estimates of west Yamashiro has shown a disturbing tendency toward And now it needs more representation.