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MR. TRULSON: Would you be in agreement with <br /> the proposal where the council would approve all heads of <br /> departments? <br /> MR. GARCIA: I do. I believe then the <br /> department head would be responsive to the legislative branch <br /> also rather than just to the administration. <br /> CHAIRMAN SAKATA: Mr. Garcia, do you feel <br /> very strongly about the council retaining their own legal <br /> counsel? <br /> MR. GARCIA: Very strongly© I concur with <br /> Chairman Yamashiro that it is impossible for the corporation <br /> counsel to serve two masters at the same time. I believe <br /> that the Charter Commission should provide for the council <br /> to have;:=its own counsel. <br /> MR. OMONAKA: Mr. Garcia, who should then <br /> be the legal arm! of the council? <br /> MR. GARCIA: The legal arm would be the <br /> corporation counsel as far as the administration is concerned , <br /> but for us it would be our own counsel. If there is a con- <br /> flict then we would have to have such a conflict adjudicated, <br /> But, at least, if we have our own counsel the individual could <br /> work directly with the councilmen on all matters relating to <br /> the council. Should there be a conflict develop between the <br /> administration and the council it can always be taken to the <br /> courts should the situation materialize. <br /> MR. TRULSON: Councilman Garcia, regarding <br /> real property tax assessment. Are you recommending that the <br /> tax assessment function be assigned to the County Council ' s <br /> Legislative Auditor? Are there other counties now that are <br /> in charge of their own tax assessing? And how is that done? <br /> MR. GARCIA: No, the state assesses all of <br /> the properties and then the counties are given the right to <br /> establish their own taxable rate. The real property tax rate. <br /> MR. TRULSON: Then you agree with the <br /> recommendation that it should be assigned to the legislative <br /> auditor? <br /> MR. GARCIA: I haven 't given that much <br /> serious thought. I ' ll have to give that= a little more thought. <br /> But I think that once the assessing and taxing powers come <br /> directly to the county as was advocated by the constitutional <br /> convention that those might as well be taken up and properly <br /> enacted on. <br /> MR. ISHIDA: Councilman Garcia, on your <br /> statement that you feel there are many areas where the council <br /> is rubberstamping the administration policies , could you <br /> enlighten us a little bit in what areas you feel the Charter <br /> Commission could look into. <br /> -6- <br />