CHC 1979-06-26 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MR. CADINHA: Mr. Chairman. Who determines the function of the reapportionment committee? I would understand that the committee that was set up to do the districting initially felt that the reapportionment committee would have the wisdom in 1983 of knowing what the census is going to be. We don ' t have that. We have no idea. I think every commissioner here assumes there is going to be a change.And in order to have the value of that wisdom, have that census so ,. , that a more equitable solution can come about. I am assuming that is the reason for even mentioning the reapportionment committee; " If we are going to curtail those activities, throw the whole thing out. Why even have a committee? I don ' t understand it. MR. SENSANO: Mr. Chairman. Again, my under- standing is the people who testified were clamoring for strictly district representation and if this commission should decide on whether it is seven or nine and say, okay, we are recommending strict district representation , but because the districts are not now divided into nine districts then there would be need for a reapportionment committee. Otherwise, if we go on a-- let ' s say if it is a five and two,there would be no need for a reapportionment. But reapportionment would only be necessary if the island went strictly district representation. But the districts , whether it is seven or nine, the island is not divided into seven or nine districts, then we would need a reapportionment committee. Otherwise there would be, no need for reapportionment. MR. SCHUTTE: Mr. Chairman. I believe, if I am correct, what Mr. Sensano is trying to put across is that if we adopted a five-four, .or °:a. nine, man_ council at this time then the reapportionment committee could be directed at a later date to redistrict, draw different lines to reapportion for nine separate districts. Is that what you are speaking of? Because of district representation. In other words, if they had the two in district 1 and you wanted to cut that up into two different districts you wouldn' t _h_ave to change the numbers you already have the numbers, but you just change the boundaries. If you wanted to cut up Hilo into two or three districts, you would just have to change the boundaries. MR. SENSANO: If you remember Mrs. Isbell , she was the one who first mentioned the need for reapportionment. She suggested perhaps maybe going according to the number of voters in each district of the island temporarily until the island can be redistricted. But, she was speaking in connection with that based on the idea of strict district representation. MR. ODA: Getting back to Mr. Cadinha' s question, which I think is related to Mr. Ishida' s . I suppose if this commission decides to give the reapportionment commission the authority which Mr. Ishida has recommended, it could, but, because it would result, in effect, a charter amendment , that I don ' t think it would be legal until it goes to the electorate to be approved as a charter amendment, as a recommendation by the reapportionment committee as a charter amendment. That is the initial concern that I have. You can write it into the -17-