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MR. YAMASHIRO: I do not see any purpose for that <br /> if we are having a combination of district and at-large. <br /> Because the reason for the residency requirement was to <br /> satisfy the need for some sort of district representation. <br /> If we are going to allow for direct district representation <br /> then I think the at-large candidates should be true at-large <br /> candidates so the four best people on the island, no matter <br /> where they reside, can be chosen. <br /> MR. SENSANO: Don ' t you think that if we require <br /> residency requirements for the four at-large candidates but <br /> are elected islandw&cl_e,, that would sort of be an inbetween <br /> compromise between the strictly 9 district and this proposal <br /> of yours? <br /> MR. YAMASHIRO: I think the compromise. . .yes, that_ <br /> _could be. What I was saying is I don ' t see the need: If <br /> you are going to have at-large candidates, truly at-large <br /> candidates, you want the four best people on the island. So <br /> I think that is why we have district representation out of five direct <br /> representative_districts and where theother__ four live should not <br /> make a difference. Because they will be accountable to the <br /> whole island. I think, like I said, the reason for the <br /> district representation under our present system was to meet <br /> the need for some sort of direct district contact. But we <br /> have that where you have one person being directly elected out <br /> of a district. It could be put in but I would not see any <br /> purpose for it. <br /> I think the basic concern is the philosophical <br /> problem that faces this body is how best to govern this island? <br /> How best to provide to meet the needs of the people and if we <br /> are going to have a truly check and balance type system between <br /> the mayor and the legislative body, they should be put on <br /> adequate footing. <br /> I think where, like I 've said before, where you 're <br /> accountable the elected officials go to their constituency, and <br /> the broader that constituency is, the more accountable you have <br /> to be. As a practical matter, if you 're only campaigning out <br /> of one area you tend to concentrate in that area. I think <br /> we run a severe risk of going backwards by adopting this <br /> situation. <br /> MR. OMONAKA: Mr. Chairman. Mr. Yamashiro, on that <br /> four at-large, you made the statement that "the four best <br /> people. " What makes you think the four best people will get <br /> elected at-large? What are the possibilities of getting these <br /> four people being elected from the heavier population areas <br /> than the other areas? <br /> MR. YAMASHIRO: The population , Mr. Omonaka, will <br /> always prevail. That ' s because of the supreme court decision <br /> mandating one-man, one-vote. <br /> MR. OMONAKA: You made the statement to say that the <br /> four best people would be elected. This is not necessarily <br /> true. <br /> -10- <br />