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CHAIRMAN ISHIDA: The consensus I get from all the <br /> testimony and from today' s discussion from all of you is that <br /> we are going to have districting, right? So we are limited <br /> to that. And if we are limited to that, and we- talk about <br /> districts, we 've got 5 already. We are then narrowing it down <br /> to what we are really discussing is how many at-large. I 'm <br /> not trying to cut out what should be done later, maybe after <br /> the next census comes out, but at least from now until the <br /> census comes out , we are kind of limited in our discussion. <br /> Would I be correct in saying that? I mean there is-nothing <br /> more we can do. <br /> MR. ODA: It is a question of how many, two or four <br /> at-large. <br /> CHAIRMAN ISHIDA: Right. There is no input on <br /> anything we can do, based on what we have. If we try to do <br /> something other than what we have, then. . . <br /> MR. ODA: It gets to be arbitrary. <br /> CHAIRMAN ISHIDA: So it seems that we've got five <br /> positions accounted for now, that we are talking about. We <br /> can ' t go over that because it is going to be ten, right , and <br /> I think everybody considers that too much. So we've got five <br /> and now we are talking about at-large. So why don ' t we kind <br /> of restrict our discussions , right now, strictly on from now <br /> to the next census. After we determine that, we will still <br /> have to discuss whether we should set up reapportionment and <br /> look into more districting, or whatnot. We are thinking about <br /> really at-large, right now, how many at-large positions. Akira <br /> suggests we come up with two. <br /> MRS. KOBAYASHI: Maybe the chairman should run at- <br /> large. Didn ' t we have some testimony on that? <br /> MR. OMONAKA: Somebody did mention that. <br /> MRS. KOBAYASHI : Sombody did. What would your feelings <br /> be on that? Having one of the at-large people run for council <br /> chairman? <br /> MR. OMONAKA: I 'd rather have the district people <br /> run for a two year term and the at-large for four year terms. <br /> MR. ODA: The question of council chairman, as I <br /> understand it, it goes beyond the realm of. . .it' s largely a <br /> matter of first, whether they want to be; secondly, whether <br /> they are competent to handle the job; thirdly, whether they can <br /> get the support of their peers. So, to build that into the <br /> election system, it is probably a very bad thing to do. <br /> Because the chairman has to be selected from among the group <br /> and not be mandated by the voters. The voters, themselves, <br /> don ' t really know whether that person can be a good chairman <br /> or not. <br /> -9- <br />