HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 041 Draft 02 2006-2008 a
COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII
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RESOLUTION NO. 'gi 07
(nrlnFr 2)
RESOLUTION URGING LEGISLATORS TO SUPPORT PUBLICLY FUNDED
ELECTIONS.
WHEREAS, a democratic government derives its power from the consent of its citizens;
and
WHEREAS, corporate and other special interest donations account for the vast majority
of campaign donations; both locally and nationally; and
WHEREAS, voter participation among Hawaii constituents is the lowest in the United
States; and
WHEREAS, publicly funded elections hold politicians accountable to community
interests ratherthanto special interests; and
WHEREAS, a wmprehensive publicly funded campaign finance system such asvoter-
owned elections has opened up elections to fair competition and spiked voter participation in
cities in Maine, Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico and as many as four other states; and
WHEREAS, pono use of public resources, such as through a publicly funded campaign
system, serves to include large numbers of citizens, particulazly women and minorities, in the
political process; and
WHEREAS, participants in publicly funded campaigns no longer need to spend the
majority of their time in office raising funds for the next campaign; and
WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Issues Caucus of the Democratic Party of the State of Hawaii
further includes Hawaiian values as the basis for our Statement of Principles: `aloha', `kuleana',
`malama aina', `ho`okipa', and `pono', values guiding personal and professional conduct when
in service to the community; and
WHEREAS, such values resonate with the concept of publicly funded campaigns,
political accountability to the community, pono use of resources, and greater participation by
women and minorities in the political process.
WHEREAS, on June 15, 2005, the Hawaii County Council approved resolution 95-OS
introduced by Council Vice Chair, Virginia Isbell in support of comprehensive public funding of
election campaigns; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that our
state legislators aze urged to support publicly funded elections.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be transmitted to
Hawai`i's Congressional Delegation, the members of the Hawaii State Legislature, Governor
Linda Lingle and the County Councils of Maui, Kauai, and Honolulu.
Dated at, Hawaii, this day of 2007.
INTRODUCED BY:
COUNC MBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
COUllty Of HaWal`1 AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawaii FORD
RIGA
1 hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by HOFFMANN
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the IKEDA
County of Hawaii on
JACOBSON
NAEOLE
ATTEST: PILAGO
YAGONG
YOSHIMOTO
Reference: C-103.1/]?WIRC
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRMAN & PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO.
(DRAFT 2)