HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 280 Draft 02 2010-2012 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII
RESOLUTION NO. 280 12
(DRAFT 2)
RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO
ADEQUATELY FUND BOTH THE HAWAII CAMPAIGN SPENDING
COMMISSION AND A STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC
FUNDING SYSTEM FOR 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, comprehensive public funding options give candidates a possible
alternative to private campaign funding; and
WHEREAS, it is in the public's interest that our elected officials concentrate on solving
our state's problems and not be distracted by the need to raise huge sums of money for their
campaigns, nor have to worry about antagonizing those who have donated generously to their
campaigns; and
WHEREAS,the current campaign finance system fails to discourage candidates from
accepting large campaign contributions from private interests that may be directly affected by
governmental actions and from enacting laws favoring those contributors' interest to the
detriment of the interest of citizens who are not large contributors; and
WHEREAS, taxpayers pay for the campaign contributions of corporations and large
industries in the form of mismanagement of public resources, subsidies and tax exemptions for
corporations and industries, and unfair tax laws; and
WHEREAS,the current formula that determines which Hawai`i County districts receive
their respective amounts for the Hawai`i County Council Comprehensive Public Funding pilot
program requires multiple election cycles to show adequate results, and therefore does not
adequately address the need to equalize the large discrepancies in disbursement amounts between
districts; and
WHEREAS, the Campaign Spending Commission is tasked with running the public
funding program, yet their primary revenue source was taken away in 2008, and as a result they
are spending more than they are bringing in; and
WHEREAS, the Hawai`i County Council Comprehensive Public Funding program is set
to expire in 2014; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the
State Legislature take immediate action to adequately fund the Hawai`i Campaign Spending
Commission and a statewide comprehensive public funding program upon convening for the
2013 legislative session.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the County of Hawai`i supports
legislative efforts to expand comprehensive public funding throughout the state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the County of Hawai`i recommends
to extend the Hawai`i County Council Comprehensive Public Funding program through the
election year 2020.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the County of Hawai`i recommends
that the Hawai`i County Council Comprehensive Public Funding program awards equal
qualifying funds to all qualified participants in the various districts.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall forward a copy of this
resolution to the Honorable Senator Clayton Hee, Chair of the Committee on Judiciary and
Government Operations; the Honorable Senator David Y. Ige, Chair of the Committee on Ways
and Means; the Honorable Senator Shan Tsutsui, President of the Senate; the Honorable
Representative Calvin K. Y. Say, Speaker of the House; the Honorable Representative Gilbert
Keith-Agaran, Chair of the Committee on Judiciary; the Honorable Representative Marcus R.
Oshiro, Chair of the Committee on Finance; and the Honorable Governor Neil Abercrombie.
Dated at , Hawai`i, this day of , 2012.
INTRODUCED BY:
.Qcrt
COUNCIL MEMBE , COUNTY OF HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawai`i AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawai`i BLAS
FORD
I 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 Hawai`i on
ONISHI
PILAGO
ATTEST: SMART
YAGONG
YOSHIMOTO
Reference: C-787.7/GRC
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON&PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 280 12
(Draft 2)
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