Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-23
A STATEMENT OF VIEWS.

/ WoOdlawn, Manoa Valley, June II.
Editor Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
/ Sir: As candidate for election to
! the charter convention from the third
precinct OF the fourth district, deem
/ il advisable that my position on the
main points which should be covered
! in a new charter for the city be made
a matter of record. To this end ! trust
that you will give this letter such pub
| licity as the circumstances may war
! rant ....
| believe in municinal government
by an elective commission. There
should be five commissioners. elected
at large, for term of four years and
all of the powers of the city and
county should be concentrated in this
board. A commissioner should be
elected simply as such and not eX-
pressly designated as the head Of any
department of the municipality, They
should themselves elect one of their
number to act as mayor. The depart.
ments of the city should be allotted by
the mayor among the several commls-
sioners and thereafter each commits
sioner. as the head Of department,
becomes solely and fully responsible
for the operation of his department.
The head Of each department, being
responsible for its efficiency. should
have the sole power Of appointing and
removing all subordinate officials and
employees Of that department The
salaries of the commissioners and all
officials and employees of the city
should be fixed by law
The mayor should have the general
superintendent Of all city business
and be provided with such staff Of
assistants as would enable him to per-
form his duties in an effective manner.
He should preside at all meetings OF
the commission with power to vote
but no power to veto. -.
There should be a treasury depart
ment with control of the city revenue
and disbursements, having under it a
bureau of audit and statistics.
| believe in the short ballot. The
administration of the affairs of city
is entirely matter of business and
as no occasion exists for a division OF
the citizenship upon arbitrary political
lines the ballot should be nonpartisan
and without party emblems or devices.
The only names to appear on the ballot
should be those of the candidates for
the commissionership; all other Off
Gals of the city should be appointed
by the commission and hold office un-
der the tenure of satisfactory services
only. vi -. -.
| believe in. the, recall When re.
sponsibility is conferred IN an indiVid.
ual the people should have the power
to make that individual attend to bust
ness and give satisfaction or he should
be recalled and another elected in his
place. III. i. ...... ~.
. believe that the city should have
the full sanitary and public health
powers under its sole control.
| believe that the city should have
extended powers in the matter of f.
nance, the raising and collection OF
revenue for current and extraordinary
expenses and the issuing of bonds for
specific public improvements, the lat,
ter after reference to plebiscite. In
this connection, 1t should initiate a
comprehensive plan which would fore
see and allow for the gradual growth
of the city and the yearly improve
ments necessitated thereby and should
provide coherent system of financing
the same; this should pass from COM
to commission and should |
form the main working plan for all ma. |
jor public improvements of the future. |
/ am opposed to the city manager
system and to the application of the
initiative and referendum to the city |
of Honolulu. ..- 81. H. ....
| believe that the coming charter
should undertake COM
plete scientific study of the present |
charter; the powers granted under II
should be tabulated and its shortcom-
ings noted. Co-ordinating with this |
there should be thorough investiga- !
ton of the present and future needs |
of the community and study OF the |
whereby such needs may
be most efficiently met.
The great function of the city is car
ing for its own needs Streets must +
be paved and new streets constructed,
sewers must be built, police and fire
maintained at the highest
pitch of efficiency, public health must
be safeguarded, the poor given relief.
Add to this multiplicity of duties
the deliberatiye meetings required
over financial questions and the for.
nation of budgets, the proper consid.
Grafton of contracts and the legislative
ordinances requiring action and we
soon realize that the machinery of an
efficiently governed community must
be such as will permit of smooth run
ming. This can be obtained only by
wide and ample powers secured to the
city in its charter of Incorporation.
FRANCIS ]. GREEN.