Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-28

! II " cfS lltOl irt CSNu \ UNA Va nus
ia. backward In political genius as
they may seem. were without some
forms of local government in 1905.
| when county government was in
| stalled in Hawaii We had nothing
t. build on, but it is my firm con-
yictiCn that the people OF Hawaii are
better satisfied to-day than they would
have been had not The PAINFUL process
| Cf eiucs tior in the handling of local
affairs been begun To deny that
| local government is not a good thing
for Hawaii is to deny the foundations
of American government.
Put what is the matter with Homo
! lulu?
We need muntciral government
with more responsibility and more au,
! thority. Everywhere else it has been
shown that tbs is the cure for inef-
| ficiency. The rule should be applied
here and by the legislature of 1917.
Hoping that this letter may start
something" | venture to suggest three
things which if made into the statutes
| will give our municiralitv a chance to
really be an American city.
! Fix Tax-rate
First: | would let the supervisors
! fix the taX-rate each year, the limit
! 70 be only the needs of the city and
| the supervisors desire of reelection.
| The present machinery for asses
| sing and collecting taxes is efficient
and cheap. We are familiar with it
and it is honestly administered. 1t
should, therefore. not be thrown over
board in favor of any other system.
Ny reason for removing the restriC
| ton on the taxrate is that the city
needs the money, but more than it
needs the money, it needs the per-
sonal interest in it's affairs of every
American resident This it does not
now have and / know Of no other way
of rudely quienening their apathy than
by, in the way suggested, making a
direct connection between the prop
erty taxes paid by the citizen and his
ballot for the office CT supervisor
believe our electorate can now be
trusted with this power The voter,
who pays taxes on his small home and
has to save from his wages to do so,
quite as much as the businessman
with his automobile, adequate salary,
and accumulated earnings, can be
trusted to vote right where he can see
that his ballot controls his taxes.
Many of my associates do not agree
with me but this is my mature judg-
ment. 1t is the American way at
least, and Hawaii is an integral part
Of the United States"
Reduce Elective Offices
Secondly: The municipal act. as it
now is with but few changes, can be
made over so as to copcentrate re-
sponsibility and Authority. Let US
build on our own experience rather
than copy others. We know our pres.
ent system. Let us change it where
necessary so that we voters shall
ballot only fer the mayor, supervisors
and tho auditor. Let all the other Of
ficers be appointed The appointing
power will then be responsible for
them. Such is not now the case, and
the result is complained of.
II this plan is too simple and
mere radical change is, required, why
not give the city government based
On the cabinet plan of the monarchy?
Those four men ran the whole king.
dom. The native voter, who is in the
r"aiority. would understand the plan.
These four men and the mayor would
each have his executive functions and
as a board they would legislate on ap-
nrepriations and ordinances. We tax.
payers and voters would then know
who to go after if things were not
efficiert'v run. This is not now the
case. The feature of the recall could
he considered and in way this would
he no new thing in Hawaii for under
the monarchy, the cabinet of the king
could be dismissed by vote of
want of confidence"
More Work for Officials
Third: 1t is reasonable to sup
pose that more men of ability and
constructive genius would come for.
ward TO serve on the controlling board
of the city, if they could see there
a chance to really do something for
the city.a
know that the legislatures of
1911 and 1913 of which was a mem
Der, did much in divorcing municipal
from territorial functions, the idea
| the Oahu delegations being to give
the city authority the power to give
the residents. of the city what resi-
dents of a city demand.
Power to raise money by taxation
without limit, should now belong to
the city OF Honolulu, as | have al
ready urged, but another matter de.
mandS attention at once. The statute
laying down the procedure which
must De fol;uwed in the exercise of
the power of eminent domain should
L
so that the city itself can condemn
for pubic uses such private property
as may be needed for parks, play
grounds, buildings and new streets.
The city and county has never tried