Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-10

sound reason why these taxes should
not be assessed and collected by the
City and County, but whether the pre-
vailing sentiment is for or against
that, your committee is OF the opln-
ion that in any event the limit upon
the rate of tax, especially for perman-
ent improvements, SHOULD be raised
or removed altogether. Without an
increase in funds, the growing needs
of this City and County cannot be met.
They should be met, and in prosper
Gus times at least, they should be met
even for public improvements, largely
if not entirely out of current funds
rather than loans. The City and
County should be financed on the
budget system. 49,
City and County can De Trusted
We should not overlook the fact
that the slow progress of decentrall'
cation of government in Hawaii has
been a wise policy. County govern
ment in. 1904 was not believed in by
many of the men who voted for 1t.
They were "kanaIaa" but did not
want to oppose what was considered
by many to be a necessary American;
ism. The entire theory of the present
laws which give the City and County
of Honolulu its present limited and
restricted powers, is that the NUM-
cipality cannot be entirely trusted to
handle its own affairs. believe. that
the, lessons of twelve years experience
on the island of Oahu are sufficient
to Justify now the rewriting OF these
laws under the theory that the City
and County of Honolulu can be trust
ed to run it's own affairs. 1t is well
that the cutting Of theTapron strings
of the Territory has. been gradual.
Almost every legislature since 1905
has given to Honolulu some power and
duty which formerly the Territory
had. Under our national system OF
government and law this gradual de.
velopment is the safe and proper pro.
cedure. But the time has come to
take further steps.
Policy Bearing Fruit
The policy of not trusting the city
government with full powers is bear
ing unexpected fruit. Men within
the city government in the city's EN-.
ploy who have been refused salary
raises by the supervisors have gone
over the heads of the city fathers to
the Legislature and obtained their
wishes. Are you aware that the tink
ering with our charter in this regard
by the Legislature of 1917 has saddled
H., ma mil in 10 fH
the tune each year of $4,000? This is
the wrong way to do things if we are
to have our city run properly by its
eiWn officials. Likewise, the frontage
tan law which relates to this municipal
division OF the Territory alone, was
by the 1917 Legislature so as
to take from the supervisors much dis.
erection and latitude of Judgment in the
administration of the district improve
ment statutes. This taking. from the
supervisors of real responsibility cur.
tails just so much the power of the
city. ...
Revision Backward"
From the viewpoint of this paper,
charter revision as thus practised
by the Legislature Of 1917 is revision
backward. ~..
I / have read to you what the Frear
Committee say about increasing the
revenues of the city by adopting
more elastic tax rate.
. urge the abolition of the present
limitations on the freedom of the SUI
perVisors in the matter of fixing the
Nd In hn nf 10
funds, so that we can definitely fix on
the seven men of the Board the re.
sponsibility for providing the city with
enough money and a budget system
of expenditures.
I urge that the present system Of
tax assessment and tax collection be
left as it is, for it is cheap and eff
ficient and nothing can be gained by
shifting 1t to the city from the Ter.
ritory. Moreover, the community is
familiar with the present
system and should not be inconveni-
enced to learn a new system except
for good reason.
Supervisors Should Fix Tax-rates
The tax rate, however, should be
fixed by the supervisors with no limit
except that of public opinion, and the
of tax moneys should not
be restricted by Territorial law, ex.
cept to provide for the payment to
the Territory of the costs of tax col,
lecting and sinking fund moneys for
bonded debts,
The lack.of-trust theory of legislat-
ing for Honolulu has resulted in a i
method OF fixing the tax rate and re-
strictions as to the expenditure of city,
tax money which are simply amazing
in their difficulties of comprehension.
| take it that such matters in any city
government should not be unduly
or difficult for the aver
age man to understand. But, doubt
there are a dozen men in all
Honolulu today who understand these
laws. In order to make my point per-
fectly clear, | will read the law in
question, even at the risk of firing
you. Please listen carefully and mag
inc you are a newly elected super
visor. ...s .... T..
REVISED LAWS OF HAWAII 1915
las amended, by Act 222. L. 1910:
SECTION 1896. GENERAL. PROP"
ERTY TAXES. Except as exempted
r otherwise taxed, all real property
and all personal property, within each
taxation division, shall be subject to