Kaua‘i voters on Nov. 4 will see two state issues on the ballot and six proposed amendments to the County Charter. Each is posed as a “yes” or “no” question. Up for decision at the state level is whether there
Kaua‘i voters on Nov. 4 will see two state issues on the ballot and six proposed amendments to the County Charter. Each is posed as a “yes” or “no” question.
Up for decision at the state level is whether there should be a convention to propose a revision of or amendments to Hawai‘i’s Constitution.
The most recent “ConCon” was in 1978, which resulted in the requirement of an annual balanced budget, the establishment of term limits for governor, the creation of the Judicial Selection Commission and Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the adoption of the Hawaiian language as an official state language and the creation of the Council on Revenues to forecast how much money the state can spend.
This year the issue has been mostly divided along party lines. Democrats have urged residents to vote no, saying there is no need to hold an expensive convention. Republicans have pushed for a yes vote, calling the convention an effective legislative tool to implement real change in a lopsided state government.
Under the state constitution, voters are asked every decade whether to have a constitutional convention to review the state’s principle governing document. Voters rejected calls for conventions in the 1980s and 1990s.
The cost has been estimated between $6.4 million and $41.4 million, depending on the number of delegates and scope. A task force determined the convention could be held for less than $10 million.
For more information, visit www.hawaiiconcon.org, www.itstimehawaii.com or hawaii.gov/ltgov/concon or see the article on page E5.
Another state issue Kaua‘i voters will see this election is whether the age qualification for governor and lieutenant governor should be dropped from 30 years old to 25 years old.
At the county level, voters will decide issues related to elections, disclosure of interests, boards and commissions, executive meetings, the county auditor and implementation of the General Plan.
The Charter Review Commission proposed three amendments to the county’s constitution.
The first question asks if the charter should be amended to require the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes in the primary election for the offices of mayor and prosecuting attorney, regardless of whether a candidate receives a majority of the votes cast at the primary election, run in the general election.
The second question asks if the charter should conform to state law requiring all Kaua‘i County Council meetings to be open to the public unless allows to be closed under the state Sunshine Law, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes Chapter 92.
The third question asks if the charter should be amended to expressly permit county board and commission members to appear on behalf of private interests before any county board, commission or agency except the board or commission on which they serve.
The Kaua‘i County Council proposed two amendments.
The first asks: “Shall an elected or appointed officer or employee, or member of a board or commission not be allowed to participate in matters pending before them where the member or any member of his immediate family has a personal financial interest or an organization in which they occupy a leadership position has a direct financial interest?”
The second asks is an Office of the County Auditor should be established within the legislative branch to conduct or cause to conduct performance and financial audits of funds, programs, and operations of any agency, department or operation of the county.
A group of concerned citizens proposed the final amendment to appear on the ballot this election.
It asks voters if the charter should be amended to include a new section that vests the power to process and to issue permits for more than one transient accommodation unit exclusively with the council. It also requires any applicant seeking permits for more than one accommodation unit to certify to the Planning Department whether any use of the units as a transient accommodation unit is projected.
Prior to granting any such permits, under the proposed amendment, the council shall conduct a public hearing and make a finding that granting such permit would be consistent with the planning growth range of the General Plan and in the best interests of the county and its people. Approval would require a two-thirds vote of the council.
The proposed amendment would allow the council to authorize the Planning Commission to process and issue such permits only upon the council’s enactment of a rate of growth ordinance that limits the rate of increase in the number of transient accommodation units in the county to no greater than 1.5 percent annually, on a multi-year average basis, or such growth rate that is within the planning growth range of a future general plan.
For more information, visit www.kauai.gov/charteramendments.
• Nathan Eagle, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or neagle@kauaipubco.com
