Let Honolulu Vote: ‘No’ on City Charter Amendment Question #4

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BY BOB KESSLER — Aloha to all – In 2006 you supported Let Honolulu Vote in a petition drive to change the Honolulu City Charter. The GET increase had just gone into effect and Let Honolulu Vote, with your help, attempted to petition the C&C of Honolulu on that issue.

We were not successful, largely because the City Charter establishes a very high threshold for petition signatures – 15 percent of the votes cast in the last mayoral election. This threshold is among the highest in the nation. It virtually immunizes Honolulu’s government against citizen petitions.

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Now the City wants to raise that  threshold even higher. The ballot for the upcoming election contains a question about whether or not that threshold should be raised to 15 percent of all registered voters. This is a much higher threshold that would guarantee the failure of citizen petitions, further protecting City government against the wishes of it’s own citizens.

At a time when government accountability is very much an issue, this is a blatant attempt to reduce Honolulu government accountability. I urge you to vote NO on this proposal.

Bob Kessler is the former co-Chair of Let Honolulu Vote. He may be reached at 702-363-3307

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