June 1955

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August 1955

Calendar Freedom of the Press Voters Service Views Voters Service Legislative News Question Box Report on the Charter Budget Report - June 30, 1955

Report on the Charter The local League realized one of its aims when Governor Samuel King signed HB 1016 (Act 225) on June 7, 1955. This is the long hoped for law which provides for the appointment of a Charter Commission to write a new Charter for the City and County of Honolulu. Some Leagues nave worked for Charter legislation for ten years or more. Our League has worked for enabling legislation in this field since 1951 and should feel proud that the law was passed in a relatively short period of time, HB 1016 was not the League Bill, but our legislative representative and past president, Mrs. Marion Saunders, worked diligently to have amendments in line with League principles added to HB 1016. We owe a vote of thanks to all the committee members who helped with this item, and especially to Mrs. Saunders for her interest and her many hours of work toward the passing of the Charter enabling legislation. With Act 225 signed League hopes were high for immediate action, especially when the Mayor announced that he would appoint a Commission as quickly as possible. However, appointment has been delayed because of the financial condition of the City and County of Honolulu. The League now needs to concentrate its efforts on urging action on these appointments if the Charter is to be finished in time to go before the voters for approval at the next general election. The Board voted on June 29 to ask the Mayor for a meeting of the Board of Supervisors and the League Board in the hope that we might encourage a reconsideration of the decision to wait for the appointment of the Commission. Letters have been sent to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors setting up recommended criteria for members of the Commission and asking the immediate appointment of this Commission. A League committee will need to be set up for research and action. Much needs to be done in the way of education of our members and the community so that when the Charter is presented for 7, to it will have informed community support, A meeting was held to check the material on hand and to discuss possible fields in which we might concentrate our efforts. Education on forms of government was considered of especial importance, This was an exploratory meeting and when the committee is organized and a chairman appointed a possible course of action will be worked out and discussed by the Board. The plan will be submitted to the membership who will be asked to decide what course of action it would like the League to follow to achieve the best possible results, The League expects to have observers at Commission meetings and we hope that there are many League members who will volunteer to help with the various activities that will be necessary in our work on the Charter. As everyone knows there has not been a revision of the Charter since 1935 and reorganization should do much toward better management, economy, and efficiency in City-County government. Enabling legislation has been achieved. The next step is for the City and County to use the legislative permission and appoint the Charter Commission.

June 1955

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August 1955