Eleven amendments to the Maui County Charter are on the ballot.
The Charter Commission did a terrible disservice to the citizens, voters and residents of Maui County by refusing to include an amendment to lower the threshold which qualifies an ordinance or amendment for the ballot. There has never been a successful effort. The requirements are impossible to obtain.
The other amendment which the panel refused to place on the ballot was asking voters if they preferred the current unfair, patently discriminatory at-large system which now exists for electing our council or perhaps adopting a fairer, democratic system of nine or 11 separate, equally populated and independent districts for people to run from and vote for. Thousands have voiced support for this change.
Why should residents Upcountry vote for the representative from Molokai? Why should the people of East Maui tell the residents of Kahului who will represent them on the Maui County Council? It is unfair for Lanai, with a population of 3,500 residents, to have one representative while Kihei and Lahaina, with 25,000 to 30,000 residents, also have only one person on the council. Plus, it is too expensive to have to campaign on three of the four islands which comprise Maui County.
Defeat the amendment to expand the council terms to four years. Elect more qualified and educated individuals who can learn in the same time as members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the state House, who run from distinct districts every two years.
Nikhilananda
Huelo
