We need a connection between Council and constituents
We need a connection between Council and constituents
A strong connection between County Council Members and their constituents is a good thing for democracy.
It is good for County Council Members to listen closely to opinions of their constituents. It is good for constituents to inform their County Council Members about what they want and expect from government. And it is a good thing when County Council Members effectively communicate the intricacies of their (and the government’s) actions to the people in their districts. To explain to constituents what he or she has done, and why, a county council member must 1) be accessible to constituents, 2) actively seek out constituent needs and opinions, and 3) educate constituents about issues and his or her legislative fairness.
Yet, under the present Charter, each individual County Council Member is given a special charge to represent all of the people on Kaua‘i and their myriad interests. It is extremely difficult for any one County Council Member to represent all of Kaua‘i and more importantly, to maintain contact and interaction with everyone on Kaua‘i. The Hawai‘i Constitution created three Hawai‘i State Representative districts on Kaua‘i. And three Kaua‘i County Council districts should be created that correspond with the existing Hawai‘i State Representative districts.
The people of Kaua‘i will have stronger representation that will integrate the issues of the districts at the County and State levels.
Norma Doctor Sparks, Koloa
