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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTestimony re_CRC 2022-08.pdfAnela Segreti From: Sent: To: Subject: jonathan jay <ijkauai@gmail.com > Monday, April 25, ?0?? 2:24 PM Anela Segreti CRC Testimony for today RECEIVEO APR 25 ?022 BOABDS & @MMISSIONS CAUTION: This email originated from outside the County of Kauai. Do not click links or open attachments even if the sender is known to you unless it is something you were expecting. Jonathan Jay phone: (808) 212.7686 Email: iilauai@email.com I would like my contact info to be inluded in all releases of this testimony I waive any privac.y concerns. I OPPOSE the recent PIG recommendation for the CRC to "take no action" in this election cycle regarding districting proposals for election to county council. Two main reasons in their report for taking "no action" are 1) that districting will not reduce the expence of campaigns and 2) districting would break the unitynofbthe island pitting district against district Neither of these positions hold true. Regarding cost, comparisons of apple to oranges were made in comparing Kaua'i to other islands. Kaua'i is not other islands. The cost to run for council on Big lsland or O'ahu of course gonna be higher. No doubt. Bigger & more people, so false comparison. Not one to one. And in regard to campaigning for Council on Kauai island wide -vs. districts: There is no wav the total effort, time and cost will not be reduced when a candidate for their new council district no longer has to run island-wide, but can instead focus on forming a better connection with their local community members in their home corner of the island. Just think of the gas saved ! Secondly, regarding districts creating division, anyone who looks at the issue this way has no business running for council, cuz they looking at the whole picture upside down. I used to coach basketball for Papalina in Kaleheo with Coach Clyde and Coach Sean. And our kids played great defense, cuz we taught them the zone. Stay in your spot, don't let anybody come thru. Julike basketball, So much ofwhat the council members gotta in service fir our islands is play defense - defense to block against bad things happening, or attentive defence to quickly fix some bad thing what already happened. regarding agenda items: CRC 2022-08 & CRC 2020-17 \ Item: CRC 2022-08 when you live in the district, and all your constituents too, it is easier to see and see the need to fix problems in your comunity. Small example: When Shaylene lsari Carvalo was on council and living in Anahola, it was easy for her to see 1 and make sure the Anahola beach park did not have and needed a life gaurd station. lam not saying Shaylene was a good council-member or a bad one, I am saying because she lived in the community, it was easier for her to see what the immediate need was, and spring into action. And when one council member getting the right things done for their community, the whole island is doing better. Districting is like playing a zone defence - which makes it easier for the whole team to play better defense, cuz everybody can do a much better job if they ca n focus on one corner instead of try defend the whole court. ln fact, Zone defence is so effective, they made it illeBal for a while in the pros (cuz they wanted higher scoring games, but that's a different story). The point is zone defense works, and that's what we all want good governance. We all want our council to be effective. Every corner of the island deserves that. Zone defence & Districting makes it easy - when everyone understands they all still playing for the same team - to focus more closely on a smaller area of of primary responsibility so each can do a better job and move the team forward. Placing a council districting proposal onto the ballot this fall is long overdue. Every other county In Hawai'i has some form of districting for their council. This is an item I and many others have been testifying in support of literally for decades. However, I have no desire to persuade members of the CRC council districting is right for Kaua'i County. The job of the CRC is confirm the issue in question is worthy of consideration by the voters. And this issue deginately is When citizens come forward with specific charter amendments to the CRC, your job is to make sure that the proposal is sound, _not_ to decide up or down on the specific merits of the proposa I itself. That is the kuleana of the electorate to decld e. The lssue of bringing effective region representation to the county council by introducing districting to council elections is absolutely an issue worthy of consideration by the voters of Kaua'i & Ni'ihau this fall. Please take action. Move forward with something, so the voters can decide. Item S2: CRC 2020-17 Please SUPPORT placing "3x2 +l" council districting proposal on the ballot. I strongly encourage the CRC to place the "3x2+1" A hybrid Proposal that combines an inovative multi-member Districts and at-large voting for Council - on to the ballot this fall, for Kaua'i & Ni'ihau voters to decide. This Council Districting Proposal adopts the existing districts of the Hawai'i State House, 14-15-16. And this makes it very easy to adopt. no new districts need be created, and no new boundaries need to be determined. Administration of the district elections is also streamlined because the only difference will be the application of district tallying mechanism already in use. Within each district, 2 council representatives will be seated for a total of 5 council members. The 7th council person shall be elected island-wide. This blending of at-large and district representation will ensure regional representation from all parts of the island will always be present in council to make collective decisions for our island community. 2 a. "3 Districts..." Adopts 3 existing equal-population State Representative districts: 14 (Northshore, Kapa'a & Houselots) 15 (Homesteads & Lrhu'e Core), 16 (South & West side), for Kauai County Council elections, beginning in 2024 b. "2 Representatives each" Becsuse get 2 electrd ftom each, is called "multimember districts" Seats the top 2 vote-getting candidates from each of the 3 council districts (3x2=6) c. "+ t" Elects 1 top vote-getting candidate at-large from an island-wide vote to bring the council up to a total of 7 seats. . maintalns our local tradition of multiple votes for voters in county council elections, and includes at{arge island-wide voting. . allows for ease of election administration by using already existing established districts. . ensures balanced community and regional representation from all parts of Kaua'i & Ni'ihau always having a seat at the table in every future county council . fosters island-wide unity and efficiency in governance by aligning governance between local county and state representatives . reduces expense and effort by introducing smaller regional elections MAHALO NUI! warm regards, Jonatha n Jay wa rm regards, Jonathan Jay JJ Kaua'i Design 808.2t2.7 686 iika uai.com 3 "3x2+1" Council Districting" lF placed on the ballot this fall and approved by voters, our county charter would be amended, and Council Districting would come into effect for County Council elections beginnin Bin 2024.