Women voters
league sues over
Charter Commission

Mayor Harris is breaking
two City Charter rules,
the suit alleges

By Susan Kreifels
Star-Bulletin

The League of Women Voters says it's committed to upholding constitutional laws and making sure the public has adequate time to review proposals before they vote on them. It alleges that Mayor Jeremy Harris is breaking those rules.

Yesterday, the league filed a lawsuit in the state Supreme Court to try to prevent the Honolulu City Charter Commission's eight proposals from being placed on the November ballot.

The group sees two violations of the City Charter committed by Harris. First, said the league's attorney, David Gierlach, the charter says such a commission can be formed every 10 years, with the next one due in 2001. Harris formed the commission earlier this year.

Second, the charter says the commission is to be appointed 18 months before the election in which citizens will vote on the commission's proposals, said Grace Furukawa, Honolulu League of Women Voters president.

"The commission was given only a scant two months to formulate amendments for inclusion in the November ballot," Furukawa said. "There's only one purpose ... the specific recommendations the mayor wanted for his current reorganization plan.

"This is a shameless attempt to end-run the charter's own provisions by railroading through a number of charter amendments."

In a statement, Harris said the charter allows a commission to be convened on or before Feb. 1, 2001, and that the commission may submit proposed amendments at any time before Sept. 1 of the year succeeding the commission's appointment.

"It's disgraceful that the League of Women Voters would try to stop the voters from having a say in how city government is reorganized," Harris said.