HB2297 HD1

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the city and county of Honolulu, with a population of approximately 900,000, is the largest and the fastest growing county in the State, in view of major developments occurring in the west Oahu area. As the population expands in the west Oahu area, the need for government services is expected to increase.

The legislature believes, however, that demands for county-level services will be greater than demands for state-level services and that the splitting of the city and county of Honolulu into two separate counties, one for west Oahu and one for east Oahu, would better serve all residents of the island of Oahu for the following reasons:

(1) Existing communities such as Schofield Barracks, Wheeler, Mililani, Wahiawa, Haleiwa, Waianae, Waialua, Sunset Beach, Kahuku, and Laie provide the basic framework for a future metropolis on the west side of the island of Oahu;

(2) Existing utility infrastructure systems such as roadways, water, drainage, electrical, and sewer systems can be improved, upgraded, and expanded in these communities;

(3) Public facilities such as schools, parks, playgrounds, and recreational centers, and medical, civic, and governmental (police, fire, and emergency medical) services can be expanded;

(4) Private facilities such as medical, dental, health care, business, manufacturing, and retail complexes can be expanded;

(5) Existing employment sectors such as industrial, manufacturing, wholesale, and retail centers can be expanded;

(6) Existing agricultural sectors can be integrated and expanded;

(7) Existing and future communities can be environmentally equipped for water reuse, sewer, solid waste, drainage, and alternative energy infrastructure systems;

(8) Existing and future communities can be master-planned with pedestrian-oriented townscapes;

(9) Existing and future communities can be master-planned to promote and sustain economic development, including new eco-tourism, high-technology, pollution-free, and environmentally-oriented industries;

(10) Existing and future communities can be economically self-sustaining, including community-operated recycling, trash pickup, and emergency (police, security, medical, fire, and communication) services;

(11) Existing and new communities can be taxed at a graduated rate to amortize the capital, repair, and maintenance costs of the utility infrastructure, and the public and private facilities; and

(12) Existing and future communities can be master-planned to allow efficient and time-saving commuting options between communities and between the employment, educational, recreational, and service sectors.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a blue ribbon committee to reorganize the city and county of Honolulu into two counties.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established a blue ribbon committee to reorganize the city and county of Honolulu into two separate counties. The committee shall be composed of eleven members, of which:

(1) Four shall be appointed by the mayor of the city and county of Honolulu;

(2) Four shall be appointed by the chair of the council of the city and county of Honolulu; and

(3) The remaining three shall be appointed by the governor from lists submitted by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives.

The members of the committee shall not receive compensation, but shall be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred in the actual conduct of business on behalf of the committee. The committee may hire necessary staff to assist in carrying out its responsibilities.

(b) In conducting its reorganization planning effort and making its recommendations, the committee shall consider:

(1) Distribution of the population in the city and county of Honolulu and the needs for and accessibility to county government services by the various population segments;

(2) Functions and responsibilities of the city and county of Honolulu government, the effectiveness of the delivery of services through the current organization, and recommendations as to how services should be delivered through the new counties; and

(3) Feasibility of establishing one west Oahu county consisting of Pearlridge, Pearl City, Waipahu, Mililani, Wahiawa, Haleiwa, Waialua, Kaneohe, Kailua, Kapolei, Nanakuli, Maili, Waianae, and all areas in between and one east Oahu county consisting of the remaining areas of Oahu.

(1) Maps depicting the proposed boundaries for the two counties, and the number of council seats and the apportionment thereof for each county;

(2) Recommendations for other changes required such as the formulation of new county charters and the transfer of funds, property, equipment, and personnel;

(3) A schedule reflecting the implementing actions required to establish two separate counties, including a referendum vote on the question of establishing two separate counties, the formulation and ratification of new county charters, and the construction of a new county seat in west Oahu; and

(4) The fiscal requirements to implement the recommended reorganization, including an estimate of changes, if any, that would need to be made to existing county real property tax rates, for each new county to raise revenues adequate to maintain current levels of county government services to all Oahu residents.

(d) Any provisions of this Act to the contrary notwithstanding, the committee may also consider, at its discretion, proposals from its members to reorganize the city and county of Honolulu into three or more counties, using the same criteria specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b), and subject to development of an implementation plan substantially similar to that required in subsection (c).

(e) The committee shall submit an interim report to the governor, legislature, mayor, and council of the city and county of Honolulu no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2009 regular session. The committee shall submit a final report no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2010 regular session. The reports shall include the committee's findings and recommendations and any proposed legislation. The committee shall cease to exist on June 30, 2010.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to cover the expenses of the blue ribbon committee established by this Act, including the hiring of necessary staff.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2297
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII