Will Charter Commission Put Campaign Reform To A Vote?
Current law makes it easy to curry favor with city leaders by giving to their campaign accounts. That needs to change.
The Honolulu Charter Commission members have until Aug. 22 to submit proposals for inclusion on the November general election ballot.
This once-in-a-decade chance should not be squandered without the public being allowed to vote on city campaign reform.
It is disheartening to see developers go before the Honolulu City Council seeking variances, waivers and exemptions, knowing that they have given tens of thousands of dollars to the very people who are considering their requests.
Campaign Spending Commission records clearly show this to be true.
This practice was evident during the council’s consideration of the proposal to build a very tall building at the King’s Village site in Waikiki and in other developer requests.
As citizens, we all know giving money to elected officials to curry favor is the very definition of bribery and corruption. But current law allows it when these funds go into the candidate’s campaign account instead of a personal account.
Should developers be able to finance the elections of the very people deciding their projects’ fate? Voters of Oahu deserve a chance to answer this question.
In reality, what’s in a campaign account is just as important to an elected official as what’s in a personal account. This is because an elected official’s office is critical to their life, their career and their future. So to finance their campaigns is actually little different than giving them a personal briefcase of cash.
It raises a serious question: Should developers be able to finance the elections of the very people deciding their projects’ fate?
Voters of Oahu deserve a chance to answer this question. They should be able to vote on a ballot measure that bars elected city officials from voting on measures that directly benefit large donors.
The Charter Commission still has a chance to make this happen. Doing so will stimulate participation in the upcoming election and put Honolulu on course to more ethical way to consider the merits of projects that greatly impact the community. Charter Commission, please don’t squander this chance.
If you need an assist, here’s the draft charter amendment I would suggest: No Honolulu City Council member and no Honolulu mayor shall vote on, sign or approve any ordinance resolution or other measure that will directly benefit any person or entity that has made a contribution of more than $100 to their election campaign.
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