Honolulu City Council - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Honolulu City Council is the legislative branch of the City & County of Honolulu and is considered the second most powerful parliamentary body in the State of Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

, following the Hawaii State Legislature. Charged with writing and passing laws for the island of Oahu

Oahu

Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...

, the Honolulu City Council meets in chambers at Honolulu Hale

Honolulu Hale

Honolulu Hale , located on 530 South King Street in downtown Honolulu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii, is the official seat of government of the city and county, site of the chambers of the Mayor of Honolulu and the Honolulu City Council.In the Hawaiian language, hale means house or building...

year-round.

The Honolulu City Council is composed of nine members from nine administrative districts. Each member is elected to no more than two four-year terms or four two-year terms, depending on the election schedule of the respective districts. Elections are held every other September and are by law, nonpartisan in nature.

Honolulu Hale

The Honolulu City Council conducts official business from Honolulu Hale

Honolulu Hale

, a historic city hall building constructed in classical Spanish villa architectural styles and sits along King Street and Punchbowl Street in downtown Honolulu

Downtown Honolulu

Downtown Honolulu is the current historic, economic, governmental, and central part of Honolulu—bounded by Nuuanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the north, and Honolulu Harbor to the south—situated within the larger Honolulu District...

. Other officers under the Honolulu City Council work from separate municipal buildings on the larger civic campus of which Honolulu Hale is a part.

Command Structure

In the line of command for the City & County of Honolulu, the Honolulu City Council balances the power of the Mayor of Honolulu

Mayor of Honolulu

The Mayor of Honolulu is the chief executive officer of the City and County of Honolulu and considered the third most powerful official in the U.S. state of Hawaii, behind the Governor of Hawaii and the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii...

and the Prosecuting Attorney of Honolulu

Prosecuting Attorney of Honolulu

The Prosecuting Attorney of Honolulu is one of only two countywide elected positions in the City & County of Honolulu in the State of Hawai'i. He or she is responsible for the prosecution of people for offenses to the laws and regulations established by the municipal government...

. The Honolulu City Council is responsible for the confirmation of the heads of the various departments under the mayor's office. Within the sphere of control of the Honolulu City Council are three bodies: Office of the City Clerk, Office of Council Services and the semi-autonomous Office of the City Auditor.

Within the Honolulu City Council, there are three main leadership positions. The officers of the Honolulu City Council are the Chairman, Vice Chairman and the Floor Leader. In the early 2000s, leadership was highly volatile and often controversially stripped, shuffled and changed.

Functions and Duties

The Honolulu City Council has identified eleven major functions and duties that are of utmost priority while in session. They are:

To set city-wide policies by enacting ordinances and adopting resolutions relating to municipal government programs and services such as police and fire protection, parks and recreation, affordable and special needs housing, sanitation and waste disposal, public transportation and other city government operations.
To initiate new municipal programs which the City may pursue or improve, update and refine existing programs and services.
To adopt an annual operating and capital programs budget to fund the operations and delivery of city services.
To adopt measures that will yield sufficient money to balance the budget including the setting of the annual real property tax rate.
To adopt a general plan and create land use laws establishing and amending the city's development plans and zoning regulations and processes.
To determine the necessity of taking property for public purposes and authorize condemnation proceedings.
To confirm city department heads, board and commission members nominated and appointed by the Mayor of Honolulu.
To fix fees and charges for all city services and the use of city property.
To authorize settlement of claims filed against the city and against its officers and employees acting within the course of their duties.
To establish fines and penalties for violations of city ordinances and laws.
To accept gifts and donations to and on behalf of the city of money, securities or other personal property, or real estate or interests in real estate.

Administrative Districts

For administrative purposes of the Honolulu City Council, the island of Oahu is divided into nine districts each represented at Honolulu Hale by a popularly elected member. Each district is composed of unincorporated subdivisions unofficially called towns and cities.

DISTRICT I: Ewa, Ewa Beach, Honouliuli, West Loch, Kapolei, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale and Nanakai Gardens, KoOlina, Nānākuli, Waianae, Mākaha, Keaau, Mākua.
DISTRICT II: Mililani Mauka, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village, Mokulēia, Waialua, HaleViwa, Waimea, Pūpūkea, Sunset Beach, Kahuku, Lāie, Hauula, Punaluu, Kahana, Kaaawa, Kualoa, Waiāhole, Kahaluu, Āhuimanu, Heeia.
DISTRICT III: Waimānalo, Kailua, Kāneohe.
DISTRICT IV: Hawaii Kai, Kuliouou, Niu Valley, Āina Haina, Wailupe, Waialae-Iki, Kalani Valley, Kahala, Wilhelmina Rise, a portion of Kapahulu, a portion of Kaimukī, Diamond Head, Waikīkī, Ala Moana.
DISTRICT V: Kapahulu, Kaimukī, Pālolo Valley, St. Louis Heights, Mānoa, Mōiliili, McCully, Kakaako, Ala Moana, Makiki.
DISTRICT VI: Makiki, downtown Honolulu, Punchbowl, Liliha, Pauoa Valley, Nuuanu, Ālewa Heights, Papakōlea, Kalihi Valley, Kalihi.
DISTRICT VII: Kalihi, Kapālama, Pālama, Iwilei, Sand Island, Māpunapuna, Airport, Hickam, Pearl Harbor, Ford Island, Āliamanu, Salt Lake, Foster Village, Stadium, Hālawa Valley Estates.
DISTRICT VIII: Fort Shafter, Moanalua, Hālawa, Aiea, Pearl City, Seaview, Crestview, Waipio Gentry.
DISTRICT IX: Waikele, Waipahu, Village Park, Makakilo, Kunia, Mililani.

Current members

The following is a list of the members of the Honolulu City Council :

District I — Tom Berg
District II — Ernest Y. Martin
District III — Ikaika Anderson
Ikaika Anderson
Justin-Michael Ikaika Anderson is currently serving his first term on the Honolulu City Council representing City Council District 3. Ikaika is the fourth member of the Anderson family to hold elective office in Hawaii- his great-great grandfather, former Rep. John C...
District IV — Stanley Chang
District V — Ann Kobayashi
Ann Kobayashi
Ann Kobayashi is a politician and businesswoman from Honolulu, Hawaii. She is a member of the Honolulu City Council, representing District 5. She previously held the same City Council seat between 2002 and 2008, but resigned from the seat to unsuccessfully run for Mayor of Honolulu against...
District VI — Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo
District VII — Romy M. Cachola
District VIII — Breene Harimoto
District IX — Nestor R. Garcia

Resources

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