Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto’s Ballot Recommendations

Below are Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto’s recommendations on the 20 proposed Honolulu Charter amendments and two proposed amendments to the Hawaiʻi State Constitution, along with her reasoning.

Honolulu Charter Amendment Questions

Question 1: Food Security Fund

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the Charter require annual funding for a Food Security Fund, without having to simultaneously increase real property tax rates to fund the appropriation, to support programs and grants that provide locally grown or produced food to Oʻahu residents, as well as non-local food only in an emergency?

KCI’s Reasoning: Supports the objective, but the language about not raising property tax rates is a meaningless distraction.

Question 2: Charter Preamble

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the Charter be amended to replace its preamble with language recognizing the relationship between the people of the City and County of Honolulu and the ʻāina, honoring the wisdom of kūpuna and the legacy of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, and affirming commitments to transparent, accountable government and stewardship of natural, civic, and cultural resources?

KCI’s Reasoning: This is harmless and could positively influence policy in favor of environmental stewardship.

Question 3: Office of ʻŌiwi Resources and Cultural Stewardship

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should an Office of ʻŌiwi Resources and Cultural Stewardship be established within the Office of the Mayor to oversee the management of ʻŌiwi resources within the City, develop related programs, and create a Cultural Advisory Council of kūpuna, cultural practitioners, and community representatives?

KCI’s Reasoning: We need more guardrails against continued colonization and the eradication of the host culture.

Question 4: LGBTQIA+ Commission

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should a nine-member LGBTQIA+ Commission be established to advise the Mayor, City Council, and City agencies on matters affecting the LGBTQIA+ community and recommend policies, programs, and legislation promoting social, economic, and political equality?

KCI’s Reasoning: This would be similar to other commissions that exist at the state and county levels.

Question 5: Ranked-Choice Voting

KCI’s Recommendation: YES — STRONG SUPPORT

Beginning in 2032, should the City use ranked-choice voting to elect the Mayor, City Council, and Prosecuting Attorney, allowing voters to rank candidates in the order they prefer (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) in a single November election?

KCI’s Reasoning: Strongly supports this. It is a county version of a bill she introduced, HB2528.

Question 6: Immigration Enforcement and Constitutional Rights

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the Charter be amended to require the Honolulu Police Department to 1) adopt policies to ensure the constitutional rights of all persons regardless of immigration or citizenship status are protected, and 2) assist federal immigration enforcement activities only when required by statute or court order, and after the requesting agency’s identity and authority have been confirmed?

KCI’s Reasoning: We need to protect the approximately 20% of our state’s population who are immigrants.

Question 7: Housing Availability and Preservation

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Shall the Revised Charter of the City and County of Honolulu be amended to encourage increasing housing availability and preserving available housing as policies for the City and County of Honolulu?

KCI’s Reasoning: Increasing supply will ease demand pressures and help bring prices down.

Question 8: Affordable Housing Revolving Fund

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the Charter be amended to clarify that the Affordable Housing Fund is a revolving fund, with repayments, interest, earnings, proceeds, and other receipts derived from the Fund to be redeposited into the Fund?

KCI’s Reasoning: Affordable housing needs more protected funding.

Question 9: Public Hearings on City Real Property Transactions

KCI’s Recommendation: NO

Should the Charter be amended to no longer require a second public hearing for any transaction related to City real property interests?

KCI’s Reasoning: The public needs more opportunities to weigh in.

Question 10: Affordable Housing Functional Plan

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the City be required to prepare and carry out a functional plan for the development of affordable housing?

KCI’s Reasoning: It is disappointing that this has to be required rather than done voluntarily.

Question 11: Grants to Nonprofit Organizations

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the Charter be amended to allow the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund and the Climate Resiliency Fund to award grants to federal income tax-exempt nonprofit organizations that provide services that are consistent with each Fund’s purpose?

KCI’s Reasoning: If a nonprofit organization can do the work and fulfill the funds’ purposes, that is a good thing.

Question 12: Additional Funding Sources for Special Funds

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the Revised City Charter be amended to allow the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund, Affordable Housing Fund, Climate Resiliency Fund, and other funds established under Section 9-204 to receive funding from federal, state, philanthropic, and other sources?

KCI’s Reasoning: More funding from other sources should be welcome.

Question 13: Historic Preservation and the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund

KCI’s Recommendation: NO

Should the Charter be amended to allow the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund to be used for historic preservation, and to preserve and protect buildings, sites, structures, and objects that have been acquired by the fund; to rename the Fund the Land, Natural Resources, and Historic Preservation Fund, and the advisory commission for the Fund the Land, Natural Resources, and Historic Preservation advisory commission; and to allocate proposal review for Fund use between the advisory commission and the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission?

KCI’s Reasoning: Historic preservation of prior developments is important, but clean water and natural lands must remain the priority.

Question 14: Maintenance of Lands Acquired Through the Fund

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the Charter be amended to increase the annual appropriation for costs related to operation, maintenance, and management of lands that were acquired using the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund, from 5% of the moneys that were deposited into the Fund in the previous year, to 10%?

KCI’s Reasoning: We cannot just acquire lands; we must also maintain them.

Question 15: Office of Data and Innovation

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should an Office of Data and Innovation be established to use data to improve city services, promote government transparency and civic engagement, ensure that the city uses artificial intelligence responsibly, and protect residents’ digital privacy?

KCI’s Reasoning: Most high-functioning systems today have an office like this.

Question 16: Permanent Residents on City Boards and Commissions

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should permanent resident aliens who are residents of the City and County of Honolulu be permitted to serve on City boards and commissions?

KCI’s Reasoning: Everyone should have an opportunity to contribute.

Question 17: Quorum and Board Action

KCI’s Recommendation: NO

Should quorum and board action be based on the majority of members eligible to vote, excluding vacancies and non-voting members?

KCI’s Reasoning: This could concentrate too much power in too few people and reduce checks and balances.

Question 18: Civil Service Exemption for the Human Resources First Deputy

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the First Deputy of the Department of Human Resources be exempt from civil service provisions, like similar roles in other City departments?

KCI’s Reasoning: Human resources management works across the table from unions. It does not make sense to require management to be a union member.

Question 19: Support for the Charter Commission

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the City Clerk be required to provide technical and secretarial services to the Charter Commission?

KCI’s Reasoning: Someone should be required to provide this support.

Question 20: Eligibility for Office Following Impeachment

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

Should the Charter make a Councilmember, the Mayor, or the Prosecuting Attorney ineligible for election to any City office for two years if impeached, or if the official resigns after an impeachment petition has been filed, consistent with the provision for being recalled from office?

KCI’s Reasoning: This is a needed good-government reform.

State Constitutional Amendment Questions

Question 1: More Time to Consider Judicial Appointments

KCI’s Recommendation: YES

“Shall the Constitution of the State of Hawaii be amended to allow the Senate more time to consider and act on the appointments of justices and judges, by increasing the timeframe from thirty days to sixty days for appointments made between April 1 and December 31 when the senate is not in regular session or is about to adjourn the regular session?”

KCI’s Reasoning: This ensures sufficient time to vet appointees to the courts.

Question 2: RISE Bonds Exempt from County Debt Limits

KCI’s Recommendation: NO

“Shall the Hawaii State Constitution be amended to direct the legislature to authorize the counties to issue resilient infrastructure for shelter and equity bonds to fund public improvements in designated districts, repaid solely by future growth in property tax revenues within those districts, not by increasing real property tax rates, where such bonds are excluded from the counties’ debt limit and are subject to accountability and oversight requirements as may be provided by law?”

KCI’s Reasoning: Excluding these bonds from county debt limits is a major red flag. This could function like giving counties limitless credit cards and place debt burdens on future generations. Other states require voters to approve certain county debt.