Among the key questions are whether to abolish city agencies and beef up ethical requirements of city employees. Yet other ballot proposals are designed to make government run more efficiently.

The slew of proposals has drawn the ire of Bill McCorriston, chairman of the 1993-94 Charter Commission. McCorriston, a Honolulu attorney, believes many proposals have more to do with "political gamesmanship" than what's best for the city.

So far, five proposals have been adopted and are guaranteed to be on the November ballot. Another 20 or so proposals remain under consideration. Two final proposals will be heard in first reading at a Council meeting tomorrow, the deadline for consideration for the general election ballot.

"It's distressing that there is an effort at wholesale changes to the charter so shortly after the Charter Commission has done its job," McCorriston said. "If these were pressing matters that needed to be addressed, one might ask where were these proposals during the time the city Charter Commission was doing its job."

He added: "I don't think it's coincidence that this is occurring right before the election - there's always posturing right before an election. But when fundamental changes are proposed to government, careful thought and public participation should both be involved."

McCorriston said he also has been unhappy about the lack of publicity given to the proposals. Public education is crucial when it comes to charter amendments, he said.

Councilman Jon Yoshimura, who heads the Council Policy Committee that is hearing many of the proposals, predicts that perhaps another five or 10 proposals will make it onto the ballot. But he said it would be foolish to predict which ones are shoo-ins.

Yoshimura said he agrees the charter should not be tinkered with a great deal. Nonetheless, he said, "I think Council members are very diligent in our efforts to review the issues before us."

He noted that the process to put a Council charter proposal on the ballot is lengthy, offering ample opportunity for public comment and discussion among Council members.

"We provide as much, and arguably more, opportunity for public input," Yoshimura said.

A large chunk of the proposals deal with transferring responsibilities of agencies and, in some instances, eliminating departments.

One proposal raising a lot of heat is the plan to transfer the Health Department's functions to the Fire Department. Paramedics fear the plan will mean lost promotional opportunities and fewer women on staff. The Fire Department, which has indicated a willingness to work with the plan, has denied that charge. The plan has the backing of Councilman John Henry Felix.

The plan, like a host of others involving a transfer of duties, arose from a budget summit last year at which a group of government and business leaders honed in on streamlining government and making it more efficient.

Another measure spawned by the summit involves dissolving the Department of Land Utilization and splitting its duties between Building and Planning departments. It has run into logistical and philosophical snags and is not expected to make it to the ballot.

A third summit-related proposal calls for abolishing the Auditoriums Department and transferring its duties to the Parks and Recreation Department. That proposal drew opposition from both agencies and appears doomed.

Also drawing a lot of attention has been a proposed amendment dissolving the Honolulu Public Transit Authority and transferring its functions to the Department of Transportation Services. Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim and five others who co-introduced the bill believe the authority is unnecessary.

Allegations of illegal fund-raising and other questionable actions involving the Fire Department led to two other proposals. One calls for creation of a Fire Commission that would operate in a manner similar to the Police Commission. It was introduced by Felix and Councilwoman Rene Mansho.

Another measure calls for prohibiting political activities by Fire Department employees. But indications are that proposal won't go any farther. Some legal experts have questioned the constitutionality of a similar law that regulates Police Department employees.

The City Council is considering these amendments to the City Charter. If the Council approves, they will appear on the general election ballot.