Marshall set to be new Council leader
The former television reporter would be the first chairwoman in more than 20 years
Barbara Marshall is expected to become the first woman to lead the City Council in 21 years.
The former television reporter, who was elected to the Council in 2002, declined comment but confirmed that a resolution was filed yesterday setting a change in leadership in motion. A vote is expected Tuesday, the day set by law for Council organization.
The resolution also names Councilman Todd Apo as the Council's vice chairman and Nestor Garcia the floor leader.
The last time a woman led the Council was in 1986, when Marilyn Bornhorst was elected Council chairwoman, a position she held for a year.
Marshall would replace Donovan Dela Cruz, who has been the chairman of the Council for more than three years.
"It's the legislative process in action, and I wish her well," Dela Cruz said.
Dela Cruz said he is proud of his record of making the City Council more "transparent," including putting all Council documents online, making Councilmembers responsible for their own office budgets and making their spending available online.
"I'm honored to have been elected the Council chairman for a period longer than three years," Dela Cruz said. "I hope that I will be one of the folks to make sure that the legislative branch remains independent and not a rubber stamp for the administration."
Besides Apo and Garcia, Marshall is also expected to align herself with members Rod Tam and Gary Okino to form the majority of the nine-member Council. All four Councilmen are seen as friendly with Mayor Mufi Hannemann. Marshall, however, is known for her tough questioning of administration officials, especially when it comes to budgetary matters.
The shakeup means that Ann Kobayashi may lose her chairmanship of the powerful Budget Committee, and Romy Cachola will be ousted as chairman of the Transportation Committee.