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Mayor vows
to give power
to the people
Harris says he will cut red
Full text of mayor's speech Gordon Y.K. Pang
tape and give the public a
greater role in making decisions
Star-BulletinCall this one the reaffirmation speech.
Mayor Jeremy Harris stayed with the tried and true in his annual State of the City address today, pledging to continue his quest to reduce government red tape and give more decision-making powers to the public.
The speech at City Hall, Harris' sixth, was filled with references to projects that have been started and are on their way to completion, but offered no dramatic new initiatives.
"Years of planning, talking, fixing and building come to fruition," the mayor said of the coming year.
Harris promised to each of 19 "visioning" teams he set up "to build a communitywide consensus on a vision for our island" an additional $2 million for projects they set up to go with the $4 million each has received so far.
He also touted his administration's efforts to streamline government in the face of declining revenues.
Despite a $16 million drop in property tax revenues forecast for the coming year, Harris promised,"I will not seek any property tax increase or adjustment."
The mayor said the city has been able to do more with less. While the city work force has been reduced by 7 percent since he took office in 1994, he said, "we operate more parks, roads, sewers, police and fire stations than ever before."
Meanwhile, he said, his administration's efforts to streamline the land use process has reduced the number of needed city permit processes from two to 12.
Turnaround time for applications also has been speeded up, he said.
Harris also noted that an automated permit tracking system was established in the past year and that plans are under way to allow the public to download permit forms and track pending permits online.
Greater accessibility also will be achieved with the opening of the new city Civic Center in Kapolei and a new satellite city hall at Windward Mall, he said. Harris also announced establishment of "City Hall in a Suitcase" units which would be "computerized city services that can literally be taken in a suitcase to any community meeting or gathering."
He noted also that in the coming year, computer technology will allow the public to pay property taxes or other fees via credit card online, to access the city's complete Geographic Information System and tell the proper authorities about a pothole.
"Within our grasp is a paperless city where all documents, permits and correspondences are handled electronically and therefore faster and more efficient," Harris said.
Further, he said, dispatching of ambulances and firetrucks is now done completely electronically, and the vehicles soon will have global positioning systems to help them find locations.
Meanwhile, police officers will have information-gathering computers in their squad cars, and Board of Water Supply personnel will have radio-activated automated meter readers in their vehicles, the mayor said.
Harris also touched on a number of capital improvement projects either in progress or about to begin:
Waikiki: Eighteen major projects are now under way, including expansion of Kuhio Beach Park, scheduled for completion in the summer.
An associated Country Express bus system for Leeward and Kapolei residents will begin in May, while private bids will be solicited for a circulator bus between Waikiki and Kaimuki.
http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us
