KAILUA-KONA >> Critics of new Hawaii County Council voting districts may file suit in Circuit Court against the plan by Monday, now that the state Supreme Court has refused to hear their cases. Suits over Big Island
redistricting plannedBy Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.comHonolulu attorney Jack Schweigert, representing Kona sociologist David Holzman, said his client will file by Monday.
Kona attorney Michael Matsukawa, representing the Kona group Citizens for Equitable and Responsible Government, said his clients have not decided whether to join Holzman.
CERG and Holzman appealed directly to the state Supreme Court, but the court denied their actions Thursday, saying direct appeals would be an "extraordinary remedy" that it was not willing to grant.
Schweigert said an appeal before the Supreme Court would have required appellants to argue the law only. In Circuit Court, they must call witnesses and present evidence, he said.
Holzman's main contention is that new maps improperly mix people of different socioeconomic interests, like adding a portion of the presumably poorer Puna District to part of a presumably richer Hilo district.
Matsukawa said the strongest CERG claim may be that the county Reapportionment Commission improperly included military personnel, their dependents, and students in its population numbers.
County attorney Lincoln Ashida said the chairman of the Reapportionment Committee, Mark Van Pernis of Kona, and the vice chairman, Lloyd Van De Car of the Hilo area, are well-respected, knowledgeable attorneys.
Hawaii County
