City & County of Honolulu
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The City & County of Honolulu is the official municipal and cultural entity of the combined urban district of Honolulu and the rest of the island of O‘ahu in the U.S. state of Hawai‘i, as prescribed in the city charter adopted in 1907 and accepted by the Legislature of the Territory of Hawai‘i. It acts as a public corporation that manages various aspects of traditional municipal governance primarily in the American manner. Over the course of its history, it has morphed into an entity that today is used as a modern model of municipal governance throughout the world. The City & County encompasses all of the island of O‘ahu and several minor outlying islands including all of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (islands beyond Ni‘ihau except Midway Atoll). Due to this oddity, according to Guinness Book of World Records, Honolulu is technically the longest city in the world. [link] As of the 2000 Census, the population of the City & County was 876,156.
Government
Originally governed by a Board of Supervisors, the City & County of Honolulu is administered under a mayor-council system of governance overseeing all municipal services: civil defense, emergency medical, fire, parks and recreation, police, sanitation, streets, water, among others. One of the largest municipal governments in the United States, the City & County of Honolulu has an annual operating budget of $1 Billion.
The government of the City & County of Honolulu is simplified and streamlined and coalesces at three major divisions of municipal power.
- The Mayor of Honolulu is the principal executor of administrative authority and wields highly centralized abilities which in most cities are weighted more equally between the mayor and legislature. Because of the nature of these abilities, the Mayor of Honolulu is often considered by political scientists as one of the most powerful mayors in the nation. The Mayor is elected on a non-partisan basis to a four-year term.
- The Honolulu City Council is the unicameral legislative body. Its elected members are responsible for drafting and passing laws, as well as proposing budgets for various departments. Unlike other cities in the United States, the council is absolutely independent of the mayor, who does not make any appearances during any of the council sessions. The nine Council members each represent one of nine districts, and are elected on a non-partisan basis to staggered four-year terms.
- The Prosecuting Attorney of Honolulu is absolutely independent of the other two major divisions of municipal power, and is not charged with providing counsel to those bodies, a responsibility of the Department of Corporation Counsel under mayoral jurisdiction. The Prosecuting Attorney is elected on a non-partisan basis to a four-year term.
Structure
Districts
Like most cities in the United States, the City & County of Honolulu is divided into smaller administrative districts. There are nine such districts, each of which elects a member of the City Council. The boundaries of each district are revised every ten years in conjunction with the U.S. Census. Each district is composed of unincorporated subdivisions unofficially called towns and cities.
- DISTRICT I: Ewa, Ewa Beach, Honouliuli, West Loch, Kapolei, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale and Nanakai Gardens, Ko'Olina, Nanakuli, Wai'anae, Makaha, Keaau, Makua.
- DISTRICT II: Mililani Mauka, Wahiawa, Whitmore Village, Mokuleia, Waialua, Haleiwa, Waimea, Pupukea, Sunset Beach, Kahuku, Laie, Hauula, Punaluu, Kahana, Kaaawa, Kualoa, Waiahole, Kahaluu, Ahuimanu, Heeia.
- DISTRICT III: Waimanalo, Kailua, Kaneohe.
- DISTRICT IV: Hawaii Kai, Kuliouou, Niu Valley, Aina Haina, Wailupe, Waialae-Iki, Kalani Valley, Kahala, Wilhemina Rise, a portion of Kapahulu, a portion of Kaimuki, Diamond Head, Waikiki, Ala Moana.
- DISTRICT V: Kapahulu, Kaimuki, Palolo Valley, St. Louis Heights, Manoa, Moiliili, Mc Cully, Kakaako, Ala Moana, Makiki.
- DISTRICT VI: Makiki, downtown Honolulu, Punchbowl, Liliha, Pauoa Valley, Nuuanu, Alewa Heights, Papakolea, Kalihi Valley, Kalihi.
- DISTRICT VII: Kalihi, Kapalama, Palama, Iwilei, Sand Island, Mapunapuna, Airport, Hickam, Pearl Harbor, Ford Island, Aliamanu, Salt Lake, Foster Village, Stadium, Halawa Valley Estates.
- DISTRICT VIII: Fort Shafter, Moanalua, Halawa, Aiea, Pearl City, Pearl City, Seaview, Crestview, Waipio Gentry.
- DISTRICT IX: Waikele, Waipahu, Village Park, Makakilo, Kunia, Mililani.
Civic Center
The civic center is coextensive with what is known as the Capitol District in downtown Honolulu. The official seat of governance for the City & County of Honolulu is located within the district at Honolulu Hale, established in the 1920s as a city hall structure and houses the chambers of the Mayor of Honolulu and the Honolulu City Council. In the 1960s and 1970s, Mayor Frank Fasi developed the modern civic center as it is known today. He took to controversial and aggressive measures to reclaim property, demolish massive concrete structures in the area, construct underground parking facilities and open a green campus above ground with manicured lawns and specially commissioned sculpted artwork. He also oversaw the construction of new government buildings to house the departments that fell within mayoral jurisdiction. The most prominent of those new buildings were the Honolulu Municipal Building and Hale Maka'i, the headquarters of the Honolulu Police Department. Civic centers were also constructed off the Capitol District campus including the Kapiolani Bandstand, Neal S. Blaisdell Center and the Waikiki Shell.
- Honolulu Hale
- Kapiolani Bandstand
- Neal S. Blaisdell Center
- Waikiki Shell
County Services
The City & County of Honolulu collects various forms of taxes including a lucrative property tax. Revenue from those taxes are used to provide several services for the residents. The most prominent of those services are:
- Honolulu Board of Water Supply
- Honolulu Fire Department
- Honolulu Police Department
- Honolulu Emergency Medical Services
- TheBus
Demographics
As of the 2000 Census2, there were 876,156 people, 286,450 households, and 205,671 families residing in the City & County of Honolulu. The population density was 564/km² (1,461/mi²). There were 315,988 housing units at an average density of 203/km² (527/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 21.28% White, 2.35% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 46.04% Asian, 8.87% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races, and 19.93% from two or more races. 6.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Honolulu County contains the highest percentage of Asian residents out of all U.S. counties.There were 286,450 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.46.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.80% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
Culture
The City & County of Honolulu is the principal patronizer of major cultural institutions that it has historically been associated with, including the Honolulu Symphony and the Royal Hawaiian Band. Both were established by Captain Henri Berger. The Honolulu Symphony is the oldest orchestra in the United States, west of the Rocky Mountains. The Royal Hawaiian Band is the oldest municipal band in the nation and also one that is employed full-time.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,509 km² (2,127 mi²). 1,553 km² (600 mi²) of it is land and 3,955 km² (1,527 mi²) of it is water. The total census tract area is 71.80% water. However, the majority of this area is the Pacific Ocean that surrounds the islands.External links
- [City & County of Honolulu], official web site
| State of Hawaii |
|---|---|
| State capital | Honolulu |
| Islands | Hawai}}i | Kaho}}olawe | Kaua}}i | Lāna}}i | Maui | Moloka}}i | Ni}}ihau | Northwestern Hawaiian Islands | O}}ahu |
| Largest communities | Hilo | Honolulu | Kahului | Waipahu | Līhu}}e |
| Counties | Hawai}}i | Honolulu | Kalawao | Kaua}}i | Maui |
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