Honolulu

Shortly after the conquest of Oahu, the high chief of Kauai surrendered sovereignty to King Kamehameha I and all the islands were united as one government. During the monarchy, local affairs were administered through the Privy Council, the Minister of the Interior and the governors appointed by the king for each island. Even for a period after U.S. annexation of the islands in 1898 and the creation of the Territory of Hawaii by the Congress in 1900, there was no municipal government.

In 1905, the Territorial Legislature passed the law which formed the basis of modern government in Hawaii. It established five counties: Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Hawaii and Kalawao. Kalawao was the Hansen’s Disease settlement on Molokai’s Kalaupapa peninsula under the jurisdiction of the state’s Health Department. The four other counties were governed by elected Boards of Supervisors.

The state government retained many traditional county government functions and over the next several decades took on even more, giving Hawaii the most centralized state government. The state administers the entire court system, the public health, welfare, correctional and school systems in addition to all harbors, airports and major highways.

The County of Oahu began operating on July 1, 1905, and two years later was renamed the City and County of Honolulu. A mayor was added to the Board of Supervisors. The legislature granted home rule in 1959 and a city charter was adopted, giving Honolulu a mayor-council type of government in which there is a separation between legislative and executive functions. The nine council members are elected by districts. Under the charter, the council has legislative and investigative power. The mayor is the chief executive officer assisted by the managing director who is the second ranking executive and is appointed by the mayor with council approval.

The City and County of Honolulu under the city charter adopted in 1959 was cited by the United States Conference of Mayors as a model for modern American metropolitan area government. It does not have to adjust its programs to the complications of independent suburban municipalities, autonomous districts, commissions, school districts and inconveniently located boundaries of other, smaller governmental jurisdictions. All elective positions have four-year terms elected on a nonpartisan basis. In 1998, Mayor Harris made major changes in the organization of the government. Services were consolidated, operations and processes streamlined and emphasis was placed on customer service.

Several services are contracted out to businesses or private nonprofit organizations, including the operation and maintenance of the bus system, the refuse incinerator/power generating plant, refuse landfill and convenience centers, and animal control services