Acting Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell told a debate audience Tuesday night, “The number one job of the city is to create jobs for all of us.”

That’s a nice thought, but is what he told the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii audience really the case? For one of the candidates for the mayor’s office, the answer has to be yes. He (there are no women running for the office) will get two years on the government payroll.

But “all of us?”

Civil Beat looked at the Honolulu City Charter to see exactly what the founders of the city had to say about its top responsibilities.

Providing jobs was nowhere to be found.

Under Article 2, Section 2-102 of the Revised Charter of Honolulu, detailing the “powers and purposes of the city,” the charter states: “All city powers shall be used to serve and advance the general welfare, health, happiness, safety and aspirations of its inhabitants, present and future, and to encourage their full participation in the process of governance.”

It is conceivable that to “advance the general welfare, health, happiness, safety and aspirations of its inhabitants” might include creating jobs. But, even if the acting mayor uses this liberal interpretation, one still has to wonder how he concludes that job creation is the top priority for the city.

Perhaps that stipulation is found elsewhere in the Charter? Maybe under Article V, Section 5-103 describing the “powers, duties and functions” of the mayor?

It begins:

“The mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the city. The mayor shall have the power to: (a) Except as otherwise provided, exercise direct supervision over all agencies enumerated in this article of the charter and other agencies as the mayor may deem desirable and through the managing director exercise supervision over all other executive agencies of the city. The mayor shall provide for the coordination of all administrative activities and see that they are honestly, efficiently and lawfully conducted.”

Nope. Nothing about job creation here. How about sub-section (b)?

“Appoint the necessary staff for which appropriations have been made by the council. This paragraph shall not empower the mayor to appoint the deputy chief and private secretaries to the fire chief and the deputy fire chief.”

Nada.

Sub-section (c) comes a little closer: “Create or abolish positions within the executive branch as provided by law. A monthly report of such creation or abolishment of positions shall be made to the council.”

This definitely deals with job creation but only within the executive branch.

The rest of the mayor’s duties are listed below:

• (d) Make temporary transfers of positions between departments or between
  subdivisions of departments.
• (e) Except as otherwise provided, recommend to the council a pay plan for all
  persons employed in the executive branch or any of its boards and commissions, whether
  as officers or otherwise.
• (f) Appoint a personal representative who shall, subject to the mayor’s
  direction, perform such ceremonial functions of the mayor’s office and such other duties
  as the mayor may designate.
• (g) Submit an operating and capital program and budget and necessary
  proposed budget ordinances annually to the council for its consideration and necessary
  action.
• (h) Sign instruments requiring execution by the city, except those which the
  director of budget and fiscal services or other officer is authorized to sign by this charter,
  ordinance or resolution.
• (i) Present information or messages to the council which, in the mayor’s
  opinion, are necessary or expedient.
• (j) In addition to the annual report, make periodic reports informing the
  public as to city policies, programs and operations.
• (k) Call special sessions of the council.
• (l) Veto ordinances, resolutions authorizing proceedings in eminent domain
  and resolutions adopting or amending the general plan.
• (m) Have a voice, but no vote, in the proceedings of all boards provided for by
  this charter or by ordinance.
• (n) Enforce the provisions of this charter, the ordinances of the city and all
  applicable laws.
• (o) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be
  prescribed by this charter or by ordinance.

Now, obviously government is a huge provider of jobs in the state. The Hawaii Government Employees Association alone has some 43,000 members.

But, to say that the top priority of the city is to create jobs…Really?

We’ll let the police department know that public safety doesn’t come first.