ENABLING THE LEGISLATURE OF THE TERRITORY OF HAWAII TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, TO ISSUE FLOOD-CONTROL BONDS JULY 25, 1949.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. REDDEN, from the Committee on Public Lands. submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 4968) The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4968) to enable the Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii to authorize the city and county of Honolulu, a municipal corporation, to issue flood-control bonds, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. EXPLANATION OF THE BILL This bill would ratify legislation enacted by the Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii authorizing the city and county of Honolulu to issue general-obligation bonds in the sum of $1,200,000 for the purpose of constructing certain flood-control projects. No expenditure of Federal funds is involved. Congressional approval is required since the amount of bonds which would be authorized, if included in the outstanding indebtedness of the city and county, would exceed the debt limitation prescribed in the Hawaiian Organic Act. The Territory proposes to use this money for improving drainage and preventing recurrence of flood damage in Palolo, Kalihi, and Manoa Valleys. The Department of the Interior recommended at hearings held on this bill that it be enacted. Pertinent comments from the Department's report are set forth below: H. R. 4968 would ratify and confirm Act 273 of the Session Laws of Hawai 1949, authorizing the city and county of Honolulu, a municpal corporation of the Territory of Hawaii, to issue general-obligation bonds in the sum of $1,200,000 for the purpose of constructing certain flood-control projects in the city and county of Honolulu. Congressional approval is required since the amount of bonds which would be authorized, if included in the outstanding indebtedness of the city and county would exceed the debt limitation of 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property in the county of Honolulu as prescribed by section 55 of the Organic Act of Hawaii (48 U. S. C., 1946 ed., sec. 562). proposed flood-control project is essential in order to prevent the recurrence of Construction of this flood damage in the Palolo, Kalihi, and Manoa Valleys. Enactment of H. R. 4968 is unanimously recommended by the Committee on Public Lands. O ENABLING THE LEGISLATURE OF THE TERRITORY OF HAWAII TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, TO ISSUE BONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE CITY AND COUNTY'S SHARE OF THE COST OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS CONSTRUCTED PURSUANT TO IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT PROCEEDINGS JULY 25, 1949.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. REDDEN. from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT To accompany H. R. 5459 The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5459) to enable the Legislature of the Territory to Hawaii to authorize the city and county of Honolulu, a municipal corporation, to issue bonds for the purpose of defraying the city and county's share of the cost of public improvements constructed pursuant to improvement district proceedings, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass EXPLANATION OF THE BILL This bill would ratify legislation enacted by the Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii authorizing the city and county of Honolulu to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $1,000,000 to defray the city and county's share of improvement district costs for specified street and road improvements. No expenditure of Federal funds is required. The Territorial legislature's action must be ratified by the Congress since the amount of bonds, if included in the outstanding indebtedness of the city and county, would exceed the debt limitation prescribed in the Hawaiian Organic Act. The city and county of Honolulu bears approximately half of the entire cost of extending these streets and the improvement district pays the balance. Enactment of H. R. 5459 is recommended by the Department of the Interior. Pertinent comments from the Department's favorable report are set forth below: H. R. 5459 would ratify and confirm Act 375 of the Session Laws of Hawaii, 1949, authorizing the city and county of Honolulu, a municipal corporation of the Territory of Hawaii, to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $1,000,000 for the purpose of defraying the city and county's share of the cost of constructing certain street and road improvements. Congressional approval is required since such an amount of bonds, if included in the outstanding indebtedness of the city and county, would exceed the debt limitation of 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property in the county of Honolulu as prescribed under section 55 of the Organic Act of Hawaii (48 U. S. C., 1946 ed., sec. 562). I am aware of no objection to this legislation, and it is accordingly recommended that it be enacted. The Committee on Public Lands is of the unanimous opinion that this legislation should be enacted. O |