@ThirdRock - So your contention is that no matter how we reshuffle the deck, it is not going to matter - we will still have what you consider to be the lowest common denominator as our lawmakers trying to handle things that are way above their punching weight. 

I'd like to think Hawaii, and Honolulu is better than that and would choose better knowing exactly what the elected needed to do. Because right now the City Council is inoculated from making really important decisions - like tax policy on this - and punts the issues right to the Legislature.