Oahu voters on Tuesday approved two proposed amendments to the Honolulu Charter.

One amendment authorizes the City Council to establish special funds. Council Chairman Ernie Martin, who backed the proposal, said there was a concern that revenue — such as a proposed increase in the fuel tax — would go into the general fund and be raided for other projects.

With the charter amendment, residents can be assured funding will be used as intended, he said.

"People would get what they pay for," Martin said Tuesday night.

Martin introduced the proposed charter amendment to ensure that fees and taxes paid by the public are spent for their intended purposes, such as using the fuel tax to fix roads.

Mike Hansen, director of the Department of Budget and Fiscal Services, could not be reached for comment. He said earlier that authorizing the Council to create special funds could lead to a proliferation of funds and generate additional costs.

Hansen also had noted a process is already in place for such funds to be created by the mayor’s recommendation to the City Council.

The second amendment reserves at least 0.5 percent of annual general revenues for the grants-in-aid fund to provide services for economically or socially disadvantaged populations or to support services in the areas of culture and arts, economic development and the environment.

The proposal was prompted by a reduction in community development block grants from the federal government. Martin said it will provide much-needed money to support private nonprofit organizations that help disadvantaged populations as well as to support cultural activities and economic development.

But Hansen said setting aside 0.5 percent of revenues — roughly $5 million per year — could result in cuts to other services because of the city’s tight budget.