Ann Kobayashi is the new leader of the City Council’s Budget Committee, succeeding Councilman Ernie Martin, who became Council chairman last week.

Martin announced the revised committee lineup Thursday.

Councilwoman Tulsi Gabbard takes over as vice chairwoman of the Budget Committee. Other committee chairmanships have been kept in place.

"I have made very few changes to the committee structure that has been in place since January as I feel it has been very productive and the members are totally engaged in their assignments at this point," Martin said in a news release.

Martin took over the Council leadership post from Councilman Nestor Garcia.

Garcia had announced plans earlier to step aside to let new people take over as he completes his second and final term on the Council next year.

Because Garcia "respectfully declined" a chairmanship, the Planning and Zoning committees have been merged under the leadership of Councilman Ikaika Anderson, Martin said.

"This configuration represents the least amount of disruption for the Council at this point in time," he said.

The revised list of committee assignments is online at tinyurl.com/starpolitics.