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�,N atcr; plalim I Ig grid zoning'. construction and maintenance, of hi, hw-a s, streets and
<br />infi,a,tructun2- real property and tax collection; and general administrative service .
<br />llowevcr, the County dues not prc]vK4- ,rich othcr-traditional services a. public education,
<br />lw,;pitals and CoLlrts. These scrvice:; are provided by the State governmc-m.
<br />The Coumy consists of the island A] la%,,tfi-i, -1,0 2'.,quare rn]le.s in size. It ]ti tWiCe ziti lame '3ti
<br />the combined area of all the other inhablud i la] d,; in the I Iaw;aiian Ar(hipelc g.p. Sind them is
<br />no other local or municipal government the County, there are no irverlapping take, and no
<br />overlapping debt. The County has an elected in:sy or and a nine -member cc7uncil.
<br />Economic {'ondition and Outlook
<br />The island of Hawaii, comil-lrrrll". kno%%.n as tlie. Big Island, is located 214 miles from IlorioIulrr,
<br />the state c',ipital; 2,20(.) rnili , from the v e.st court of tlic cont'Limital i °r Acd States: and 4.1000
<br />miles from Japiaaa, ! he eity (II'INo can the ea,t sick of the _;land sc:rves LIS the county, seat as we]I
<br />as the transport ttion and financial center fnr the. 134! bland. Iiilt ; hif'rastrricture includes Hilo
<br />larbor, a deep-wpiter port, and l Iilo Interntttiomil A-]rport, xNlilc:h is capable ofhand] ing fal K -
<br />loadod wide-bodied aircraft. Kailua-Kona an,i South KOII LI, rl"rajt}r tourist cicstinailon arc°as on
<br />the mv,i,icie cif the Bid Island, art' servcd by flights frt_irn the L ni1t�41 mainland and C'anad:a
<br />throuLh the lL,,L)nt Interni]t umil Airport„ v,,Ltl] flights from 'lokyo kgjnning aLain, �ch�clulccl
<br />frci& services are available betwcm the islands by Lair and sca trari;;port_ CoIrlrllurlities tlri the
<br />island are finked hry a network of Mate and County maintaim3 d street, and highways.
<br />I he fir`}. [,land is tlae mom diwcrsilied of the ti ighbor island economies. As rL re,rrlt it iti bLrflCrcd
<br />to some extent "'11en ;ink. one The IuiempIOyADeiat rite e Jr_ t11l� Cc}un'tx- "IS cal
<br />November 2023 �v Ls at 2.5 percent coniparcd to 4.1 percent 11vorn ,a car ago, v,ltich is
<br />acccardiri� to the Statc ofa�vai`i Dc-parlmetit ofl3tLsines,6 �.cerno11'.1c I)C%tilt}p111c6iLL Iouris11)
<br />(Dl-iEDT)f phis positi -c chatlgc f'urthCr Sullr?t}rtS the idea that the C_o11nIy is experivricing,
<br />strengthening economic conditions as e,,idcnccd by tflc increase in rc�,emtcs for the. Fiscal year.
<br />In addition to the mild climate and natural bcau[v it sliares with other areas in the state. the
<br />County fe,'�I Ure, tlae Ha%vai-i VoIcanoc.., N at'Lonal. Ilark, ita addition to four other mAIaonaI p:.irk
<br />that focus on IILaxaiian c,uIILire and hi,uar):.
<br />Tourism hii tfl�siiys Men cane of'thc major industries on the island. For the month period
<br />ending. Novembcr 2:0 3. there ,� its tia iot#al 1)ro-1ect-3on of 1.761 ,fay} 1 tt]LrriSt arri,. als to the island as
<br />comparc d to $1,65, .645 for the san ie. period in the. previous y'c car. Thi s repre,�nIeLi iin increas0
<br />of'7 percent anti JILT-11ICT ctkrarihrrtt d to thc- strengthening economy Mng r:njoye,d by the (_ aunty,
<br />Major Initiatives
<br />For the Year
<br />Public Safely - Ilawai'i 1'olic;c I)cpartment usher, ld to a new chapter In its histon- v,ith the
<br />swear-ing-in gar' N lire C'hiet' Rtmiarnin. \40t }• MNiCI. in January.. C'hicf Lien as he is known, was
<br />selected a Chief by the. Hava]'] C'[)urrt\' Ponce Commisston after serving. 22' ye as with thle
<br />1.lonol1.11u f'ulic;c Depar(MC11[.
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