COM 0212.228 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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From'. lols~llln Datta Dafla Analysts al' Hawall Cnunly Cnvncll Gage 2 of 5 \4ednasday. May O). 1991 1'd8:04 GM To: Coimcliman James Arakakl 2 YOUR WALLET AND MINE: BENEFITING FROM AfJD PAYING FOR FOOD IRRADIATION Lois-ellin DatTa, Ph.D. In V~/ashington state, a First American tribe That traditionally fished along The salmon rivers are catching fewer and fewer salmon, ruining a carefully nurtured business. There are fewer salmon because with more dams, more fish ladders are needed. There is not enough money to build all these needed fish ladders---and to buy some other things Washington State residents expect from their government--- because of V~/HOOPS. WHOOPS is the fiscal black hole of Interest payments on state bonds authorized years ago to finance the Hanford area nuclear power plants. These bonds come due in a few years. Then the giant sucking sound will be money from the wallets of Washington state taxpayers who were kids v~ihen the bonds were approved in a burst of fiscal irresponsibility on the part of the legislature. Beguiled by promises of big profits, job creation and a rising tide of nuclear-stimulated prosperity, the legislators approved sale of state bonds To support The nuclear facilities without obtaining a full, objective, comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of the effort---and ignoring as 'terroristic nay-sayers" those warning about problems ahead. The nuclear plants proved uneconomical and risky. They went out of operation before returning increased revenues, paying back their costs or covering The interest payments and principal on those bonds. Sound familiar? This may be happening on the Big Island in approval of a County bond issue To support The proposed irradiation facility. The irradiation facility is not a nuclear power plant. However, many of the fiscal and liability issues are similar. About a week ago, the County Council Finance committee heard our Mayor characterize many of the 170 plus people who had come to make their voices heard as "economic terrorists." The majority of The Finance Committee---with the exception of Council Member Curtis Tyler--- voted To give The Mayor close To a blank check in a bill stating their support of a food irradiation facility plus an up-TO $2 million immediate do\Ain payment. They did this after hearing that there was no independent, thorough analysis of \~rhat the benefits might be, and who would get These benefits or of what the costs might be, and who would pay these costs. Glowing claims that prosperity is just around the irradiation corner, yes: evidence and analysis, no. Statements about The lack of a Thorough, independent analysis of costs and benefits were made by-- among others--- a University of Hawaii economics professor who is for irradiation but against fiscal irresponsibility, the President of Isomedix who made crystal clear that Isomedix builds irradiation plants and it is up to growers and the County to figure out themselves if they can break even or make a profit, and an agricultural economist who does not support irradiation primarily because only a few would conceivably benefit \Aihile many of us could wind up paying a whole lot. People who are spending their own money tend to look a lot more carefully...and money "from the County" is actually our money, and comes from our wallets. So, what's to look aT here? First, according to interviews with the County Office of Research and Development, the R&D Office hasn't done anything like an analysis of who will benefit and ho~v much, and who will pay, and how much. They were counting on Isomedix to do this analysis. But when Isomedix made their 3 hour presentation To The County Council's Finance Committee, Isomedix said, in shocked tones, "MOI? Do an analysts? Up to you guys---the growers and the County---To figure out whether you can make This work economically." Their negotiating position suggested, however, that They've done the same rough analysis some of us have. Isomedix is acting as if They Think it will take mega-dollars To handle marketing and distribution. They indicated, in response to the question, "What would iT Take for you To bring your plant to Hawaii?"