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Also in almost universal use, revenue bonds for water development are the best financial <br /> instrument for low-cost long-term financing of necessary water production and <br /> distribution systems. The County Charter specifically allows the Department of Water <br /> Supply to issue its own revenue bonds. Such use should be a subject in the General Plan <br /> and turning to these instruments encouraged for planned development of the island yet <br /> this county has absolute zero use of this most common of government financial aids. In <br /> our flagging economy, such public works projects are a source of employment paid for <br /> entirely by homeowners and businesses receiving the new water services. <br /> Errors in the document are frequently important. And all illustrate careless research: <br /> 1 Those preparing the document need to learn that ARS is Agricultural Research Service <br /> and PBARC the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center -not "Resource" as appears <br /> several times in the Revision document. This Center is of utmost important in planning. <br /> 2. If it is the case that catchment is a public health hazard, that fact needs to be stated in <br /> the document and more about it said than merely, "Develop and adopt standards for <br /> individual water catchment systems." A study by CTAHR indicates relatively few homes <br /> properly maintain the existing catchment systems in place throughout Puna, Ka' u and <br /> other areas. If this is the health hazard many believe it to be, we need to know it and act <br /> upon it now. If not then standards that are likely unenforceable are not needed. The place <br /> f ndings, not speculation, is in the health section of the General Plan. <br /> 3. The loss through liquidation of C. Brewer as a major factor in agriculture should be <br /> noted. The Revision refers often to an unchanged C. Brewer. We need discussion on how <br /> the vacuum should be filled with community or county coordination of use for the <br /> extensive lands that were formerly controlled by a single, privately held entity. This is <br /> most notably apparent in the Ka'u section of the economic considerations. <br /> 4. The state's ownership of approximately 44 percent of island land should be viewed <br /> critically rather than quietly accepted. Not only is the land off the tax roles it is also open <br /> to prevention of use by the State Land Use Board as happened in the Oji decision. It now <br /> appears likely that what some consider inappropriate state requirements is going to <br /> prevent leasing of forest lands at Waiakea Timber Management Area. Roth of these <br /> <br /> projects tivere supported by countjv governnaen~ Some correction allowing home rule <br /> must be reached in the balance of power over the state's massive land holdings. Both <br /> federal and state payments "in lieu of taxes" are ridiculously low and will never suffice <br /> for the expense the county incurs to serve the unproductive lands. <br /> The examples above only scratch the surface of failures county-wide within the Revision <br /> to provide what the document itself promises: clear g®als, policies and pa-i®rities to <br /> reach a future of shared prosperity. Throughout the document, in almost every policy <br /> statement, the words for legal requirement "The c®unty shall are removed. The <br /> place to start in making this document better is to replace those words throughout. <br /> More work needs to be done -with independent professional consultation -before this <br /> Revision is accepted by the County Council. <br /> Plan text and maps online: httpa/www.co.hawaii.hi.us/general~lanrev/main.htm <br /> Bill Eger <br /> HCR 1 Box 5164 <br /> Kea`au Hawaii 96749 billeger(~~nethawaii.net 808-966-8565 <br /> 3 <br /> <br />