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<br /> Jul•21. 2004 1:4,,?PM HUGGO's & PARADISE GOURMET No.6490 P. 2 <br /> WAIKIKI IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION <br /> Statement of Rick Egged, President <br /> Waikiki Improvement Associatlon <br /> To the <br /> County of Hawaii <br /> Finance Committee <br /> Thursday, Jnly 22, 2004 <br /> In consideration of <br /> B~ll 280 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 <br /> (1595 EDITION) BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER RELATING TO BUSINESS <br /> IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS <br /> t:,odd Afternoon Chair Chung and members of the Committee. <br /> 1 am Rick Egged, President of the Waikiki Improvement Association (WIA), <br /> I apologize for being unable to attemd today's meeting. I attempted to adjust my schedule <br /> to make this hearing but was unable to do so. I was asked on short notice to represent <br /> Waikiki at an event in Shanghai and the dates end flight schedules did not allow me to be <br /> present today. <br /> A business improvement district is a proven tool for the revitalization of a specific area <br /> combing the strengths of government and the private sector. A business improvement <br /> district is a designated sector where business and property owners organize themselves to <br /> provide specific aervices not otherwise provided by the city. Safety and secruity, <br /> sidelvalk cleaning, landscape maintenance; visitor information, events, promotions gad <br /> par g are some of the most commonly provided services. The BID is a tool that <br /> pro 'des the business comrimnity with the means to address local needs. The businesses <br /> and operty owners pay assessments in order to fund and mange these supplemental <br /> s 'ces. <br /> Th a are over 1200 BIDs across the country including districts in Baltimort, Denver, <br /> Po and, Los Angeles, San Francisco, ,and the most well known of New York City's <br /> fo -one business improvement districts Tinges Square. The Waikiki BID has played an <br /> important rote in our revitalization effort. In 1999, WIA worked with the State <br /> Legislature to create tho law allowing the counties to form BIDs in Hawaii. The <br /> following year the City and County of Honolulu passed its ordinance enabling BIDs and <br /> immediately thereafter created Hawaii's fast BID in Waikiki. <br /> I have reed the minutes of June 14s' Finance Committee fleeting. I have also read the <br /> memo from fls. Constance R. Kiriu, the Legislative Auditor addressing the committee's <br /> questions, I agree with her comments and recommendations. <br /> Wailtild Im tovanent Association 2255 Kuhio Avenue Suite 760 Honolulu lit 96815 <br /> nqutres: .23.1 One , e provemen corn <br /> Q <br /> <br />