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Murashige, Laura <br /> From: Cindy Varner [cindynsam@hotmail.com] ;QKE rVclr <br /> Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 10:59 PM vlme /0:,~jyy ~ <br /> To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us ]~Ay - ~ ~1f05-..-...... <br /> Subject: Bill 78 Owte--_.._..__.--~- <br /> My name is Cindy Varner and I would like to voice my support for Bill 78 - <br /> the bill to create a permanent funding source to establish a land protection <br /> fund to acquire public lands to protect coastal lands, shoreline access, <br /> forests, and historic Hawaiian sites. <br /> I work with college students involved in environmental service learning <br /> programs. A reoccurring question from students when confronted with <br /> environmental problems or shoreline/trail access issues is "Why isn't more <br /> land protected?" Most are frustrated when discovering the lack of money is <br /> one of the biggest obstacles to protecting valuable tracts of land for <br /> conservation and the public good. <br /> While I acknowledge the concerns of Mayor Kim and some council members of <br /> using property tax revenues for acquiring public lands, my concern with <br /> site-specific measures to purchase valuable lands is the time constraints <br /> involved with the approval process and garnering additional or matching <br /> funds to move purchases forward. My concern is that sellers in an <br /> aggressive market like Hawaii's might not be willing to wait for the burden <br /> of governmental funding and prefer to sell their lands on the open market <br /> thereby opening the lands up for further development and possible <br /> environmental degradation. By establishing a dedicated fund I feel Hawaii <br /> County will increase the opportunity to attract additional State and Federal <br /> dollars to help protect our local land protection projects. <br /> I would urge the council members and Mayor Kim to look at the success of the <br /> land protection trust Maui County has enacted and the overwhelming public <br /> support Bill 78 has with the general public as a poll conducted last year <br /> showing 70-80% of Hawaii County residents favored the creation of such a <br /> fund indicates and vote to move Bill 78 forward. <br /> Thank you for your consideration, <br /> Cindy Varner <br /> HCR 3 Box 10092 <br /> <br /> Kea'au, HI 96749 <br /> Comm. No. WP~~!~~ <br /> Rvf. To: ~r <br /> k4f. 4 ore _.__~pfl5 <br /> i <br /> <br />