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`tlaWaii Inva~i~~, Sp¢~iQ~ >~l~n~~szm~nfi c~ <br /> Cd~~atian ~arparstian a `Nznw~ii Ikon-~r~1it <br /> DATE: May 18, 2005 <br /> TO: Hawaii County Council Members <br /> FROM: Kim Tavares <br /> RE: In FULL SUPPORT of BILL 78, Land Conservation Funding <br /> Is there an urgency associated with passing this bill today? <br /> YES Every delay equals lost opportunities and lands. These lands are not <br /> replenish-able resources, and the development blitz clock is ticking. Once lands get <br /> bought by developers and leveled for private interest, the public loses a great resource, <br /> and the island (County) loses a little more of its ability to sustain its people, while <br /> inheriting more people to provide for. <br /> Is there a need for at ]east a 2% set aside to make it work? <br /> YES Setting aside 2% of the annual bud eg t demonstrates Council <br /> commitment to the people and the land that make up Hawaii County. <br /> I need to hear from this council, today, that it is behind every effort to preserve open <br /> space and undeveloped high elevation forests for the future, and that it believes fully <br /> <br /> that the remaining, most valuable natural resources on this island should be set aside for <br /> <br /> watershed conservation, sustainable living, and recreation as appropriate to their current <br /> <br /> or most destructive past use. <br /> A commitment like this from the Council demonstrates the seriousness of this issue to <br /> <br /> the Mayor, who must be convinced by you and me that this can be done. I still have <br /> <br /> heard no reason it can't be afforded, and that's great, because there is no good reason to <br /> hesitate on preserving open space and watershed land right now. We should consider <br /> <br /> 2% inexpensive, do-able and necessary because later 2% will not be enough, and much <br /> <br /> of the land that had value will already be gone. <br /> Comm. No. Z~ g• I I 0 <br /> Ref. To;~ aL1.ML~ <br /> Raf. ltipte M <br /> <br />