COM 0604.020 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Testimony before the Hawaii County Council's Finance Committee relating to Resolution 309-88 by Kenneth Boche, Permaculture Designer Mr. Chair and Members, Thank you for allowing us this opportunity to hear our views on these matters. I have a nursery in Kohala and I'm very aware of the difficulties facing farmers. First, I feel that with the elections so close that all decisions about the disposition of the County's lands should be deferred until after the General election. As voters, we should require that all of the candidates take a definite position on this issue BEFORE the election. Then we can vote for those candidates who favor our positions. This is democracy. We should not have candidates hide from the issues or have lame ducks such as Mr. Ray, my councilman, make these decisions. To trade any of this land to Bishop Estate for potential park lands robs the people of Hamakua and this whole island of a resource base and the economic opportunities which we need to establish a prosperous and sustainable economy. I would like to ask Mr. Santangelo, "If these lands were in Ka'u and your constituents were clamoring for these lands to remain in public's hands, would you still support trading them to Bishop Estate?" If you wouldn't support your own constituents, you don't deserve to serve on this Council. Don't the people of Hamakua deserve the same support as the people of Ka'u? We need to envision a County Council with Dominic Yagong, Curtis Tyler, Julie Jacobson, Lanny Sinkin, Rene Siracusa, and Nancy Pissichio as its members. Is there a candidate from District 9 that supports Mr. Yagong's resolution? Who would that be? Bishop Estate has enough land in Hamakua already. Bishop Estate has proved to be a secretive, and very harsh landlord to their tenant farmers. With their land monopoly, they keep the lease terms too high for bonafide farmers. Farmers need a landlord which works with its tenants and assesses reasonable lease fees and terms. Furthermore, Kamahameha Schools uses their federal IRS 501 (c) (3) status for tax exemptions but discriminates against non-ethnic Hawaiians in their admissions policies. Discrimination teased on race is against federal law. People talk about the so-called bad business climate In Hawaii. I say that trading this land to Bishop Estate or otherwise subsidizing off-shore corporation represents corporate welfare which we cannot afford. Comm. Na. (RI',~~/.'lC~ FUe No. i L y" _ Presented . IFC Ref. To: Etef. SEP 0 1 1998