COM 0148.001 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

eJN(v OG.t!S 4~ ~ ' Harry Kim Dixie Kaetsu Mayor ~ ~ ~ Managing Director •u; , Bazbara Kossow V9rE'op ~NP~/ Deputy Managing Director CZDUtItp Of ~dYUdI`i 891 Ululani Street Hilq Hawaii 96720-4252 • (808) 961-82I I • Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 (808) 329-5226 Fax (808) 326-5663 rn; February 18, 2007 ~s T The Honorable Dominic Yagong ~ Council Member Hawaii County Council 333 Kilauea Avenue Hilo, Hawaii 96720 `D r.~ Re: Resolution 60-07 -Regarding Planned Sale of Hamakua Land Dear Council Member Yagong: I have reviewed Resolution 60-07, which if passed, would postpone a pending public auction of County-owned land in Pa`auilo to enable the Council to explore using this land to alleviate the affordable housing crisis on Hawaii Island. There is absolutely no dispute that there is a housing crisis in our County and State. In fact, it was in 2003 that I first asked the Governor and the other mayors to join with Hawaii County in declazing that there is a statewide crisis in housing, and that crisis continues until today. However, there are two reasons why Resolution 60-07 is not supported: First, a philosophical belief about how the County's Hamakua lands should be handled, and second, inherent problems with using these specific parcels for affordable housing. Hamakua Lands. As stated in this resolution, in 1994 the County accepted 4,400 acres of land from Hamakua Sugar Company in lieu of payment of real property taxes. Real property taxes, upon payment, are revenue for the County's general fund and are used along with other revenues to pay for the general operations of the County government. Property taxes paid are not designated to go back to the district for which they aze assessed or to be used for a specific purpose. Property taxes collected are pooled and used for budgetary purposes as appropriated by the Council in the County's annual operating budget. For this reason, this administration supported the sale of these Hamakua lands with the proceeds of the sale going to the County's general fund. This was approved by the Council in 2002. If the taxes had been paid, they would have gone to the general fund; it is felt proceeds from the sale of this land should also go to the general fund. The key is that this land represents taxes owed to the County. If the Council wants money received from the sale of Hamakua lands to be used for a specific purpose such as affordable housing, it is within the authority of the Council to make an appropriation of the proceeds for purposes it desires, if it is felt the revenue is not needed for general purposes. Comm. Na (4 g ~ Ref. To: hn Ref. ~>ate 1 200 Hawaii County is an equal opportunity provider and employer.