Comm No 0035.44 - Testimony - CA-18 - PONC Maintenance fund

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From: Patricia & Bud Boland <bpboland@hawaiiantel.net> Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2019 1:45 PM To: Chung, Aaron; Poindexter, Valerie; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Lee Loy, Sue; Eoff, Karen; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; David, Maile; Richards, Tim; Villegas, Rebecca; Charter Commission Subject: 2% Land Fund Dear County Council members: The Charter Commission has helped to strengthen the 2% LAND FUND PROGRAM, but we need your help with 2 things not yet accomplished to strengthen the 2% Land Fund Program: 1. Make changes to Charter Amendment -9 deals with ONE full time employee to work ONLY on the 2% Land Fund Program. 2. Make changes to Charter Amendment 18- deals with the Maintenance Fund and allows the non-profit stewardship groups to pay people who work on the land. CA -9 ONE PERSON PAID FROM THE 2% LAND FUND TO WORK ONLY ON THE LAND FUND. Black print is what the Charter commission is proposing. The RED Additions are what we would like to see included in the language: CA -9: 3) "Pay for the salary, wages and benefits of one full--tirrr . n.rrrt .ar,, .arrrf loyra� btri .a Department of Finance dedicated only to advancing administering the activities contained within this section and Section 10-16a �1� a / him �» r -. �.� .� � �» .: �� r�»�.�� r�.��r��1 for i ,y tr 2 a I — % u he Public,'Access„ This seems like a simple matter. We are asking for the red clarifying language. Otherwise WE WILL RUN A JUST SAY NO CAMPAIGN. WHY? It sounds good but the word "staff" is ambiguous, would the 2% Land Fund pay for only one position or 3 or 5 or more? The 2% Land Fund could end up funding multiple staff positions, which will reduce the purchasing power of the 2% Land Fund. This is NOT what we voted for. Remember, 2% of our property taxes are only $5 million per year, which is 1.5% of the income into the county and it adjusts according to property values in times of recession. $5 million per year can only buy one or two properties. THE LAND FUND IS NOT WORKING AS WELL AS IT SHOULD and WHY we need ONE full time person to work ONLY on the Land Fund Program: 1. There is $22 million sitting in the fund, no land has been purchased since May 2018 2. There have been almost 200 properties proposed by citizens for purchase. 3. Only 14 properties have been acquired in 14 years. 4. Only 1/3 of the money spent to purchase land has been in matching funds at least 50% should be in matching funds to maximize the most important potential of an existing land fund. 5. Only 9% of the money deposited in the Maintenance Fund has been received by the non- profits 6. HOW CAN WE DO BETTER? • BY HIRING ONE FULL TIME PERSON TO WORK ONLY ON THE 2% LAND FUND PROGRAM and 1 Comm. No. 35.44