2020-02-24 Letter to Donovan M. Dela Cruz and Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran SB 2898, SD1 Relating to Public Notices

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o;+<r os til, • Roy Takemoto .• 7� - Managing Director t�A 4 Harry Kim ' •;•�k „'t;.: tfaror -- 'r'_ +;� of�'�` Barbara J. Kossow •7TE'of-M►.•r: Deputy Managing Director County of Hawai`i Office of the Mayor 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i 96740 (808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440 February 24, 2020 Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz, Chair Senator Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran, Vice Chair Committee on Ways and Means Dear Chair Dela Cruz, Vice Chair Keith-Agaran, and Committee Members: RE: SB 2898, SD1 Relating to Public Notices Although SB 2898, SD1 might be superficially beneficial to the operation of government, I submit this testimony in opposition to its provisions. I think that SB 2898, SD1 would be bad public policy for two reasons which are entirely unrelated to each other: First, although it may be true that, as SB 2898 states, "electronic posting is more expedient and cost-effective," democracy depends on more than expediency and cost effectiveness. Officials should be careful in spending taxpayer dollars, but we have to balance that against the need for openness and transparency. In the case of public notices, I would argue that all practical sources for disseminating information should be utilized. Declaring that posting on one of innumerable government websites would be sufficient to give all citizens adequate notice of the doings of their government would, I think, be inaccurate, unwise, and contrary to our values. I also offer a perspective that does not seem to have been presented in earlier testimony. Across the country, local newspapers are going out of business, and I wonder whether our publications in Hawai'i, especially on the neighbor islands, are financially healthy. If we take away the revenue they get from publishing public notices, they will have an even tougher time surviving. Losing local news coverage is bad for democracy, and I do not think this Legislature wants to do anything that might contribute to creating another news desert. SB 2898, SD1 might do just that. Thank you for your consideration. R spectfully Submitted, Harry R MAYOR County of-Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.