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YOSHINA: So, thank you.
<br /> HUSTACE: Ms. Lui.
<br /> LUL Yeah, I guess I just have a question about process. Like how are we going to resolve
<br /> all these things? It shouldn't be sort of one-by-one. I appreciate what you did because you
<br /> had a big question. For example, I looked at Chair Kossow's submission. And it puts part
<br /> of Hilo, the part that's the Boiling Pots to the right of Waianuenue into District 1, but
<br /> that's clearly, people would identify more with Hilo. So, yeah, I need more people in my
<br /> District, but I don't want to take people who would have their interest more represented
<br /> by an urban area, as opposed to the more agricultural area which represents Hamakua.
<br /> Anyway, I'm just asking like, what is the process for us to go through these maps and
<br /> figure out why people are putting different census blocks where they're putting them, and
<br /> whether we agree and how to make it all come out with the right numbers. I would love
<br /> to expand into more agricultural areas, but there aren't any. So, I'm feeling a little stuck
<br /> and yeah,just wanted some guidance in terms of our process going forward. So, it isn't
<br /> like this little chunk versus that chunk, but what's the overall process? So I see that we
<br /> have dates suggested, but I don't know what's supposed to happen on those dates.
<br /> HUSTACE: Thank you, Ms. Lui. Mr. Lopez?
<br /> LOPEZ: Yes, thank you. I'm going to say that I don't have any depth of knowledge of
<br /> what Ms. Bath is referring to, other than to look at the map. And I can see the forest
<br /> reserve but when you start talking about lower Puna and the fissure and so and so forth,
<br /> I'm over in District 8 and I don't know the geography. I don't know the neighborhoods,
<br /> and that's true of every other District apart from my own. So, I was really, my approach,
<br /> was to take the census blocks and go to the target of distribution to where I didn't violate
<br /> the percentage deviation. And then I was hoping, really hoping, that in these public
<br /> hearings, that the people would come out and express their interest and concern. I mean,
<br /> they don't have to look at a map, they just have to come and say, this is the neighborhood
<br /> I live in, we associate with this or that, and please take that kind of thing into
<br /> consideration. Or maybe some inequities they may have felt in the last census
<br /> redistricting rather. So, I'm at a strong disadvantage in discussing the kinds of questions
<br /> this particular subject brought up. Call it my ignorance, call it whatever you like, but
<br /> there's no way I can comment. My understanding was that we, as Commissioners, would
<br /> work on trying to balance the census blocks, trying to balance the population, so we can't
<br /> be accused of gerrymandering, or providing interest to any particular incumbent or
<br /> candidate. And that's what I did,just strictly on population. Looking for the public to
<br /> come and tell me in these public hearings, how I might need to adjust those things. So,
<br /> this discussion of roads and trading census blocks with another district, well I don't think
<br /> that's in order anyway, but again, I can't comment on any of this discussion. Thank you.
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