2011-04-27 Cost of Government Commission Minutes

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MS. O’HARA: No, I appreciate that. I appreciate your overview of all of the cost saving measures that you’ve attempted to do and have succeeded in. And as a commission, Ken pointed, we wanted to look at more than just cost savings cause we know that you’re doing a really good job at trying to cut those costs. But also to look at the revenue enhancement side. And as you pointed out, property taxes and it’s not just the structure, it’s actually the enforcement thereof. The homeowner’s exemption which is widely abused, that sort of thing. Some of our recommendations, and this also includes your comment about Department of Environmental Management restructuring, excellent idea. It was just kind of thrown together initially, and without great oversight. So it does need the restructuring. But the implementation of technology in that department would greatly enhance its efficiency. MR. KENOI: It’s a great point. It’s true. MS. O’HARA: The scale house situation is one of technology. MR. KENOI: My office is that way. Like I’ll have a note, clipped to a piece paper. Billy could you review this, and once couple of people sign it, I get it, somebody in the office going,can you just like scan, Laserfiche. You know, why is that? And I just laugh cause that’s true. It’s simple implementation of existing technology,not Buck Rogers stuff. It’s existing technology the efficiency would just skyrocket. MS. O’HARA: Well, in that case, it would change things. MR. KENOI: Can I ask you something? You trigger something, I don’t want to lose it. I would want to ask the commission for those recommendations. Go get them you guys. It’s not, because you guys see it how we don’t see it because you don’t have that political pressures. You just say it. You see revenue that needs to be enforcement, glaring examples or various areas for potential of abuse that need to really be focused on, I’d appreciate that. It would be helpful to go,you know, it’s not just me. To provide cover, not to be just pure politics but provide cover for people in decision making. A body, a legislative body. But Cost of Government Commission came up with this. It makes sense. It behooves us to follow through and see if, and implement it. Instead of guys going ooh, I don’t want to touch that. People are going to yell, right? Any time you go for somebody abusing it, it’s going to be somebody who not abusing it who would, you know what I mean, go whoa, it’s unfair. It’s like the person who like go fishing at the beach park overnight. He did that since he was a small kid. He abide by the rules. He parked his car, he clean up his rubbish. But you get the guy who drink, you know the other group that drink, broke bottles, make a mess. You have to lock the park. Lock the gate. Nobody allowed. And then the guy, like how come I’m being punished for that? I’m not broking bottles. Sorry sir. To maintain safety and security and cleanliness of this area, nobody can go after 8:00 p.m. Fishermen go crazy. Every impact of trying to curb abuse is going to have some unintended impact. And sometimes those voices overpower the change that needs to be implemented. But having a body saying I’m impartial, nonpolitical body say, this has to be changed. That’s helpful. Like the gas tax. Nobody like touch it. We pay 8.8 cents a gallon, tax for Hawai‘i County. How much roads do we have now? Honolulu is like 13, 15 cents. MR. TAKABA: Just today I think they were talking about 20 cents. 17