2009 Testimony to State Legislature

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The Honorable Donna Mercado Kim, Chair The Honorable Marcus R. Oshiro, Chair Page 2 January 13,2009 PRIORITY PROJECTS Transit Expansion, $4 million Residents of Hawaii County face difficult challenges commuting for work, school,health and recreational purposes, due in part to the distances they must travel to their destinations, fuel costs and lack of transportation alternatives. Providing public transportation and reducing the cost of travel is one of the few ways we can reduce the cost of living for our residents and help them to weather challenging economic times. We are seeking $2 million to purchase six additional 40- foot buses, and$2 million to begin work on a badly needed transit base yard including a maintenance and repair facility and fueling station. Expanding transportation services will improve the quality of life of our residents and visitors by providing greater access to jobs and educational institutions, easier access to healthcare facilities, and transportation for our youth to after-school facilities. Safe Haven After School Program,$600,000 There is a consensus that our island lacks positive educational and recreational activities for our youth in the after school and evening hours. Today there is no"A-Plus"Program for teenagers, but our schools can be a positive place for our kids beyond the traditional school day. The Safe Haven After School Program would establish safe, structured and supervised after-school learning environments for our youth. It will allow our communities to take responsibility for our children, for our schools and for our communities' health and safety. Big Island Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center, $1.6 million These centers are proposed to provide a single point of entry for intake, assessment and case management of delinquent and at-risk youth. Start-up funding is requested for a pilot site in Pahoa that will serve about 40 youth per month over the next two years,with future sites proposed for Naalehu,Waimea,Kailua-Kona and Hilo. A survey of Big Island police found that officers often have no good options when dealing with arrested juveniles who need supervision, but cannot go home, and who do not need secure custody. Existing programs are fragmented, and may not accept youth who are disruptive or are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Effectively intervening and providing services to these at-risk youth can keep them from graduating into the adult correctional system, and will save the state money in the long run. Mid-Level Road(Ane Keohokalole Highway),Kona, $15 million We offer our strong support to the state Department of Transportation's request for design and construction money for the Mid-Level road, a project that is part of the Hawaii County General Plan and the Community Development Plan. It would relieve congestion on the crowded Queen Kaahumanu Highway by linking Henry Street, Palani Road and the Kealakehe Parkway. It would also provide access to a 300-acre state parcel at Keahuolu designated for a badly needed state affordable housing project, and provide access for additional development of the Villages of Laiopua on Hawaiian Home Lands. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.