|
MR. KAHAWAIOLA`A: Madam Chair, for the record, I'll state, for the record, I was
<br />told. I was told, I was contacted by Kea` au people to say they would rather prefer to stay
<br />in Hilo. So, they contacted me, after I moved the line over into Haena; before that, no
<br />contact. When I had agreed that this is where we would move the line in 3, to Haena, I
<br />was contacted, and was told by people from Kea` au that. I don't know about anyone else,
<br />but I was contacted. For the record, I was contacted.
<br />CHR. SIRACUSA: Thank you, and I am certainly not questioning that you were. So,
<br />let's finish with this and take a look at the whole thing before we go any further. This
<br />little part down here, with the 48, 49, 6, 10; that bothers me; that is a dis- continuity.
<br />MR. MELROSE: No, that is a census data color, that's not a district color.
<br />CHR. SIRACUSA: Oh, okay, alright. Then let's head north on 130, and take a look at
<br />how Kea` au is handled. Can you move it so we can see the bypass?
<br />MR. MIDDLESWORTH: One thing, in this part of it, now that we have gotten to this
<br />point, that troubles me, is that it appears that we have completely abandoned the notion of
<br />taking into account growth. And we are going to be in a position, I would guess, of being
<br />criticized roundly, five years from now, when Paradise Park and Leilani Estates, and some
<br />of those other subdivisions fill up, and that District 4 then becomes as overpopulated as it
<br />was before this redistricting. This plan puts both of those districts, 4 and 5, right on the
<br />edge for population; and that concerns me. I understand the feelings about including as
<br />much of Puna in two districts as we possibly can, but I also worry that the next
<br />Commission is going to be in exactly the same boat that we've been in; because these
<br />districts are going to be over populated by quite a bit; because this is where the growth is
<br />going to come. There is nothing we can really do about it except to recognize that and at
<br />some point in our discussions of all of this, in the end, make it clear why we did that.
<br />CHR. SIRACUSA: Okay, then I would, for the record, like to help clarify that. That is,
<br />that in ten years in time, we are going to have to re -draw the lines anyway, based on
<br />whatever the growth is then. We have it within our power to, where we have conflicting
<br />criteria - -and we have a lot of those that we have come across from time to time - -to make
<br />the decision where we are going to prioritize; which criteria we are going to take over
<br />which other criteria. And so, we have heard, roundly, from communities on both sides of
<br />Hilo, both the Hamakua side and the Puna side, that they really want to max themselves
<br />out, and have as little of Hilo input into their districts as possible; as few people from their
<br />districts in Hilo, as possible. There are historical reasons for this feeling, and I understand
<br />them. And let's hope that those reasons do not continue into the future, but we have no
<br />control over that. What we do have control over, is listening to what people want; and
<br />they have told us loud and clear, max out as much as you can for Puna, so that the fewest
<br />number of people as possible will be in Hilo, and therefore be unrepresented, quote, quote,
<br />by a Hilo councilperson. So, that's why we are looking at those kind of numbers.
<br />MR. MIDDLESWORTH: What was the reaction 10 years ago, Patrick, with the - --
<br />19
<br />
|