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<br />Testimony of the <br />County of Hawai'i <br />Harry Kim, Mayor <br />25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 <br />Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 <br />Tel: (808)961-8211; Fax: (808)961-6553 <br /> <br />Before a joint hearing of the <br />Senate Ways and Means Committee <br />and <br />House Finance Committee <br />January 23, 2017 <br /> <br />Unfortunately the County of Hawai'i, by percentage, has the highest <br />number of people in poverty and homeless. As families who are <br />homeless and have children that qualify for free meals and <br />transportation close due poverty. For example, district of Ka’u, over <br />92% of all the schools are of the federal poverty line. District of Puna – <br />the most populated district on the island of Hawai'i; the fastest growing <br />district in the State of Hawai'i – all public school students receive free <br />meals. All schools are over the 75% level of students that meet the <br />federal level of poverty. <br /> <br />Bear in mind, and adding to the difficulty of the people of those <br />districts: <br /> Majority of the people in the Ka’u district are without running <br />water. <br /> Over 20,000 of the people in the Puna District are without County <br />water. <br /> Both districts are located away from job sites which add to the <br />problems and costs of employment. With these problems it is <br />easy to understand that our highest priority is to aid in ways <br />County of Hawai'i January 23, 2017 Page 1 of 2 <br /> <br /> <br />