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Kona as well....so...yes I personally don't believe that I have <br /> violated any provisions of the Code of Ethics...the County Charter <br /> or our Council Rules up to this point and I am here today to find <br /> out if the Code of Ethics would prevent me from co-sponsoring <br /> this legislation...and or discussing it and voting on it so...that's <br /> why drafted the petition...I took to heart the concerns that were <br /> raised and...as soon as they were raised I did seek some guidance <br /> and felt that my best route would be to come here first...so <br /> withheld at the agreement of the co-sponsor Councilman <br /> Kanuha...we asked to withhold the bill because it was going to go <br /> on the agenda and until such time as I can get a clear way to <br /> proceed...so I brought copies of the memo that I sent to the Chair <br /> of the Council if you would like it...it just explains why I asked to <br /> withhold the bill at that point and time...so I am the Chair of the <br /> Planning Committee which is...I felt the reason I was approached <br /> to take on this legislation knowing that it's very...or could be very <br /> controversial and complex...as stated earlier in public testimony <br /> which I completely concur with...the bill had been worked on by <br /> the administration for almost a year...I had heard about it but I <br /> hadn't had any input in it...I attended a couple of collaborative <br /> meetings with different departments because there was a lot of <br /> back and forth on how this County would like to proceed to <br /> regulate the short-term vacation rentals...and then at one point I <br /> can't remember exactly but it was the end of..towards the end of <br /> last year...that administration actually approached Councilman <br /> Kanuha and I and asked if we would consider being the co- <br /> sponsors...I think they realized that...we would have a better <br /> opportunity to answer questions of the public once the information <br /> was out there because it's very...yes...many people would be <br /> affected and there's many people on both sides of the issue that <br /> have emailed us and called us and we have had meetings with <br /> various stake-holders to try and get what is actual regulated and <br /> what isn't and what the processes are for those currently operating <br /> short-term vacation rentals...the bill itself took a very middle of <br /> the road approach...as far as we recognized the need for vacation <br /> rentals...we recognized that visitors loved to stay in them...but we <br /> also recognized the need to protect neighborhoods and all of the <br /> conflicts that it may cause if it goes unregulated and so the middle <br /> of the road approach was to be able to grandfather in those existing <br /> who have currently been paying their GE and TAT which would <br /> 24 <br />