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CORY HARDEN <br />(At this time Cory Harden came forward to address members of the Charter Commission.) <br />MS. HARDEN: Thank you for your work on the Commission. I brought my same <br />comments from October 9, 2009, and the first page is just summary and testimony; and the <br />second two pages are specific on the amendments. I'll just summarize, I'm sure you know <br />exactly where you have your old paper. <br />On the Legislative Auditor, I support the change to have a set -aside from operations and <br />special funds budgets because right now, my understanding is that the County Council <br />decides how much money they get, but, the auditor might investigate the County Council <br />which puts them in a bad position as a conflict of interest. So, that's why I support that. <br />For re- districting, there are a lot of changes proposed which I hope will make it fairer. I <br />know about five years ago, there was a re- districting effort, and some folks were so unhappy, <br />that someone took a second mortgage on his house to file a law suit. So, there was a lot of <br />controversy about that. <br />I support having standing council committees. Hopefully, that would restrict things like the <br />undoing and the redoing of the committees that just happened. <br />I support four -year council terms to give council members time to learn their job, which is a <br />complex job; but only if there is strong recall and impeachment options. <br />I support having the 2% for the land fund in the Charter. There was tremendous public <br />support for this. I was one of the people who helped with petitions, and it would take five <br />minutes to get a signature. People really supported it. The fund also attracts matching funds, <br />and I think you cannot get the matching funds unless you show that your county is committed <br />and will have this 2% thing going all the time. It protects resources that are irreplaceable, <br />our watersheds and so forth. <br />I support having development approvals reviewed by community development plan action <br />committees. <br />I support clarifying procedures for amending the Charter. <br />I support strong recall and impeachment provisions. <br />I support having council members weigh in on the appointments to boards and commissions. <br />Thank you for your work. <br />CHR. HAITSUKA: Are there any questions? <br />D <br />