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Also, I am disturbed, through this department or otherwise, is not engaged in an army of <br />pro- active programs to confine the little fire ant colonies spreading around this county. I <br />consider this a crisis; I consider this should be considered an emergency; and I just feel <br />the department should be all over this issue. A year or two ago, I rallied people and <br />involved them, who were working on the new Ag plan, and we put together a request for <br />a county ordinance on this. Pete Hoffmann authored and submitted it - -I think it is 08- <br />618- -which unanimously passed the Council. There is also going to be more information <br />presented by a State person next week. But, this issue is critical; it is a horrific invasion. <br />It is now in Kona and Waikdloa and the whole west side. People, where this has spread, <br />such as in Florida and areas of Texas, have totally deserted those areas of agriculture, as <br />well as homes. Again, this was just a comment. I think some of these critical issues in <br />terms of Ag and energy are our future and also our survival. So, whatever way, either <br />with a department or part of research and development, I just think they have to be thrust <br />to the forefront. <br />Finally, I want to comment and support inclusion of the Land Fund at 2 %; so I am <br />opposing it at 0.5 %. Under the Charter, as I said, the basic rights for the people, the <br />reserved power, is to be here and be heard. In order to create any law on its own, it is <br />extremely difficult, everything where you can do it on your own; its years of processes <br />that occurred with the 2% Land Fund. To change it to 0.5 %, you can say, well it doesn't <br />mean that the Council has to; but basically that is what it is going to do. This is going to <br />control it; and to think otherwise, that eventually over a period of time it will end up <br />there, is just excessive optimism. Anyways, if this passes, where you take away what the <br />people passed, and not honor and respect that law, it will be an illegitimate law in my <br />view. It will not have the substance, it will not be fair, and it will not be just. Even if you <br />could do it and everyone agreed there is not a problem about it, I don't think it's right. <br />Basically we are saying put 2% into a savings fund for long term economic benefit. You <br />ca tie this into ecotourism, you can do it with trails to different locations. This is the one <br />island that has the least care for the remaining cultural sites. There is a women's heiau in <br />South Kohala, there is the rain rock; there are all of these things that really where nature <br />and culture come together. I just hope you will support it at 2 %. Thank you very much. <br />MS. HANANO: That ends our testifiers here in Waimea. <br />CHR. HAITSUKA: Let's go to the testifiers in Kona. <br />MR. HIRT: We are going to begin with Michael Reimer, who will give comment on the <br />Land Fund. <br />MICHAEL REIMER <br />(At this time Michael Reimer, came forward to address members of the Charter Commission.) <br />MR. REIMER: Good afternoon, Commission members. My name is Michael Reimer. l <br />want to testify on the issue of the Land Fund. I am very pleased that the Commission is <br />considering this as a Charter amendment; however I want to ask them to forget the 0.5 %, <br />