CHC 1979-05-22 PH - Laserfiche WebLink

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People have talked about why people ' come here. They come here because it isn ' t Waikiki. Therefore, and I see there is no policy statement reflected in the charter and feel that it is 'appropriate to direct those who are responsible, 'including the council , the administration , the planning depart- ment and 'commission to reflect a policy of controlled growth. To reflect that and state it so that there is some underpinning to the direction of planning. And that it be in mind of preservation of the necessary agriculture, of the fishing, of the open space and the respect for the various lifestyles of the people who live here and who come here. • Along with that since the county, presumably, is going to accept the full responsibility for taxation , property taxation , if that remains to be the case within the next ten years that the charter, at this time, also adopt the policy that there is a varying tax rate which the county does have control over, at this point , on land use. In other words , that land is taxed at varying rates according to its use rather than on a flat rate depending only on whether there is dedication or the chance of evaluation. I think that a great deal more and;_,I 'm sorry that I was not able to go into it, I think that very little has been thought of it and preparation made for when and if the county actually takes over the taxation responsibilities. That is going to be very important that some of those concepts be incorporated into the charter. „; I don ' t believe, from what I 've seen , that there has been much consideration towards that eventuality. I 'd also--following =on__what Rlveira commented about the need of the farmers and the fishermen , and' the general lack of attendance to these problems and also ignoring the economic potentials and the development that is there. We see at the federal level--and perhaps that is the way to implement ' it in the charter--we see at the federal level and state level , separate departments. For agriculture. For fishing. We have no such departments in this county. We have no one with any special knowledge or expertise within the county to take on these functions or to pay any particular attention to them. It has been an enormous drawback . Therefore, I would like to suggest that there ,be added into the charter the creation bf a separate department of agriculture, acquaculture and fishibg. And I think I would just put a second also to Mr. Riveira' s comments on the need for an independent Affirmative Action Office to also begin to redress the imbalance Within the employees of the county government. I think that might be a place to start. I think that is all the points I have to make. CHAIRMAN SAKATA: Thank you, Ms. Mesher. Mr. James Ousey is next to speak. • -32-