Comm No 0021.019 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fund

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Maui County's fund is 1`)/0. Maui is just over 700 square miles and has a larger tax base; Kauai is roughly 500 square miles. Our shoreline access and lands have been threatened by resort development where parking is now limited at Kukio, the Mauna Lani, Kohanaiki and Hokulia to 30 cars per day. Imagine if someone did that in Hilo at Richardsons? A resort was proposed for PUnalu'u. There have been 186 properties proposed for acquisition to the PONC commission and only 14 have been acquired. There is much work to be done; we NEED a full time staff person. Putting a cap on the fund would kill the fund because there would never be enough money to acquire properties of any size. I'll move on to comment on the 2% Land Fund program. I know that you have received lots of emails from concerned citizens. At the last meeting, Mr. Roherig asked why we supported the 1`)/0 Land Fund that was proposed 10 years ago by the Charter Commission. WE wanted to make sure that changes to the Land Fund program could only be approved by the people, not at the whim of the mayor or county council. These lands are what makes the Big Island one of the most beautiful places in the world. Our land and water provide the foundation for our tourism industry. The Ala Kahakai Trail is starting to be acquired around the island with 2% money. This could be the basis for a 150 -mile long hiking trail round the island that would link the national parks, like the Appalachian Trail. The 2% Land Fund started when'Trust for a ubllic I,_ands (,,,rI""PI,,,,,,) did a survey of Ih lawalili County residents to ask lif they would (like to see a 1 % ....and I.,",and or 2% I....aind Fund,. A airge irna„joirlity of residents said they would want a 2% I....aind Fund because and lis so expensive on tie IB1ig and. Sa iii iii money i e Stanbro I:� ii�o d o iii ated tie ii�e ii�no to T I.,,) I...... for tis survey. 2. The Save Our Lands Citizen's Commiittee .,,, etiitiion riive collected 9,600 sliginatuires from ApirliI to July of 2006. Thlis was duirliing Ih any Kms first term. County Clerk Co iii iii li e IKli irli u and County Co a iii se I,,,,,,liincolin Ashlida disqualified almost 6,000 sliginatuires for Ieavliing off I St. or I'ZJ, or lif husband and wlife used ditto marks for theliir address when signing under each other or lif the year was left off, (we collected sliginatuires from May to July so lit was only duirliing 2005 wlilicli made tie year Iiimpllied and liirirelevaint) 3, VVe needed 4„400 sliginatuires, but because of the disqualified sliginatuires we didn't get enough, The County Council l decided to pace tie ballot measure on tie ballot for 2006 anyway. 4. Iaesplite the Corporation Counsel subimlittliing coinfusliing ballot lainguage usliing double negatives, the amendment to the Code passed by 63% of