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From: Deborah Ward <dward@hawaii.edu> <br />Sent: Friday, December 14, 2018 9:25 AM <br />To: Charter Commission <br />Subject: CA -7 and CA -9 testimony <br />Moku Loa Group Sierra Club <br />Po Box 1137 Hilo HI 96720 <br />December 14, 2018 <br />TO: Hawaii County Charter Commission <br />From Deborah Ward, representing Sierra Club Moku Loa Group <br />OPPOSING Comm. 21 which proposes CA -7 <br />• Repeals and replaces the Land Fund at .75% and <br />• Deletes the clause that protects the lands acquired by the 2% Land Fund in perpetuity <br />• Places the Maintenance Fund in the Hawaii County Code where it can be defunded at the whim of the Mayor and <br />Council. <br />SUPPORTING Comm. 24 which proposes CA -9 — <br />Proposed changes to strengthen the fund by providing a salary for a full time staff person to work only on the 2% Land <br />Fund program and paid for by the Land Fund. <br />Aloha, Charter Commissioners, <br />The 1000 members of Sierra Club have voiced strong opposition to the Commission's proposal (CA -7) to repeal and <br />replace the intent of the Land Fund that members voted to support overwhelmingly three times in the past ten <br />years. Hawaii County is the least developed of the large high islands of the archipelago, and it still has large parcels of <br />undeveloped land that are suitable for preservation, agriculture, beach access, cultural significance, public parks, <br />significant vistas, and more. Many of us have chosen to live on Hawaii Island precisely because it has not been <br />overdeveloped and commoditized as islands of Maui, O'ahu and Kauai have been. Our members have worked tirelessly <br />to create, support, petition and vote for the Land Fund, and the proposal of the Charter Commission to reduce the fund <br />and replace critical provisions has left our members perplexed and disappointed. <br />1 Comm. No. 24.2 <br />