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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -5 November 9, 2018 <br />MR. REPLOGLE: Yes. My point is there's funds that are just being <br />squandered within the County and we shouldn't be doing that and this is <br />the voice of the people. <br />CHR. ADAMS: Thank you Sir. <br />MR. REPLOGLE: Thank you. <br />CHR. ADAMS: We do have another request for testimony in the Kona <br />chambers. We will go with Hilo for two testifiers and then we will come <br />back to Kona. <br />Hilo? <br />MS. MURAMOTO: Thank you Chair. Our two testifiers are Cory Hardin <br />and Sammie Stanbro-Olsen. <br />Cory Harden: Communication No. 3.1.1, comment. <br />CORY HARDEN: MS. HARDEN: Good Afternoon Commissioners. Cory Harden speaking <br />for myself. I want to thank you for your volunteer service. I am speaking <br />about Communications, Agenda Item No. 3 and Reports Item No. 1, the <br />two percent land fund. And I really urge you to keep the land fund strong. <br />We need to beat developers to the draw. They have had their way with <br />most of the other islands and now they are coming here. Have five <br />requests, one is keep the rate at two percent. Almost two-thirds of voters <br />supported that rate of two percent and they did it three times. Land is <br />costly and it is just getting more costly. I mean we are looking at large <br />acreages of beautiful, unique, and significant places. You won't get them <br />for cheap. Currently not all of the fund is used. But the problem is not too <br />much money. The problem is too little staff to supply the time, energy, <br />and expertise to line up matching funds to do required surveys and studies <br />and negotiate with sellers. More on staff later. <br />Second request, consider a cap of 20 million but only if there is more staff <br />or just don't have a cap because there are many, many more places in need <br />of protection. Third request, keep the covenant that requires that the two <br />percent lands stay that way in perpetuity. This permanent protection was <br />the intent of many voters who supported the land fund and if the lands can <br />eventually change hands, there's going to be very few places that are <br />going to offer matching funds and there is not going to be a lot of <br />community people who will work to save and maintain the land fearing it <br />is going to end up with a hotel on it or something. If there are problems <br />with managing and maintaining lands, that can be handled by more staff <br />and problems like doing flood control and improving access can be <br />Page 4 <br />