Comm No 0024.011 - Testimony - CA-9 - staff for PONC fund and Maintenance fund

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From: Anita Glass <anika.nui@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2018 6:27 PM To: Charter Commission Subject: STRENGTHEN THE LAND FUND DON'T REDUCE AMOUNT CONTRIBUTED TO THE 2% LAND FUND. Not for the first time, Hawai'i County proposes cutting the fund in ways that would ruin the 2% Land Fund. Charter changes are pushed every few years, not by "the people" (the 60% of voters who spelled out not once, but twice, why we need the land fund and how the property should be used.) This time newer sneaky ways have been dreamt up to squeeze money from the properties purchased for the benefit of generations to come. There is a desire to lease the properties for private enterprise. They want to use the land as bond security. By now you already know these sorts of modifications easily dissuade owners with neighboring land or cash to contribute from participating in a project for public enjoyment. HIRE SOMEONE FROM THE LAND FUND MONEY. Hire someone to handle day to day administration of the fund, complete paperwork, and locate properties. They would also document the overview process. Project Plans then could follow those guidelines to ensure project does not fade away. The choosing of properties of the top priority lands and making overtures can grind to a halt with no one except the mayor to keep nudging them forward. This new position is part of Administration, providing guidance to the Council. But a set percent of time to be allocated to ONLY Land Fund business. Money for salary for a project planner should come from the fund itself. This should prompt some movement from the mayor's office. YES, THE COUNTY NEEDS MORE MONEY Lack of money is not what wrecked our transit system. Nor did lack of money put multiple wells out of service. Pensions need funding. In general, our County needs to tighten its belt to where it hurts, to get busses running, water out of the ground, and fund pensions. WE WILL TURN OUT AND VOTE TO KEEP AND IMPROVE OUR 2% LAND FUND. When 60% of voters twice voted for a two percent of our tax dollars be directed to a land fund we were knowledgeable about County inefficiencies, lack of gumption, and lack of will to raise taxes. We knew. I would say that voters were better informed about the Land Fund than any other issue facing our county. If we have to vote yet again, you can bet we will. 1 Comm. No. 24.11