Communication No. 2019-02- Debbie Hecht PONC Report

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/ƚƒƒǒƓźĭğƷźƚƓ b ƚ͵ ЋЉЊВ Ώ ЉЋ *MATCHING FUNDS - My opinion 2% Land Fund to get dollar for dollar matching funds. To date the County has only received 1 dollar for every 3 dollars spent fo r taxpayers OR only 32% of the money spent is from grants. The ultimate goal would be to get dollar for dollar matching funds. PROPERTIES SUBMITTED TO THE PONC COMMISSION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ACQUISITION since December 28, 2016: This information came fro m the Comprehensive List of Properties http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/edoc/84955/20 16 - 12 - 28%20PONC%20Comprehensive%20List%20of%20Properties%20Submitted%20by%20the%20Public .pdf _ QUICK HISTORY OF THE LEGISLATION FROM 2005 to 2018 : 1. Where did the 2% amount come from? In 2004 and early 2005 the Trust for Public Lands (TPL) did a survey of Hawaii County residents to ask if they would like to see a 1% Land Fund or 2% Land Fund. A large majority of residents said they would want a 2% Land Fund because land is so expensive on the Big Island. Sammie Stanbro donated the money to TPL for this su rvey. 2. 2% of property taxes for land acquisition, e ven though this is 1.5% of the total income for the County. County Clerk Connie Kiriu and County Counsel Lincoln Ashida disqualified almost 6,000 signatures for leaving off Pl, St. or Rd, or if husband and wife used ditto marks for their address when sig ning under each other or if the year was left off, (we collected signatures from May to July so it was only during 2005 which made the year implied and irrelevant). 3. County Council decided to place the ballot measure on the ballot for 2006 anyway. 4. Despite the Corporation Counsel submitting confusing ballot language using double negatives, the amendment to the Code passed by 63% of voters who voted on the issue and beco me part of the Hawaii County Code. 5. In 2008 - Mayor Kenoi and the County Council suspended deposits to the Fund for two years as his very first piece of legislation after taking office because the legislation was part of the Hawaii County Code. The Save Our jobs in his budget, but Mayor Kenoi failed to reinstate payments to the 2% Land Fund after cutting these budget entries totaling approximately $14 million. 6. In 2010, the Charter Commission put the Land Fund on the ballot again, but only as the 1% Land Fund. Again the Land Fund passed by 63% of voters, who voted on the measure.