MIN CHARTER 2019-01-25 (2018-2020)

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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -7 January 25, 2019 LESLIE COLE -BROOKS: vote was more than 60 percent each time. That takes a lot of work. I think blank ballots were counted as a no, so it is an even bigger victory. The citizens spoke loudly, clearly, and repeatedly that we believe it is so important to preserve our open space, that we should have it as this Charter condition. I have heard it said that other islands don't have the two percent, but other islands don't have as much land to protect either. I think that as you know, there is a bit of a crisis in terms of our faith in government by the people in terms of the cynicism in our land and this effort to undo this election by the people is a prime example of it. I think you will be promoting cynicism and the feeling like it doesn't matter what we say or do, someone is going to undo it anyway. I believe it is a terrible mistake to even put this back on the ballot. I understand that the County has to balance its budget. I understand that it is difficult. But that is not a reason to undo democracy instead of balancing the budget. Difficult decisions have to be made. But preserving open space is... we have one shot at it. As soon as it is gone, it is gone, and it is gone forever, and the people of our island have spoken that we really care about preserving open space enough to spend two percent on it. I know that the County is considering increasing the GE (General Excise) surcharge from a quarter percent to a half a percent, making it permanent, and I know that they have asked the Legislature through me to allow for an exemption so they can spend that money on things besides transportation. That tells me that they don't need all of that new money for transportation. There is a large influx of new money into the County budget as soon as we take that step that makes this unnecessary. It is a much bigger pot of money than this. I know that balancing the budget is difficult but it is also kind of simple. We have to make the tough decisions. Raising the half a percent, it should have been done before but now we have one more chance to do it and I don't see how anyone can say we are desperate for money before we have done that. So please, I ask you to stop subverting our democracy. In this age of cynicism, I still believe in democracy and I am asking you to help everyone else believe in it too. I want you to be an example. Do the right thing, and support the people's expressed wish to preserve our open space in perpetuity. It is worth money. It is worth some trouble. It is worth doing the right thing. Thank you very much. CHR. ADAMS: Thank you. (Applause). Excuse me, excuse me, we are not doing that, okay? We are not doing that, please. Thank you. May I have the next speaker please. Proposal No. CA -7 in opposition and Proposal No. CA -9 in support. MS. COLE -BROOKS: Aloha, My name is Leslie Cole -Brooks. I am here on my behalf. I submitted written testimony but I would just like to emphasize a few Page 7