MIN CHARTER 2019-02-08 (2018-2020)

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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -8 February 8, 2019 Mayor was asking for 155 million dollars. Twenty percent of that if it comes from the Feds, it is required twenty percent. I am not sure what the amount is for the State. It might also be twenty percent, but you have got to plan for the worse case basis so twenty percent of 155 is excuse me, 31 million dollars. I respectfully request that you consider raising the cap in this Charter Amendment from 20 million to 30 million. It will not change the amount that funds each year. It just changes the cap so that if we should ever get to 20 million, we can continue to contribute funds up to 30 million. We need to have robust funds, not extravagant funds but robust funds or we will be in this situation that we are currently in again. Lastly, I would like to say that the Charter Commission does not work for the Mayor. The Charter Commission is a legislative body, co -equal with the executive branch which is headed in this County by the Mayor. Popular to contrary to belief, the Mayor doesn't run the legislative branch which includes you. You are the representative of the people. The Mayor is the representative of the Administration. It is his job to manage the business of the County and that is his only job. It is not to set policy. You set policy with your Charter Amendments, the public will vote on them if they want them. You write legislation and it goes into the ballot and the public votes if they want to have that legislation, that amendment in the Charter. Please always remember that you represent the best for the people of this County. Also please remember that this Mayor has said publicly that he would prefer that the entire island be developed. He would also prefer that the developers take over all of our treasured lands. They would still be treasured lands, but they would be a treasury for the developers. Please, please, do not do anything with the PONC except what we are recommending, CA -9 and CA -18, I think there might be one more, CA... no, that's it. CA -9 and CA -18. Thank you very much for your time and please if Bobby Jean is not there, please tell her she did a great job. Thank you. CHR. ADAMS: Thank you. Ms. Hecht. MR. RUEDY: Okay, our next testifier is Debbie Hecht in support of CA -17, opposing CA -7, 13, and 16. Alright, state your name. DEBBIE HECHT: Proposal No. CA -7, CA -13, and CA -16 in opposition and Proposal No. CA -17 and CA -18 in support. MS. HECHT: Aloha Commissioners my name is Debbie Hecht and I have been the Save Our Lands Citizen's Committee campaign coordinator since 2006, that means for 13 years. It is certainly an enormous undertaking to be a Charter Commissioner and to represent the people of the island. In the last three meetings you have heard from 70—more than 75 people who are in support of the two percent land fund program. There are more here today. You have only heard from two people who are against the land fund program, Mayor Kim who would like to see the whole island developed, and Council Chair Aaron Chung. We have Page 6