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From: Lee McIntosh
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2021 9:44 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Bills 21 & 22
Aloha, my name is Lee McIntosh. I live in Discovery Harbour. I am writing to offer recommendations to the county's operating budget
in Bill 21. My first recommendation is to eliminate nine of the ten positions created by the previous administration to handle short
term vacation rental permits and apply these funds to repairing our wastewater facilities. Permit renewals are down, and will
continue to drop due to the economy and the county's onerous regulations regarding short term vacation rentals. Upgrading and
repairing our failing wastewater facilities should be our county's top priority going forward,followed by solid waste and road
improvements. j
My second recommendation is to repeal the GET increase and eliminate our mass transit department and use these funds to also
shore up our wastewater facilities.Although this may be an unpopular idea,the Big Island is unable to generate the revenue
necessary to create a functional mass transit bus system like Oahu. Rather than have an inadequate and troubled department, it
would be best to use this funding to repair our wastewater facilities which is projected to potentially cost the county over a billion
dollars. Possibly at a later date, after our wastewater and solid waste facilities are in good working order,the county can try to build
a mass transit system once again. Repealing the GET will help our businesses save money, like the resorts which employ the majority
of bus riders,which they can then use to fund a bussing program for their employees if they feel it's necessary for their continued
operations.
My final recommendation is in regards to Bill 22.The Naalehu and Pahala gang cess pools should be converted to septic systems
rather than the proposed lagoons which have ballooned in costs to over forty million dollars for each facility.Converting to septic
systems would be a quick and inexpensive alternative that would meet the EPA's requirements. Mahalo for the opportunity to offer i
recommendations to Bills 21&22.
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Lee McIntosh
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Comm. No.
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Ref. To: VKMA
Ref. Date MAY 1 8 2021