HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0281.089 2020-2022 bill 44
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Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2021 8:44 AM
To: Pat Kahawaiolaa
Cc: Council Testimony
Subject: RE: Support for Bill 44 (Second reading) and OBJECTING to amendment from Council-
member Rebecca Villegas
Aloha and mahalo for your testimony. I will be forwarding this to our written testimony lead so that it can be correctly
recorded and filed.
COUNTY CIERK
Mahato, COUNTY OF HAWAIII
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Ti Zlfe_
Office of the County (�Cerk, —
('ou��t y of q-(a�ivaii ��t� AUG 1 2021
,25 ALTuni .Street, Suite .1402
ff iCO3 ` [I g67.20
(808) c)6t-825.5
From: Pat Kahawaiolaa
Sent: Wednesday,August 18, 20212:50 AM
To: Chung,Aaron <Aaron.Chung@hawaiicounty.gov>; Inaba, Holeka <Holeka.lnaba@hawaiicounty.gov>; Lee Loy, Sue
<Sue.LeeLoy@hawaiicounty.gov>;Araceley, Relley<Relley.Araceley@hawaiicounty.gov>; Kierkiewicz,Ashley
<Ashley.Kierkiewicz@ hawaiicounty.gov>; heather.kimbelI@hawaiicounty.gov; kleinfelder@hawaiicounty.gov; David, Maile
<Maile.David@hawaiicounty.gov>;Villegas, Rebecca <Rebecca.Villegas@hawaiicounty.gov>; Richards,Tim
<Tim.Richards@hawaiicounty.gov>
Cc: David Kaapu <makaliu@aol.com>; Fisher, Olinda L<olinda.l.fisher@hawaii.gov>; Gomes,Tyler I
<tyler.i.gomes@hawaii.gov>; Hokulani Johnasen<Hokulani.Johnasen@ mail.house.gov>; Rodenhurst, Ikaika
<Ikaika.Roden hurst@hawaiicounty.gov>; Kristina M Tolentino<Kristina.M.Tolentino@hawaii.gov>; Lee Loy, Hanale
<Hanale.LeeLoy@mail.house.gov>; Mike Kaleikini <mkaleikini@ormat.com>; Roth, Mitch D <MitchD.Roth@hawaiicounty.gov>;
Rep. Chris Todd <reptodd@capitol.hawaii.gov>; Rep. Richard Onishi <reponishi@capitol.hawaii.gov>; William J. Aila
<williamJ.ailajr@hawaii.gov>;senacasio@capitol.hawaii.gov
Subject: Support for Bill 44(Second reading) and OBJECTING to amendment from Council-member Rebecca Villegas
Aloha e Chair Ms. David and honorable members of the Hawaii County Council, I am Patrick L. Kahawaiolaa a
native Hawaiian as defined pursuant to the HHCA, 1920 as amended July 9, 1921 and currently the elected President
of the Keaukaha Community Association located in the ahupuaa of Waiakea, South Hilo, on Trust Lands, having the
status of Hawaiian Home Lands set aside by Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole and the 67th Congress chapter 42, 42
stat. 108.
Our Trust lands ainahoolaulapula ma Keaukaha (homestead of Keaukaha) was settled on December 16, 1924 as
Kuhio Settlement, and now as the first and oldest homestead lands on Hawaii island.
According to the 2010 Census 1457 people resides in approximately 471 homes...AND I AM HERE TO OBJECT
TO THE AMENDMENTS TO BILL 44, SUBMITTED BY CM Rebecca Villegas for the following reasons...
However, a brief history of this native Hawaiian community I believe is warranted so all my have a better
understanding of the contributions this humble native Hawaiian community has been asked to endure for the sake of
the betterment of the General Public to the DETRIMENT of the beneficiaries of the tru t landsof Keaukaha. <el
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1 Ref. o: P(LtUnM I
Ref. Date AUG 1 9 20 t
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Vire are celebrating the creation by the US Congress of the HHCA, 1920 which is celebrating its Centennial, 100 years
since Congress CODIFIED the ACT on July 9, 1921... to amend an Act entitled "...An Act to provide a government
for the Territory of Hawaii, to establish an Hawaiian Homes Commission, granting certain powers to the board of
harbor commission of the Territory of Hawaii, and for other purposes..."
Since as early as 1920's our Trust lands were already being used in my opinion, illegally by Territorial Governor's
(EO)to start Air Service whereby prison labor was used to build the Hilo airport and where in 1929, the first flight
began..
then after the bombing of Pearl Harbor,the field was taken over by the War Department (United States Navy in
particular) until 1946 and eventually returned to civilian control in the early 1950's....my community of
KEAUKAHA extended well out to where today the main runway exist, because in the early 1960's the now State of
Hawaii, through Governor's Executive Orders (EO), began its encroachment unto our Trust lands and expanded the
airport, by displacing about half of our community and created what we all now call the the Panaewa homesteads near
our trust lands where the Prince Kuhio Plaza, Home Depot, Target-Safeway and the Wal-Mart Hilo Shopping Center
now is located...
Then comes the devastation of the May 23, 1960 tsunami which destroys the little town of Waiakea, Shinmachi and
impacts many of the businesses along the bay front of Hilo One, whereby till today many of those businesses are
located on trust lands on Makaala Street, Holomua Street and Wiwoole Street in what is known as the Kanoelehua
Industrial Area (KIAA)....
Hilo and it's people continued to `BENEFIT" from the Hilo Sewer Pumping & Treatment Plant which for over 30+
years was placed by Hawaii coumy, in my community even though we were not tied into the Hawaii County's sewer
system.... however even though the system was later relocated back on the other side of the airport closer to the Hilo
Dump.. the treated sewage continues to be "dumped" into our wahi pang (legendary place) called Puhi Bay... where
as a community we still recreate, gather and perpetuate our traditional and customary rights protected by this State
Constitution, articulated in the Admissions Act, Article XII...
Now I hope you all can see that the ACTIONS by "governmental entities, whether Federal., State or
County"...continues to subject the native Hawaiians to what I believe smacks of systemic racism, encroachment,
abuses of our trust lands for the betterment of the General Public... to the detriment of the native Hawaiian
therefore...
In my humble opinion if these amendments of CM Villegas are allowed to be adopted especially the one that could
foreclose on a native Hawaiian family...from possible having the ability or opportunity to purchase a factory built,
modular home, which may or may not be on wheels to begin to house their own Ohana(family) on a trust land
award,..will be detrimental and will continue to keep the native Hawaiians out of the market for some kind of
affordable housing._SO THEREFORE I STRONGLY OBJECT TO HER AMENDMENTS TO BILL 44 and other
possible unforeseen consequences that will affect the native Hawaiians, as defined.
I can be reached at 937-8217
`Owau me ka ha'aha'a (I humbly remain)
Patrick L. Kahawaiolaa
Sent from Gmail Mobile Keaukaha Smiles 'Owau me ka ha'a ha'a (I humbly remain) Patrick L. Kahawaiolaa
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