HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0589.007 2020-2022 lilt
Comm,
Fromm Cory Harden
Sent: Saturday, February O5, 20227:30PM
To: [hung, Aaron; David, Mai|e; Kanea|ii-K|einfe|der, Matt; k]erkiewicz, Ashley, Kimball, Heather;
Lee Loy, Sue; Inaba, Ho|eko| Richards, Tim; Vi||egos, Rebecca; Council Testi�o.ny r�
Subject: support Bill 111 F[ Feb 9
support for 8i|| Ill re. homelessness —4
for Hawai'l County Council Finance Committee,9 AM Wednesday, February 9, 2022 >= �cr—
from[oryHarden
Maha|otoAaron Chung for introducing this bill.
You don't need any research to know that there are more and more homeless people in Hilo all the time,that their situation is
precarious, and that their needs affect all ofus.
I'm somewhat acquainted with several homeless people.There's the woman who used to be an assistant on my daughter's
school bus, but ended up drinking at Wailoa Park.There's another woman who I speak with occasionally. She has a daughter,
who she tried desperately to keep with her despite financial stress...but now I see her all by herself, pushing a shopping cart
around Hilo.There's the woman who lived in a van at Bayfront with her adult special needs son so she could send her daughter
tocollege. And there's aman with one leg, in a wheelchair,who I hear yelling about how the Army has forgotten him.
Once I saw a man passed out in an entryway to a downtown business.A woman who looked like a tourist gingerly stepped
over him, making aface asshe did so.
I'm glad we are looking at doing better than that. Homelessness brings us all down. It makes perfect sense to tax second
homes toalleviate this unnecessary suffering.
Comm. N
Ref. To:
Ref. Date 9 2022
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