HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0671.014 1998-2000
Da, 12. 00 rrED 1:00 FdS 808 92x2929 Larry & Brenda Ford ~ 001
April 12, 2000 f.7'..
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CouncilmemberAaron Chung ~0~ ~~r„-,
1? i"[~ 1 y6
Re: Resolution 216 and Bill 210
CouncilmemberChung:
.':',i!
Mayor Yamashiro has recently proposed building a road between Ali'i Drive and the proposed Kahakai
subdivision and expending $3M of exclusively Hawaii County funds for the project.
If the Federal Government and the County of Hawaii use the 80-20% matching funds formula and build
an appropriate mauka-makai connector as part of the redesigned Ali'i Highway, the cost to the County
would be only $600,000. Who could be 5o irresponsible as to throw away $2.4M from the Hawaii County
coffers on this latest plan of the Mayor? Who could possibly have such disdain for the taxpayers of
this County as to waste our money and ignore their fiduciary responsibility that they are sworn to
uphold? We are a financially strapped County and need our representatives to exercise the greatest
consideration and restraint in expending our tax dollars in the most responsible, dea+ly advantageous
manner.
What West Hawaii desperately needs to protect lives on the shoreline is the completion of Lako Road to
Ali i Drive as soon as possible. Everyone in West Hawaii understands, supports, and indeed demands
additional mauka-makai roads between the shoreline and the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. The
Mayors current plan for amauka-makai connector, as usual, ignores the:
1) public demand for the Lako Road makai connection,
2) fact that the County has very little money W waste,
3) needs of one area for the wants of another area, and
4) desperate need of the residents of West Hawaii for a safe evacuation route that can be built in
a fiscally responsible manner.
Would you treat the residents of East Hawaii with such contempt? We think not. So a question arises:
Why would the Mayor spend County money on a project not wanted by the citizens when we have a
burning need that can be accomplished at less cost by constructing what the citizens do need? What
representative who has the people's needs at heart would endanger their own citizens by not giving
them an appropriate evacuation route along Ali'i Drive, especially when that evacuation route can be
constructed at a fiscally responsible and prudent cost?
The residents of West Hawaii and other areas as well have been very patient. We have suggested.
requested, begged, and pleaded for 30 years for assistance from the politicians- We have joinetl
committees to assist in designing roads and highways to meet our needs. We have testified repeatedly
before the County Council and Commissions. We send letters, faxes and emails. Still we do not get our
needs met. Now the Finance Committee that you chair has recommended another plan to once again
disregard the needs of the residents and taxpayers.
Please DO NOT PASS RESOLUTION 216 OR BILL 210.
Larry Ford Brenda Ford
81-b195 Napo'opo'o Road Captain Cook, HI 96704 806-323-2323 ~r
Comm. No. b7~'0~~
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hef. lluta APR 1 8 2000