HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0341.011 1996-1998
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Hawaii Tribune-Herald, June 16, 1997- .7
Letters
Special session needed
As the representative of North Kona and South
Kohala on the Big Island, I feel compelled to contin-
tte_my advocacy for a special legislative session to
dt~,with the privatization issue. In the wake of ffie
Feb. 28 Supreme Court decision on the Puuanahulu
' Landfill, county contrails aze being suspended and the
~outnty is refusing to pay oa invoices for services con-
, ducted since then. This is resulting in a very signifi-
~cani economic disruption in our community.
bur community is already trying to cope with a
depressed economy, high unemployment, and heavy
financial stress on our families. Now, because of the
paaratization controversy, many small businesses are
tieing forced to lay off employees and close their
doors. We cannot continue with this economic chaos.
The three (Gov. Ben Cayetano, Senate President Nor-
, -iII~'Mizuguctti and House Spoaker7~eph Souki) of
t~em• must provide the leadership to resolve this issue
ie-r special legislative session. The legislattve has the -
responsibility to respond to this crisis. We must do it
assoon as possible.
In addition to creating an economic crisis, the can-
cellation of county contracts has created situations
that threaten public health and safety. The county is
cuaently in violation of state and federal eavvon-
mental laws because the contracts for monitoring the
sewage treatment plants have been canceled. The
~ounry can't even bring the sewage sludge to the -
landfill, because it can't pay a private laboratory to
analyze it. The situation has gotten out of hand.
i Please heaz this call for a special session. I am sure -
you aze also receiving the steady flood of calls and ,
letters from other citizens around the state that feel ~
the same way. The neighbor islands may hurt the
most now, but this is definitely a statewide economic
_art¢ political crisis.
' "yVe must acknowledge the seriousness of the situ- ;
ation and respond to it quickly and effectively. To `
delay ailion would be a betrayal of our responsbility '
to-our constituents. Please join me with the commit-
ment to resolve the privatization issue. Surely, as law-
makers, we have the ability to hammer out a compro-
mice that will work. I.et us provide govertunent with
the flexibility to contract out for services if the con-
tract meets certain criteria of performance, price and '
public benefit. l.et us resolve this issue and prevent
this. crisis from undermining any hope for economic
recovery in this state.
Rep. David Tomas 3~~,
6th District (N. Kona, S. Kohala~'OiIIDi' ~O'
- t~,,~ rvo. LEG
PresentetY~~r~
tie(. Tos
xer. nat~~lUN 16 1997