HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0208.015 2004-2006 Murashige, Laura
From: Cindy Varner [cindynsam@hotmail.com] ;QKE rVclr
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 10:59 PM vlme /0:,~jyy ~
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us ]~Ay - ~ ~1f05-..-......
Subject: Bill 78 Owte--_.._..__.--~-
My name is Cindy Varner and I would like to voice my support for Bill 78 -
the bill to create a permanent funding source to establish a land protection
fund to acquire public lands to protect coastal lands, shoreline access,
forests, and historic Hawaiian sites.
I work with college students involved in environmental service learning
programs. A reoccurring question from students when confronted with
environmental problems or shoreline/trail access issues is "Why isn't more
land protected?" Most are frustrated when discovering the lack of money is
one of the biggest obstacles to protecting valuable tracts of land for
conservation and the public good.
While I acknowledge the concerns of Mayor Kim and some council members of
using property tax revenues for acquiring public lands, my concern with
site-specific measures to purchase valuable lands is the time constraints
involved with the approval process and garnering additional or matching
funds to move purchases forward. My concern is that sellers in an
aggressive market like Hawaii's might not be willing to wait for the burden
of governmental funding and prefer to sell their lands on the open market
thereby opening the lands up for further development and possible
environmental degradation. By establishing a dedicated fund I feel Hawaii
County will increase the opportunity to attract additional State and Federal
dollars to help protect our local land protection projects.
I would urge the council members and Mayor Kim to look at the success of the
land protection trust Maui County has enacted and the overwhelming public
support Bill 78 has with the general public as a poll conducted last year
showing 70-80% of Hawaii County residents favored the creation of such a
fund indicates and vote to move Bill 78 forward.
Thank you for your consideration,
Cindy Varner
HCR 3 Box 10092
Kea'au, HI 96749
Comm. No. WP~~!~~
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