HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0124.070 2004-2006 HAWAII COUNTY NEW BUDGET 6-05
Annette Stanger 989-4116
I read about the new budget in the newspaper and I have a few comments and
suggestions to make about it.
PROPOSAL FOR ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR POLICE CADETS -What For?
This was tried several years ago and it was wasted money. What type of training would
the kids receive? What would be the Requirements/Aptitude/Background? Who
would be doing the training? There is a shortage of Police Officers now. This reminds
me of a past proposal to create citizen committees on terrorism, a very bad idea as it
opens up all kinds of possibilities for arbitrary prejudice. Could your next door
neighbor be arrested because someone "said" he was a Muslim spy? Or was it truly
because he was gay? And kids can be awfully cruel if they are carefully taught. I can
see them pushing other kids around when not strictly supervised because they're
wearing a police cadet uniform.
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDES/LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS -Why two for each
Council Member? Four new employees are not enough? The next thing we'll hear is
that the County needs to put up a new building in order to make room for eight new
employees. Maybe its necessary, maybe not but perhaps by rethinking these two
allocations alone, the money saved may go towards erecting a new library with several
computers. Such as the one Mr. Safarik proposed for Pahoa. Then, one could learn
through books, computers and proper educational guidance, how to become alaw-
abiding, community-minded citizen and grow up to be a policeman.
The state keeps cutting back its funding for libraries and school activities. Hours are
shortened and some programs were slashed entirely, like music and the arts. Can't the
County make up some of that shortfall? Wouldn't some vocational training venues be a
good alternative for those not qualified or too poor for higher education`?
And what the County also needs is a qualified, well-trained assistant Civil Defense
Director. Mayor Kim should not be doubling this most important job as our Mayor. He
was a terrific Civil Defense Director, but he's an even better mayor and probably too
much of a man of integrity to seek this allocation.
Comm. No. ~ ?'~•~0
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HAWAII COUNTY NEW BUDGET 6-05
Annette Stanger - 989-4116
BILL 78 -Halleluiah!!! Thank you Councilman Jacobson for your
perseverance in reaching a compromise with Mayor Kim in order that this
Council may enthusiastically agree to its passage. This allocation is by far a
most necessary inroad into preserving the beauty that surrounds us. There
are those who have stated that the island is far from being paved over. Yet
without protections such as Bi1178, I fear that a most bleak scenario stares us
in the face. I look about me and see far too many trees coming down and
development going up. In some cases, trees are being replaced with lawns
which have no purpose but to give "busy-work" to maintenance employees.
If we're not careful, one day the only way little Johnny will know what a
tree looks like and what a bird sounds like, will be to "google" it on the
Internet. Thank you Mayor Kim for recognizing that the public who
supported Mr. Jacobson's Bill from its inception are truly grateful that we
will Iiterally be able to breathe a little easier for some years to come.