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DATE: May 25, 2005
TO: Mayor Harry Kim, Chairman Stacy Higa and Hawaii County Council Members
FROM: Kim "Favares
RE: Supporting Bill 78 preliminary resolution (as reported by the Hawaii Tribune Herald 20050525)
Greetings,
Ib begin, I must retract a statement 1 made on May 18, in answer to a question posed to me by Councilman Pete
Hoffmann. HISMEC does care where the money comes from to finance land acquisitions, and it is possible that
an unacceptable source could appear.
And so, in light of today's front page story on Bill 78, HISMEC would like to thank the County Council and the
Mayor for this interesting new budget category. A $250K budget for public lands, if well used, might do
something for the residents of this county, one community at a time. H[SMEC understands baby steps to big
endeavors. [t's comforting to see this land conservation bill get off the ground. Mahalo.
At the same time, HISMEC strongly urges you to continue to think in this creative Cashion, now towards the
issue of conservation lands conservation. When HISMEC began supporting F3ill 78, it was with the
understanding that this bill was for conservation lands acquisitions. Somewhere along the way it watered down
and became a land conservation issue instead. Still okay, but not the original intent. 'Fhe forested watersheds
and prime agriculture lands of this County still urgantly need protection.
This County should do its part to help preserve Hawaii's natural resources. Forests, farms, orchards, pastures
and the rural charm that we enjoy today, should also be enjoyed by our friends, family and visitors for a long
time to come. This island is alive and diverse, rich in natural resources. We all need to remember to appreciate
this good life we have, every day. When the balance of the diversity is destroyed, all that rural charm and our
natural resources go with. It doesn't have to happen that way.
'Fhe equivalent of 2% of the County tax revenue is still a fair figure for any serious conservation land
acquisitions. Development fees are a great revenue source right now, but we don't want to encourage
development to save resources, it could become counter productive real fast. Please resolve to include a line
item in the budget for conservation lands this year before opportunities and great resources are gone.
Sincerely,
Kim 'Tavares
Flawaii Invasive Species Management & Education Corporation
PO Box 338 - Volcano, Hawaii - 96785
Ph./Pax: 808-985-8596 A 110
kim a hismec.org Comm. No. (I~/O 6
Ref. To: Pra
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