HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0713.001 2004-2006 Yage 1 of 2
Murashige, Laura
From: J. C. Tyler III [jct3kona@hawaii.rr.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7'10 PM
To: County Council Tx
Subject: Reso 269-06
Good Morning, Chairman Higa and Council Members:
This testimony is submitted in very strong opposition to the proposed resolution. My reasons are:
I . The Legislative and Executive branches of government should NOT be dis-located from one
another; to the contrary, the co-location of both these branches in proximity to one another fosters
public participation and lends itself to improved opportunities for coordination and cooperation between
the branches. The Council functions and workspaces are now separate from the Executive branch and
its offices and will continue to be so. I realize a decision has been made by a Council majority to
temporarily relocate, while the office spaces are being worked nn, but this should not be an excuse to
permanently and physically separate these important parts of County government. Furthermore,
assuming the Council Room is to be maintained at its current location (as I believe it should be), any
relocation of its offices to the proposed location is going to create a nightmare for members, staff, and
the public, and most especially on meeting days.
2. The cost of purchasing this space is excessive, unnecessary, and not in the public interest. The
Council has agreed to rent 6,871 square feet at $137,424 a year for at least one year, with aone-year
extension. Here are some questions I hope each of you will ask yourselves prior to voting. What has
changed your minds to make you believe you need almost three times as much space for "up to $5
million" of the taxpayers funds? What is magical about $5 million being OK and "$7 or $8 million"
being too high? Why is this necessary now, aside from growing the size of government (not something
most folks [know like to see happen)? And what is there about this extravagant, non sequitur action
that is going to be in the public interest? Will the parking situation be improved? I have always heard
about the public safety improvements that can't be done because there aren't sufficient funds. Well,
folks, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but can't you find something else to spend our money on besides
feathering your own nest? Buying a part of a wasting asset might be a "bargain" in the eyes of some, but
the people of this County, especially those in North Kona and South Kohala, who contribute more tax
dollars than all the other districts put together, don't need or want to support this kind of extravagance.
Enough already!!
It also is bothersome to me that a matter of this significance and tiscal magnitude has been waived up to
the full Council, bypassing the normal Finance Committee (and public) level scrutiny. It's hard to
believe that something like this couldn't wait at least another two weeks.
In short, this is not something we, the people, need or can afford at this time or in the foreseeable firture.
Please do the right thing and vote this proposal down today. Thank you.
Curtis
J. Curtis Tyler III
73-1305 Hiolani Street Comm hg -7~'J
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740-9344 Ref. To;.~ii '
Rcat, Uate ~ ~i1
3/ 1 /2006