HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0717.070 2004-2006 MTV o+N'•T,
Harry Kim ~^%v Dixie Kaetsu
Mayor Managing Director
' Barbara Kossow
+t p~'N~'M' Deputy Managing Director
HAWAII COUNTY PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN
SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
PRESERVATION COMMISSION
C/O 101 Aupuni Stree[, Suite 325, Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Phone: 961-8304 Hxt. 106; hex: 961-8622
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June 1, 2006
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Stacy Higa, Chair and Members of the - c~
Hawaii County Council
County ofHawai'i ~
25 Aupuni Street c~
Hilo, Hawaii 96720 ' "
Dear Chair Higa and Councilmembers:
The Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission
has taken its charge very seriously and worked hard over the past eight months since our
creation by this Council's action to address the serious issue of reduced public access and
the rapid loss of open space in Hawaii County. We remain committed to reaching out to
our island community to identify those lands that are most treasured and recommending
tools that can help protect them.
It is with profound disappointment that we received notice that this Council has
decided to eliminate funding proposed by Mayor Harry Kim in his FY 07 budget for the
Public Access, Open Space, Natural Resources Preservation Fund. Our report clearly
identified secure and predictable funding as an important goal to achieve if our County is
to take the issue of land preservation seriously and our Commission is to be successful in
our work. We believe that the cut in open space Funding is particularly troublesome given
the past action by this Council that eliminated $10 million in bond funding that was
intended to be allocated at the time of our Commission's formation to enable our work.
The Mayor's budget has remained relatively unaltered save for the wholesale reductions
to the Open Space and Rainy Day funds. This targeted elimination is opposed
unanimously by our Commission and hamstrings this County's ability to protect our most
precious resource. We note also that this is a year of strong budget surplus and our
Commission unanimously calls for the immediate restoration by this Council of the
original allocation to send the right message of support and honor the input of Big Island
citizens to our Commission. A'~ ' O
Comm. No.
Ref. To: s t
Reaf. Uata _
Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
Commissioners: Kenneth Kaneshiro; Laura Schuster; Ruth Walker; Benedict Yung;
Paul Campbell; John Replogle; Jocelyn Garovoy; Hannah Springer; E. Kalani Flores
Stacy Higa Chair and Members of the
Hawaii County Council
June 1, 2006
Page -2-
It is our strong desire to see the full $3 million allocation for the FY 07 year
restored to this operating budget. After careful study and weighing these latest
developments, our Commission has also unanimously voted to support the citizen effort
to dedicate 2% of Real Property Tax revenue annually by ordinance to the Public Access,
Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund. We believe that only through such
a stable, dedicated funding source will our County gain the predictability needed to truly
support the work of our Commission and seriously address the looming crisis local
citizens face regarding land preservation in coming years. It is our hope that this Council
will also support this petition to dedicate these funds should the issue come before them.
Sincere y, n
John plogle J~\jY
Chai erson
JR:cm
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