HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0604.033 1996-1998 COUNTY COUNCIL HEARING
DATE AUGUST 28, 1998
TESTIMONY: ADA PULIN-LAMME
Thank you for coming to Honokaa and taking the time to listen to our pleas and azguments.
Does the Mayor's proposal to exchange the land in reality benefit the people of the island of
Hawaii to-day or even in the future ?
Most of us agree that the expansion of parks is worthwhile and certainly will be an asset,
especially if these pazks provide campgrounds and points of interest. But how aze we going to pay
for the expansions ?
The county as it is, does not have enough funds to maintain and keep in good repair our parks,
gyms and other facilities. For now taking on more than we can serve does not seem to make
sense. And with the $10 million outstanding on bringing public areas up to the ADA standards, it
does not look like we will have the money to make the improvements in the neaz future. So what
is left :Land Banking.
Why would we help create a Land Ownership Monopoly for another large company, in this case
Bishop Estate, which akeady owns 39,000 acres in the Hamakua region? A Monopoly means
power and power can easily be misused.
We hear over and over the need to collect Land Taxes on these pazcels. By exchanging the land it
will go to Hamakua Timber, and for two yeazs in a row Hamakua Timber/Prudential Investments
asked for a reduction of the land taxes and was granted a total reduction of $ 730,000, and we
heard they have applied again. The exchange will not result in full taxes being paid, but quite
possibly again substantially reduced rates. In the meantime the county has obtained Bishop Land,
that Bishop is now paying taxes on, I hope, and land banked these pazcels with -O- income on
taxes. Doesn't it make more sense to lease these pazcels to Farmers and Ranchers who will pay
the taxes?
Diversified Agriculture is growing and has become a major economic force in the State of Hawaii.
By making these lands available for Diversified Ag it will give many people the opportunity to be
independent and self sustainable. I recently heard that Doc Buyers spoke about the millions of
years it took to build up the deep soils of Hamakua, and his advice is: Plant and grow food on it !
Farmers and Ranchers live on this island; most of them have no intent to go elsewhere; they aze
taxpayers; they aze connected to the land and they aze hazd workers and they aze willing and ready
to work the land.
PLEASE SUPPORT DOMRVIC YAGONG'S PROPOSED RESOLUTION.
MAHALO. ^N
Cows. Nw
F11e No. ~ L ~
Presenter/ .F
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