COM 0604.050 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Finance Committee Hawaii County Council Hilo, HI 96720 September 15, 1998 pete...____-~//~ 4d- Re: Approval for Resolution #309-98 County ca,ncn ~ Dear Council Members: I would like to thank Councilman Chun for enabling the testimony on this issue to occur last Aug. 28th in Honoka'a and to all of you for coming out there. I would hope that the Council is well aware that this place and time is very hard for the working person to be here today and so please remember those voices. 1 am wondering, isn't it normal Council procedure to support the efforts of one's colleague in whose district the pending decision impacts? Isn't this the rule rather than the exception? Why then do» not all Council Representatives follow Councilman Yagong's Resoluttion #309 that not only reflects the will and desires of his constituents but those of the whole island as well? We realize the Mayor has persuaded some of you with promises of benefits or even the withholding of benefits; but is this correct and open government? I ask you, are these County lands actually going to benefit the populace of our island by enriching Bishop Estate with even more property in Hamakua? By giving Hamakua Timber an even bigger property tax break? By improving the Paauilo bridges from wood to cement for their logging trucks at tax payer's expense? What about the citizens who live here, we don't get any tax breaks or sweet deals? Why can't government realize that the real health of our economy lies with us, the small businesses and farmers? What if this was your District instead of Hamakua? Wouldn't you want the other Council members to support you and what you believed that best serves your people? We are one island, what is good for the part is good for the whole. Cossra. Ne. ~ ~ - r. S(~ PYIe No. Pty Presented F'~ Hel. To: het. llate