HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0109.003 1996-1998
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Testimony on 4,000 acres by Keiko Bonk
The County has owned this land since 1993. The mayor privately negotiated for this land
in exchange for approximately 15 million dollars in back taxes. At the time 1 objected
to the County taking land above the ditch when we could have taken the much more
valuable land below the ditch. In those four years since this secret deal the mayor has
acted as if the land was his private asset rather than public property. This land belongs
to the people and they should have some input into how it is used. As Councilwoman I
repeatedly tried to get Council and administration to hold public hearings and draw up
along term public plan for how this land is to be used.
Accept for one meeting in January that was attended primarily by a handful of the
mayor's fiends the public has had no opportunity to offer any input and has been kept
in the dark. As someone who was on the Council four years after we acquired the land
I was w~able to get answers to a list of questions, so I know the general public has been
RECEIVED
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kept in the dark. ~ By------•--•
L County Cuuncil
I will ask you the same questions. If you can not give satisfactory answers you
have no right passing this resolution. What is the intention here? Spell it out. This is not
a guessing game, this is public policy. First didn't we already do this last year for Mr.
Nobreiga. What happened to that 1,000 acres? Hasn't the Mayor said in the press that
the County will be leasing this land to Oji Paper Company for forestry? How is the
County going to lease the land to Oji if it is tied tip in five year leases to private land
owners, at least some of which are contributors to the Mayor's last campaign? What
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other alternatives have been investigated?
The issue was raised of using this land for a park or for a camp ground, or leasing
it to local tree fanners. Have any of these ideas been explored? If not, why not? If they
have been explored, why is this information being kept secret?
If you don't know the answers to these questions, then it is your job to find out
before you allow deals to be made. You represent the public, not a couple of ranchers
with political connections to the administration. Do your homework, its your job.
At the very least there should be public hearings after which a plan is drawn up.
There have been no public hearings. [ see no plan. All I see is a systematic attempt to
deny the public the right to make decisions about the use of public resources. The State
is planning to hold public hearings for the State land, why isn't the County doing the
same? If all of this were to happen and it was decided long term ranching leases were the
best way to go, the County should disallow any subleasing of the land. What is to
prevent these ranchers from tinning around and subleasing the land to Oji Paper or some
other outfit at a considerable profit? Hawaiian Homes lands have been used in this
crooked manner for years. The Cotmty should not allow this kind of crooked business
with public lands.
This is public land. The public should have a say in how it is used, and it should
be used for the maximum long term benefit of the residents of this island. The land is
public property not the Mayor's private property.