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Murashige, Laura
From: Donald Wessels [dfw_jr@yahoo.com]
~4G9 ~~R
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 3:08 AM
To: dikeda@co.hawaii.hi.us; donishi@co.hawaii.hi.us; enaeole@co.hawaii.hi.yi,$$';~i`;y(w
<jyoshimoto@co.hawaii.hi; dyagong@co.hawaii.hi.us; genriques@co.havG &6i us;
kgreenwell@co.hawaii.hi.us; phoffmann@co.hawaii.hi.us; cohmayor@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: 2% for the Land Fund
In November of 2006 the voters of the County of Hawaii made it clear that they wanted to set aside 2%
of THEIR property taxes for the purchase of open and accessible properties on the island of Hawaii.
Elections have consequences and the result of that election has been people have made their desires
known that open space is important to them. I believe the reason this initiative was so successful echoes
from our communities' growing concern for the sustainability Hawaii Island's environment.
Sustainability is not just using bio-fuels and solar panels. This little island we call the Big Island needs
to be treated more than a commodity. Sustainability will only be successful if our plans are
environmentally comprehensive and long term in vision. Short term development for short term benefit
is indeed vital to the soundness of any economy, but development that economically sacrifices our
future and our children's future. Setting aside Hawaii's open space is an important long term economic
investment. Short term economic viability MUST stand along side such things as healthy watersheds,
vibrant coral reefs, and healthy open space is we want long term wellbeing of our finite island
environments.
Degrading the livability of our environment will not last forever. Hawaii island is more than a object to
be chopped up, paved over, stripped barren, or covered with waste it a place filled living ecosystems
whose services we all depend on. Salvaging the natural communities living in Hawaii Island's open
spaces will provide long term, sustainable, economic, ecological, and recreational benefits for the
common good of us all.
Much the same as the real consequences of elections, the aftermath of environmental neglect will result
in actual harm to our prospects for a healthy and sustainable economic and ecological future.
Please, support and defend the popular 2% Land Fund it is an important contue with this far-sighted and
morally sound legal barrier against uncontroled development of every last open space on our isolated
little island.
Mahalo,
Donald Wessels
"An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all."
Oscar Wilde
Comm. No. 03-3L_
Ref. To: ~i
Ref. Date MAR 2 ZQ0
3/24/2009