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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0248.004 2008-2010 Julie Jacobson PO Box 900, Kurtistown, Hawaii, 96760 808-966-8831, jacobs@hawaiianisp.com April 12, 2009 To: Chairman Yoshimoto and Members of the Hawaii County Council Topic: Please vote against Resolution 98-09 and oppose HB 345 Aloha Council Members, Please vote against Reso 98-09 and oppose HB 345. The 2008 Legislature passed a law funding a pilot project for Hawaii County Council elections beginning in 2010. Clean Elections is a system under which taxpayers fund the election of lawmakers rather than donations from a few special interests determining the outcomes of elections with corporate or private wealth. With a level playing field average citizens can run successfully for office without needing to serve special interests. Special interest monies elect people who can be counted on to represent big money rather than residents. With publicly funded elections, candidates can campaign and reach voters rather than spending time trying to raise money or putting themselves into debt. Public campaign funding has increased competition for office and voter turnout in states such as Maine and Arizona, while reducing the influence of special-interest money and energizing and drawing in more people. Many elected officials are primarily beholden to their campaign contributors. These are the very people who have led us into our current fiscal disasters. Their approaches may vary but most share a common obedience to the most powerful and wealthiest corporations and individuals. The question of what would help the bulk of their constituents becomes of secondary concern. The currently publicly funded election system for the 2010 Hawaii County Council races is under attack by special interests. Please defend the current law. Why we need clean elections not only at the local level but at the state and federal level might be best demonstrated by what legislation doesn't come before us or gets voted down. How have you voted on these issues? Where would our state and national officials stand on the following issues? Would you be on the citizens' side or with special interests? FISCAL CRISIS Fair property tax administration, fair property tax appraisals for all property, some properties on this island are under appraised by as much as $100 million Funding for open space as approved by the voters Nationalization of failed financial institutions End of secrecy by financial institutions on the use of federal funds Use of federal revenue sharing to get more recovery funds quickly to the state and local level A return to the financial controls of the Glass-Steagel Act Greater use of stimulus funds to help small business Use of local bankruptcy judges to reorganize loans threatened with foreclosure State banks modeled on the North Dakota example changing pro-lender state laws endangering homeowners Creating cap on credit card interest rates to levels of the 1980s HEALTHCARE Adequate mental health funding Single payer healthcare FOREIGN POLICY An end to our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Comm. 4 .4 Ref. To: (M 1 lLl No torture Ref. Date A R 13 2009 MILITARY Control and cleanup of pollution such as depleted uranium (DU) on military bases Cleanup of unexploded ordnance End of more than one foreign tour for National Guard troops DRUG POLICY Decriminalization of marijuana Treating substance abuse with medical and social services instead of incarceration EDUCATION Providing adequate funding for Hawaii education instead of taking funds to balance our state budget End No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Federal support of local public schools but without federal interference ELECTIONS Use of only secure and verifiable voting machines Public campaign financing Fair administration of voting rules to provide access to voters for initiative issues CIVIL LIBERTIES Police Auditor system to maintain civilian control of our police An end to illegal wiretapping by the government Respect for the I Oth Amendment by leaving states and the individuals those powers not specifically granted the federal government under the Constitution Government should be conducted at the lowest practical level Restoring the right of juries to judge both the law and the fact SOCIAL SECURITY No dismantling of Social Security As these examples of local, state and federal issues show, it is important to have clean elections to bring government back to the grassroots. In conclusion, please protect clean elections by voting against Reso 98-09 and opposing FIB 345. Sincerely, ormer Hawai'iinunty CcmnCil m ber Julie Jacobson