HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0193.075 2008-2010
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Murashige, Laura
From: Beverley Brand [beverley.brand@gmail.com] 1609 RPK 2Q p~ 9 t
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2009 9:53 AM 5 ,
To: dikeda@co.hawaii.hi.us; donishi@co.hawaii.hi.us; enaeole@co.hawaii.hi.us~ OlJ r., f:
jyoshimoto@co.hawaii.hi.us; cohmayor@co.hawaii.hi.us; counciltestimony@co.ha aii.hi.us;.,q ;tr,ifs„1
genriques@co.hawaii.hi.us; bford@co.hawaii.hi.us; kgreenwell@co.hawaii.hi.us;
phoffmann@co.hawaii.hi.us; dyagong@co.hawaii.hi.us; ncrawford@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Fwd: Save 2% for the LAND Fund WED-April 23rd-Kona
Please take the time to read the TALKING POINTS- I strongly agree. Thank you Mr. Yogong for
responding to my previous email in support of the 2% Fund. Beverley Brand, Waikoloa
Forwarded message
From: Debbie Hecht <hecht.demail.com>
Date: Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Subject: Save 2% for the LAND Fund WED-April 23rd-Kona
To: TwoPerCentFORthelandfundnfymail.com
PLEASE forward to PEOPLE who CARE about SAVING the LAND for FUTURE generations
Aloha 2% for the Land Fund supporters-
WEDNESDAY- April 22nd at the Sheraton Keauhou at 10:30 the Hawaii County Council meets to hear
Bill 49 to suspend the land fund deposits for 2 years. You can testify and right after hear their debate
about the Bill.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
• Testify for 3 minutes in Hilo at the Ben Franklin building on the 2nd floor OR in Waimea and Kona
at the Council offices which are makai of the Mayor's office on the 2nd floor of the Kailua Trade Center
Building.
• Email or phone council members. See contact info at the end of the email.
TALKING POINTS:
1. This is a bigger issue than "taking" this money to meet the budget for 2 years. An Initiative Petition
with almost 10,000 signatures and a 57% vote of the people set this money aside. This is the power of
direct democracy. The people had to introduce this legislation themselves because the council and
mayor were non-responsive. It has never been part of the budget; it is NOT the Mayor or council's
money to take.
2. "Taking" this money is a betrayal of the democratic process of initiative petition, betrayal of voter's
trust and a slap in the face to people who collected signatures and voted for the 2% to save Hawaii
island's great places.
3. The Council should show respect for the people and take the issue to public meetings in Waimea,
Kona, Ka'u and Hilo where they can hear from the people.
4. People voted for this measure because they want to save Hawaii Island's best places from
development for future generations. People do NOT want our island to be developed like Oahu and
Maui.
5. Ask your elected officials to take a longer view than just balancing the budget this year. Open space,
Comm. No. 7I-3.11S
Ref. To: li
4/20/2009 Ref. (late pPR 2 2 2009
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beach access, important agricultural lands and cultural sites are important to our quality of life. Open
lands do not require expensive government services.
6. We can create an eco-tourism industry by using the 2% funds to add land to our parks for camping
and hiking trails and beach access.
7. Work on our parks can provide jobs for out of work construction workers. President Roosevelt
created the Civilian Conservation Corp during the Great Depression to put people back to work.
8. There is $8.8 million in the fund. Why has the county NOT been pursuing lands that are for sale:
Puapua'a on Ali'i drive near Casa de Emdeko, Kaiholena and Pao'o in North Kohala?
9. The great gift of the 2% fund is to be able to attract matching funds. We depend on the Legacy Land
funds to buy land on Hawaii Island for public recreation and education, access to beaches and
mountains, preservation of cultural sites, protect natural resources, watersheds and preserve forests,
beaches, coastal areas and agricultural lands. Legacy Land funds have been used to purchase Honu'apo
and we still hope that we can complete the purchase of Kawa Bay. Several parcels in North Kohala
have applied for these funds.
10. NOW is the time to buy- the Kona Board of Realtors says the land prices have fallen by 30%.
11. Mayor Kenoi said that we don't have the money to develop these park properties. That's true, but at
least we can save the land from development and develop them later, when we have impact fees or other
funds.
12. There are 10 more properties approved by the Hawaii County Council for acquisition. Land prices
have fallen approximately 30%, according to the Kona Board of Realtors. NOW is the time to save land
from development before it is gone forever.
13. The budget deficit is projected at $31.5 million.
14. There are 439 funded but not filled jobs padding the budget, if these jobs are cut from the budget
the county could cut the deficit by $9 to $14 million.
15. The county can sell tax liens on properties that have delinquent taxes.
16. Stop taking home county cars.
17. Each county worker could take one day off per month- saving the county approximately $4 to $6
million.
At the last Finance Committee meeting 35 of us showed up to testify. If you attended before
PLEASE attend and bring a friend. Mahalo for your heartfelt testimony. I watched Mayor Kenoi
on Monday, March 30th give the opening budget address to the council and target the 2% funds.
District 1 Dominic Yagong 961-8264
District 2 Donald Ikeda 961-8225
District 3 J Yoshimoto 961-8225
District 4 Dennis "Fresh" Onishi 961-8396
District 5 Emily Naole 965-2712
District 6 Guy Enriques 961-8912
District 7 Brenda Ford 326-5684
District 8 Kelly Greenwell 327-3642
District 9 Pete Hoffmann 887-2043
<dikedaga co.hawaii.hi.us>, <donishi g co.hawaii.hi.us>, <enaeole2co.hawaii._hi.us>,
<joshimoto@co.hawaii.hi.us>, <cohmayor@co.hawaii.hi.us>, <counciltestimony~a co.hawaii.hi.us>.
<genriques@co.hawaii.hi.us>, <bfordL&co.hawaii.hi.us>, <kgreenwell(&co.hawaii.hi us>,
<phoffmanngeo.hawaii.hi.us>, <dyagong@co.hawaii.hi.us>, <ncrawford@co.hawaii.hi.us>
Mahalo for caring about the citizen's right to direct democracy and saving Hawaii Island's
4/20/2009
Page 3 of 3
great places for future generations.
Please call with questions and comments-
Debbie Hecht, Campaign Coordinator for 2% for the Land Fund
Please email me to be removed from this list.
Debbie Hecht
Campaigns Coordinator 2% for the I-and Fund
(808)989-3222
"Discontent is the first necessity of progress."
Thomas A. Edison
4/20/2009