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Subject: Sale of the Hamakua Lands
From: Joe" <joe(a bighawaii.net>
Date: Fri, August 28, 2009 4:51 pm
To: dikeda(aco.hawaii.hi.us (more)
Priority: Normal
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PLEASE FORWARD TO BIG ISLAND FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Aloha-
The Mayor and Director of Finance are preparing to sell the Hamakua
Lands to meet the budget shortfall.
THESE ARE OUR LANDS- OWNED BY THE TAXPAYERS.
J Yoshimoto's Resolution 216 to sell the Hamakua Lands, sets the price
at $8.2 million and also allows a sealed bid OR an auction. There are
16 parcels in this sale for a total of 737 acres. They are individually
listed on the Resolution on the last page ( see attached)
* I believe that each of the 17 properties should be appraised
separately. They each have unique characteristics that would make
some worth more than others, such as proximity to utilities,
elevation differences, soil differences. What if a Buyer only
wants a few of these properties? What is the next door neighbor
just wants to purchase one of the properties? Is this to be an
all or. nothing sale? I don't believe that the requirement to
purchase all of these properties serve taxpayers by getting the
best price.
* A sealed bid does not allow the County to get the best price or
allows this to be a transparent process. An open auction is the
best way to get the best price and the way to open and above board
dealings.
* The resolution says they will be "returned to service" as property
tax yielding land. What are the anticipated yearly property taxes
that will be gained for this $8 million?
THESE LANDS COULD BE USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND FARMING WITH THE
REQUIREMENT THAT PART OF THE PRODUCTION FROM THESE LANDS REMAIN ON OUR
ISLAND TO FEED OUR FAMILIES.
On Bill 132, proposed by Council member Dominic Yagong, which will be
heard on Tuesday, September 1 at the Finance Committee in Kona at 9:00
a.m, changes the process of land sales to give the council the right to
approve the sale of properties of more than 10 acres. This is a VERY
IMPORTANT idea- The public should be informed of ALL sales of publicly
owned properties.
THIS BILL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTIES. IN
addition to what is stated in this legislation (Bill 132), I believe
that the agreements of sale, appraisals, title reports and any other
agreements should be a matter of public record and posted on the
Internet on the Finance Department's website. We should be informed as
to who participated in the bidding process, so we can see that the
process was open to everyone.
Documents for property acquisition should also be a matter of public 94P
f~
record and easily accessible on the Internet. Comm. tm- ~-r-v p• V
Ref. Tor ..10 FG
W. Data, FP 1-2003
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OUR government should serve us in a TRANSPARENT manner, so we can make
sure our public officials are serving our best interests.
I believe this is the same sort of solution taken by the Monarchy to
provide the King and his cohorts with the necessary capitol to do
everything from building fancy buildings and accoutrement to buying guns
and champagne. Does the county counsel have the right to sell public
(state) lands so that they can get what they want? Maybe they should
sell their own houses, cars, businesses, and get their pay cut? Then
they could experience what all too many people of Hawaii are
experiencing. When will the people of Hawaii wake up to how they
continue to get ripped off by the Politicians and People of Power? What
they are proposing is as much a capitol crime as George Bush invading
Iraq and Afghanistan. Oil or dollars, it's still a crime against the
People.
This whole process should stop immediately and possibly the land opened
up for homesteading and agriculture.
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