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<br />REPORT OF THE <br />COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND <br />INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS <br /> <br />DATE: <br />PLACE: <br /> <br />October 20, 2009 <br />Council Chambers <br />Ben Franklin Bldg, 2nd Floor <br />333 Kilauea Ave. <br />Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 <br /> <br />Re: Comm No. 528/Reso 238-09 <br /> <br />TIME: <br /> <br />2:00 p.m. <br /> <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawai'i County Council <br />Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 <br /> <br />Your Committee on Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations, to which was referred <br />Communication 528 and Resolution 238-09, reports as follows: <br /> <br />Resolution 238-09, transmitted via Communication No. 528 from council member Pete <br />Hoffmann, dated September 14,2009, requests the Hawai'i State Legislature to amend the <br />Comprehensive Public Funding Program for the County of Hawai'i Council elections, address <br />the lack of objectives with which this program can be properly assessed, and raise the limit for <br />execution of the project from $300,000 to $500,000. <br /> <br />There were two submissions of written testimony. First was from Cory Harden via email, dated <br />October 5, 2009, in support of this resolution. Second from the Executive Director ofthe <br />Campaign Spending Commission Barbara U. Wong, dated October 13,2009, wherein she <br />advised increasing the $300,000 cap will bring a necessary increase in the administrative costs, <br />The "Empirical Objectives to Assess the Pilot" program was also reviewed therein, specifically: <br />"[T]o reduce the influence of private financing on campaigns" and "that the comprehensive <br />public financing of campaigns has promising potential and should be explored on a pilot basis." <br /> <br />Council member Hoffmann affirmed that the intent of introducing this resolution is to bring the <br />attention of State Legislators to problems within Act 244. Council member Yoshimoto <br />emphasized there are other problems besides the $300,000 limit, and he intends to bring <br />amendments before the next reading to address these issues, including the apparently unfair <br />structure of distribution of funds. <br /> <br />Council member Ikeda expressed concern there may be insufficient time for the State Legislature <br />to effectively respond to this Resolution. Other Council members disagreed and Mr. Hoffmann <br />specifically asserted there is still ample time for State Legislators to introduce a Bill. <br /> <br />Council member Ford urged the Council to move this resolution forward and amend later. <br /> <br />Committee Chair Enriques in final comments called the Councils' attention to Ms. Wong's <br />testimony where she states costs to the public for administering this program may be as much as <br />$100,000 for the $300,000 limit, and will be likely be higher if the limit is raised to $500,000. <br /> <br />PWIRC Rept. No. 54 <br />