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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0687.005 2008-2010Murashige, Laura From: Debbie Hecht [hecht.deb @gmail.com] 811 08 Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2010 8:40 AM Z9�O flPft 19 To: dikeda @co.hawaii.hi.us; donishi @co.hawaii.hi.us; enaeole @co.hawaii.hi.0 Billy- Kenoi;;! ,i< Council testimony; on H Drell Y; Domino Yagong; 9: Enri ues, q Guy; Ford, Brenda; Green w, - t.J4 X; Yoshimoto; Pete Hoffman; Karen Eoff Subject: Reeommendations td the - charter - commission :on- the_Land Fund Attachments: CA -15 -The Land Fund. Draft3TpdP Aloha Council Members- Attached is the proposed charter amendment for the Land Fund at 1 %. I wanted you to have the exact proposed legislation- see attached. Over 100 people sentemails to the commission and at 100 people took time out of their busy lives to show up and testify in front of the commission. All of these voters testified about a 2% Land Fund, not a 1/2% Land Fund and not a 1% Land Fund. We ask that you recommend that the charter commission reinstate the 2% amount, as voters approved by 63% in 2006. People in your districts are upset that you cut the 2% deposits for 2 years. This will be a campaign issue for the 2010 campaign season. Please consider recommending that the charter commission include the following in their proposed charter amendment CA -15 The Land Fund: 1. The amount that shall be deposited at least twice per year shall be 2% of property taxes including penalties and interest. 2. The land Fund shall be an Interest bearing account. We heard testimony that the Finance department does this anyway, but unless it is in the legislation this is not a requirement. 3. Land Fund monies shall be used for acquisition only and not for development or maintenance of properties. 4. To protect the lands purchased by taxpayers money, we must have a clause to protect these lands from being resold. This clause that shall run with the land and be recorded as part of the Deed - on all past and future purchases: "This property was purchased with monies from the Public Access Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund. It shall be held in perpetuity for the use and en'o ment o the seosle o Hawaii Coun This land ma not be sold mort•a•ed traded or transferred in any way." This is necessary because the State sells off conservation land in the regular course of business, which's to say that the county won't start selling land to balance their budgets. A good case in point is the sale of the Hamakua Sugar lands. Mahalo- Debbie Hecht Campaign Coordinator, Save our Lands Citizen's Committee Debbie Hecht P.O. Box 4148 4/19/2010 Page 1 of 2 P1 C ri`r i , ED Comm. N S Ref. To; t i Let.YIGt Ref. Dote . APR 2 0 2010 Kailua -Kona, I -II 96745 (808) 989-3222 Debbie Hecht P.O. Box 4148 Kailua -Kona, HI 96745 (808) 989-3222 4/19/2010 Page 2 of 2 CHARTER AMENDMENT NO. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII: Section 1. Article X, Hawaii County Charter, is amended to add a new section to read as follows with added language underscored and deleted language bracketed and stricken through: "Section 10- . Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund. (a) In adopting each fiscal year's budget and capital program, the council shall appropriate a minimum of [ono half of one percent (.5 %)] one percent of the certified real property tax revenues, including penalty and interest, to a fund known as the public access, open space, and natural resources preservation fund. Deposits to the fund will occur at a minimum of twice a year but directly after the majority of the taxes have been collected. (b) Funding shall consist of a minimum of [one half of one percent (.5 %)] one percent of actual revenue received in the fiscal year. [Additional revenue may c nsist f grants and private c ntributi ns intended f r the purp se f this secti n; voluntary contributions of any amount as specified on the r I property tax bill; and any other source of revenue.] Additional revenue may consist of grants and private contributions intended for the purpose of this section, proceeds from the sale of general obligation bonds authorized and issued for the purpose of this section council appropriations for the purpose of this section, and grants and private contributions intended for the purpose of this section, and any other source of revenue. (c) Monies in this fund shall be used solely to: 1) Purchase or otherwise acquire lands or property entitlements in the County of Hawaii for public outdoor recreation and education, including access to beaches and mountains; preservation of historic or culturally important land areas and sites; protection of natural resources, significant habitat or eco- systems, including buffer zones; preservation of forests, beaches, coastal areas, natural beauty and agricultural lands; and protection of watershed lands to preserve water quality and water supply. 2) Pay the principal, interest and premium, if any, due with respect to bonds issued in whole for the purpose of this fund. (d) Any balance remaining in the fund at the end of any fiscal year shall not lapse, but shall remain in the fund accumulating interest from year to year. The moneys in this fund shall not be used for any purpose except those listed in this section. (e) The [Geuncil] council shall by ordinance establish procedures for the administration and expenditure of moneys in this fund." Section 2. This amendment shall take effect on July 1, 2011.