Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0111.067 2010-2012 comments on Bill 29 Operating Budget July 1, 2011 to June 30,2012 for County Council, 9 AM Wednesday, May 18, 2011 by Cory Harden, PO Box 1 Hilo. Occupied Hawaii 96721 mh©ir+terpac.net 808 -968 -8965 First, many mahalos to County employees who. despite furlough days and wage and benefit cuts, continue to serve the public with aloha. I'm glad to see cuts in out -of -state travel and the transfer of some Mayor's office positions to other departments. I wish we could avoid spending so much money to borrow money. I don't see why the County should pay for golf. I love the band, but I don't see how we can afford it right now. I'm glad to see funds increased for the Soil and Water Conservation District program. I'm sorry to see .estimated funding reduced for Agriculture Research and Development. I hope we act on the County Agriculure Development Plan to encourage economic growth. The supply lines are a lot shorter when we make money by growing food here, not by luring tourists from thousands of miles away. 1 wish we could keep the bus free. When you charge bus fares, it's easy to see the dollars coming into the budget —but hard to see the dollars going out. Fares require more staff to handle money and deal with fare evaders. in one system it cost more than $1 to collect each $5 in fares. A free bus means less money spent on police, fire, and ambulance services for car crashes. 11 means fewer traffic cops and traffic lights and less road building and maintenance. A free bus increases a sense of community and enables people to access social services. This reduces crises that require costly emergency services. One study found visits to patients in hospitals went way up with free fares — probably improving patient outcomes. A free bus enables more people to attend school to get higher paying jobs. A free bus also gets people to those jobs, which enables them to buy property and pay property taxes. A free bus helps employees and customers get to businesses. It attracts and retains college students who contribute to the economy. A free bus is great tourism promotion. We could actively seek donations- -maybe with signs on buses saying "it costs this much to give you a ride — please kokua!" Maybe UH could contribute based on the estimated number of student riders. Thank you fur your work on the budget. It.G7 Ref Tor �7"'–° Ref. De,te Y 18 2 D 1�