The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0327.020 2010-2012Tribun Friday, November 10, 2006 Proudly serving Hilo and the Big Island`s nee 1923 ATION Some national brands of acetaminophen recalled age A2 Doobie Brothers set to rock the Big Island Page CI Honma, Lady Vuis excited about season Page 81 Wording of law stalls `2 percent' Tax revenues can't be used to purchase public access lands until problem is fixea By JASON ARMSTRONG .. confused the administrators respun- of yearly property tax re,enucs to as T,bune Heroldstafwrrter Bible for implementing it. Public Access, Open Space and tat - '.;nsmt County', new land.pres- More than 27.000 Big Island tot- ural Resources Presenation Fund c n -1: :um law has tied up property ers in Tuesday's general election said The money is to hu} Lind. hut r u ::tases..it least tempuririly. and the■ wani the county to put 2 percent that purpose was n'iistakco■ o!mtted Vlf LIIVV From front page from the new law', wording That' means the count■ iannnt Tend am of the S2 million alreall, tit the land hind. f•in ,nee 1 iire,-t. •r 55 tllcun L:Aaha -.i d 1 h.,nd;n .he .Wand is to be used to pre- serve beaches, forests, historic s'.:es.and.other important areas. When the county must trans- - fer ',he money also May he up io lawmakers to decide. -':':n not sure" Takaba said her asked when tax revenues ;would be put into the fund. "•rat's a really good question because it's not. clear in the - o:di,once. It ..ould.have been he :oful if the law was clearer." fie .- proposal, adopted' by nearly a 2 -1 'margin, states it takes effect "upon approval,:' ;;high occurred in Tuesday's general election.. • • • \What the law does not sad however. is the deadline for the Ii- S:deposit or the intervals for 'uture transfers. Tie law requires'the county to set .side S3,6 million haled an this year's tax projections. That comes out to a daily aver- age aC roughly S10.000. Takaba suggested the correct approach i5 to use election day to ,tart calculating payments.' That has to he clarified because I can't really say that's the way its going to end up." he said. The county has budgeted Si 'million for this year. leaving is about 52 million Short if the funding obligation started Tuesday. he said. • "Realistically. We weren't prepared to do it this year :' Takaba said. He's also unsure about the timing of future pa; ments. While money will be bud- geted for the fiscal: year that starts July 1. 2007, it could be transferred. alt at once, every. six months or at some other interval, Takaba said. He's hop- itig the county's senior civil attorney or perhaps the Coun- ty Council will clarify when future deposits must he made. Corporation Counsel, Lin- coln Ashida said while he needs to review the law, lie suspects it calls for a yearly .. appropria- tion. • It would be unconstitutional tip- make . retroactive deposits dating back to the start of this budget year. he ,said. adding: the timing issue is more of a finance question thari a legal one. . Connie Kiriu. .the county's clerk and top election admin,- .istrator, said her, : "feellag" is payment would be .part of next years fiscal budget. "I think itneeds.to be deter: mined by finance. and maybe corporation ctiunsel.r Kiriu said when asked about the tim- ing of payments: Mayor Harry Kim, who opposed the ballot 'initiative as being too restrictive during lean-years, said .he expects the fund deposits will start with the 2007 -08 fiscal year. Now that the public has spoken. it is rrty responsibil, itv to see that it is done," said Kim, who expected 60 percent of voters would support • the proposal because: ihc:rEt• was no organized opposition twit. Nearly 57 percent of votes cast were for the land fund, according to the uncerti- fied' general electitan, results. When blank votes are exclud- ed, thec percentage of support jumps to 63 percent.• The decision by. both Big Island and Oahu voters to cre- ate a land fund - Maui and Kauai counties had one prior to Tuesday's, elections makes Hawaii the only state with all of its counties . having a dedi- cated land, fund, said Joshua„ Stanbro, project manager for the Trust for-Public Land.., "We're ecstatic, he said. "We Were really blown away by the mandate there. The .pas sage of the land fund means we're going. to get a • chance to protect the most important places before they're gone." Stanbro agrees with Kim that the land- purchase money . should come . from next fiscal year's budget. "My gut feeling is it will start kicking in ... in July of next year," . he said ` "That ;s fine. Maui. County makes two payments annually to 'coin- cide with tax bills due each August and February, a finan- cia_l administer there said. Debbie Hecht, who led the petition drive that resulted in the 2 percent question appear- ing on the ballot, said she's also unsure when payments must start or how often the county • • will have to make them. The sooner the' better what I' think, she said.. "Once a month would -be . wonder- ful: That way we'd have more . money in the fund and. it would compound" Hecht wanted to thank vot- ers and about. 150 "diehard, dedicate" . volunteers • who helped promote the proposal. She estimated the months -long lobbying effort. cost $20,000 in private contributions. ••"I've been, jumping out of . my skirt for two days. I'm so- excited.," she, said about the law's passage. Ka'u Councilman °Bob Jacobson, a staunch . supporter the "2 percent: solution," said he hopes the money is .trans ferred as soon as possible. "I think today;' Jacobson said Wednesday when asked when _ the . county must start setting aside money for land acquisition. "That's my opinion on it... . Steven Hirakami, a member cif the five - person Save Our.. Lands Citizens' that pushed the land -fund issue; suggested deposits should start with next year's budget and be made semiannually. "I think those kinds of things need to be sorted out by the county" he added. fawn A:mining cat bo.rent feed tit . ianrurrrat t; Ca hats aiitrib nee- lieraldrVert. A reined s has hero drafted an has the supp"rt of \t :,,•r Ham Kin 11 appniscd. the amendment wun■ n(d -t.c .turner I. !t` dtai ,ta See NEW LAW P;■gr. ti County Law's wording to By JASON ARMSTRONG T,ihune- Herald staff writer Hawaii County is getting closer to fixing its new :mid preservation law and ag-eL ine x; w'.udh private parcels to purchase. - The County Council on Wednes- day noted to replace wording that was is closer be fixed, properties mistakenly deleted from the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund. Voters in the Nov. 7 general elec- tion approved putting 2 percent of the county's annual tax collections. currently about 53.5 million, for the fund. But an oversight left out how >t ..p«. r .'0.. buying, preserving lands being considered the money is to be used. ' With no purpose statement in the law, the county cannot spend any of the 52 million already in the land fund. But law makers acted quickly to remedy the mistake by voting unani- euaee. authorized negotiations for land next A second supportive vote. expect ed to occur next month after the new council takes office. is needed before Mayor Harry Kim may sign the bill . into law. Also Wednesday. the council decided which parcels it wants pur- chased. to Honolii Beach Park in Hilo. across from the Waipio Valley Lookout. makai of. Kailua- Kona's .alit Driie: and Kawaa Bay in Ka'u. - Those actions confused - county administrators responsible for doing properts appraisals. submitting par- . chase otfcr s and all the other work that mously to reinstate the derete lan- In recent months. lawmakers - . See PROPERTY Page A6 PROPER'!"' • ttC goes .into, buying real estate. "We're really at a loss as to which we should pursue first,' Finance Director William Takaba told council_ members `Vednes- day.." e Would be able to buy only one. of the four properties • that are before us._ Which one do we select`' ', = By unanirnous;`vote; lay mak- ers adopted a policy _listing the acquisition of the 785 -acre Kawaa Bay as the top. priority:_ for land preservation: The Waipio Valley parcel is second; followed by the . Honolii QUARTERS From.front page land and : the PUapuaa parcel in Kailua Kona The administration will first pursue Kawaa B ay, moving.on the second parcel only after buying the first or passing on its acquisi tion, Takaba told lawmakers. Left unresolved, however, is when and how often- the county must put money into the fund. Those payment:. issues are to . be addressed with a follow -up bill • being drafted, : Takaba_ told the Tribune - Herald. • : Jason Armstrong can be reached -- jarmstrong@haitribune-herald.com. County Law's wording to By JASON ARMSTRONG Tribuie- Herald staff writer Hawaii County is getting closer to fixing its nev :mid preservation law and agreeing on which private parcels to purchase. The County Council on Wednes- day voted to replace wording that was Ica •.v ►cn�c rayc 'U is closer buying, preserving lands be fixed, properties mistakenly deleted from the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund. Voters in the Nov. 7 general elec- tion approved putting 2 percent of the county's annual tax collections. currently about S3.5 trillion. for the fund. But an oversight left out how being considered the money is to be used. ' With no purpose statement in the law, the county cannot spend any of the S2 million already in the land fund. But lawmakers acted quickly to . remedy the mistake by voting unani- guaee. • A second supportive vote, expect. ed to occur next month after the new council takes office. is needed before Mayor Harry Kim may sign the bill . into law. Also Wednesday, the council decided x+hich parcels it wants pur- chased. mously to reinstate the deleted Ian- In recent months. lawmakers authorized negotiations for land :next to Honolii Beach Park in Hilo. across from the Waipio Valley Lookout. makai of Kailua- Kona's Alii Driie and Kawaa Bay in Ka'u. • Those actions confused - county adrn nistrators responsible for doing property appraisals. submitting. pur- . chase Niel-sand all the other work that . . See PROPERTY Page A6 goes into buying real-estate. 'We're really at a loss. as to «which we should pursue first," Finance Director William Takaba told council members • Wednes- day.. "We N,;rouid be able to buy only one . of the four properties that are before us. Which one do we select?" By unanimous; vote lawmak- ers adopted a policy listing the acquisition of the-785 -acre Kawaa Bay as the top: priority. for land preservation: The Waipio Valley parcel is second, - followed by the Honolii QUARTERS romr�nt page land and . the !iiapuaa parcel in Kailua- Kona. The adininistration will first 'pursue ,Kawaa Bay, moving_on the second parcel only after buying the first or passing on its acquisi tion, Takaba told lawmakers. Left unresolved, however, is when and how often the county must put money into the fund. Those payment:. issues are to be addressed with a follow -up bill now being drafted, Takaba told the Tribune - Herald. ':Jason Annstmng can be reached -at- -- jannsti vng C hawai itribtute- herald corn. toot John rters after= )dy agreed !s • . that indemn t%. quickly,: :• arkable" to mouS `deci- t speculate _mig h , ct-: and others: suggestions .. Lvrv' JULIta J4 VVl1A•11MLVi 1..V1.11L.,:. • Michael 'W, Latimore, .55, of=:Keaau'with theft Kevin : -Lane 41, of Honokaa with driving under the influence of intoxicants Robert Joseph Sullivan, 36, of Keaau• with contempt; of court.' that h in Phi was to yards win 0 So for be quart( Y From front page iat- iR —our.. inch meet -.:: iere was. ne leT -(loge -ro : by North 1. Lobbyists must . also report . `requiring all attorneys .to•com any changes in their -status ' ply: and notify the county ,'clerk: Council. 'Chairman Stacy' within ''10 days after stopping : Higa of Hilo initially . said he . the activity that triggered the . thought the registration law registration "will benefit . everybody," :;but A lobbyist who doesn't reg- has since cooled .. to the idea. aster` or meet all uirement. "I: wasn't too big of a fan of shall a guilty.. oi` 'a ' misde- it," he said. meanor;' the law states f, Higa Said he's not surprised "We haven t : rid ; any that few people have signed . negative County up. '..Clerk Connie Ktritr said of :" "It's somethh ng`that's sort of vould hold the . registration :requirements..: like an honor - system thing," he accountable "They comply and . fill it out said "1 think that (the small list es of such : -It's something they expect:' of names) proves that a lot of Some lobbyists have signed ` people are not lobbyists, which. as been .a' up- more- than-_once_because _is -what; we thought from the oblem for - _:theyhaveimultiple clients with beginning" idministra- business before a county board Kauai is the only,of .Hawaii's ush admin- or commission, she said:- four .. counties without a .lobby e North of Implementation of the 1984 >ist- registration law. 94 nuclear law stemmed from a request by' "To the best of my knowl- Dy secretly. attorney. David- Ka ino Frankel;,.- edge,---no we don't have , that," um enrich who last year told the county's; Kauai ' County Clerk .. Peter agreement. Board'.of, Ethics that the regis Nakamura said and in tration requirement was "rou Maui . County has had a s, a defiant tinely,:ignored?' ::... lobbyist- registration, law on drew 'from.. "It's . a. , good .. thing. that :.its .. books since 1981, Deputy 'roliferation they're now enforcing the law; ":. Clerk Jeffrey Kuwada 'said:. the .nuclear'; Frankel; said Monday ..!!County :: For :years, lobbyists . also ' official's ' had 'ignored the law have had to register before for and years.". „ appearing, before the Hono- Although'' • he,, has : not been lulu City Council; City Clerk following the issue, Frankel _Denise De Costa said. .___ said, he feels tougher disclosure. Jason Annsrrvng can be reached at prow stons'Are needed,_ such _as_;jnrmarpnw @hawgiitribtin _herracom. reason_ the MCN for a was r yard it apr game Ye with Brow 0t out lv soe is but w t. team. - .Buffa well P, ers," game they" — be profil Ur Owen year, MVP ,2005 _.playir for wi surgei In - Committee —.", so% Proudly serving Hilo and the Big Island since 1923. r'. NATION Goog!e Gouteb buys YouTuefor S $1.65 billion Page A2 Registry includes 20 more lobbyists Representatives from HELCO, developers among those who have signed up with county By JASON ARMSTRONG Tribune-Herald staff writer Various developers, power company representative, and even a toriner dale lawmaker have all told 1Iuwaii County they are lobbyists. They are :tinting the '_l1 people who've registered as-lobbyists in the 1'_ months ,once the county started enfinculg the little-known 19(14 law, according to the Trihune- llerold's review Monday of the registry. The list includes the names of 1)avid Tama,, a lorttler Iwo -terns state rep- resentative from Kona, Hawaii Elec- tric Light Co. officials, developers, and Hawaii Government Employees Asso- ctation.ollirial ILalph Itoyea. -We are registered lobbyists in the slate, a, well a, 1)ahu :' said Carleton (.'hung, director of community and gov- ernment relations li,r ('astle & Cook Itomes Itawaii. Although rarely appearing before the 1lawaii County Coun- cll, ('aslle representa- tives registered here as a "safeguard:' he said. "It 111un'I Ices'ouer- ous fin us," Ching said of the reporting requiiu- HIGA -- ineat. Other locally registered lobbyists could not he reached for comment Mon- day. 'the county last October started printing sign-up notices on agendas for County Coon, it meetings, along with those for all its bo :.nls :old commis• ,10115. Par county rcporliug pur)oses, u "•lobbyist" is any one who "spends more than live hours in any month or $275 in any six -month period for the purpose of attemtlpting t0 influence legislation or adnlini.str tive action" I towever, there are several exelllp- tions. 'They include someone represent. ing only himself, a government offi- cial acting in an official capacity, an expert asked to appear before a county hotly, mad attorneys representing clients affected by proposed legislation. Eligible lobbyists must provide their name, addiess and telephone number. Also required are tht' naltic of the lob- byisl's client, issue to he lobbied, and a statement of lobbying-related expenses, according to the three page li,rin. See LOBBYISTS Page A6 Typo sends fundin2. to GRINDS Building a boy's dream birthday cake Page C1 A South Korean protester burns a banner bearing a picture of North Korean leader Kim Jong II Monday during an anti -North Korea rally in Seoul. r� - By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITEI) NATIONS -- The world lined up against North Korea on Monday for staging a nuclear test denounced even by key allies. President Bush called it "a threat 10 inter- national peace and security;' and the U.N. Security Council weighed severe sanctions to punish the impoverished com- munist nation. 'there was no talk of mili- tary action. But the Security Coun- cil quickly condemned Nortli Korea's derision to flout a l I.N. appeal to cancel the test after the reclusive regime announced it had set off an underground atomic explosion. By DEB RIECHMANN Associated Press WASHINGTON — Fac- ing the prospect of a nucle- ar -armed North Korea, President Bush on Mon- day called the communist regime's claim of u nuclear test a provocative net and warned Pyongyang against exporting nuclear materials. Inside GOOF I'JIdi2NlPJGi !";POP.TS Midnight Magness set for UH -Hilo men and women Page B1 Kim seeks solution to ballot mistake Mayor acknowledges wording of set -aside initiative is lacking By TIFFANY EDWARDS Stephens Media 1111(1 - A1:iv, r Ilarry Kiln acknuwk'dges Mat sontelxxly made a nlislake when It t'I hilts n, tlh tw'tl- perccnt question on the Notenlx'r ban lot Voters will decline whether two Ix•rcenl of real property lases ',hound be annually set aside in the I'uh- lic Access, Open Space and Natural • Re.oun'e, 1'reu•r. s' :1111111 1111111. 11111 . the In, Ilabis es worming tails to include a critical subsection 1d1 of the County KIM Ci ale which speci- fies which public land, .d! I,e pur based with the syr,i... nil 'Ibe ., •!••,ikon '(„•slid u.,a the Iund, dl he spent on Lends 101 leCiaaal. pi11edio1l ,n presrnution, uhtluJ tog toresis, bea. lies. and .u!ncuhul.11 lands. In an ()e1. ! letter 1„ I 'Din. I Ierht, of the Ss, 1 for I muds (om ounce, which led iht 1,1101 uuuauir. Knit ,:uJ Ile leaned ul 1, hat 11.11 /coed wi111 die 1N11101 I ;ulcuarr ■ii• returning Ihnn a mainland trip "I was so dl,appxnnted in its as goseruneni," Kun is ale ' 1 ssa, hill ,wsalc ul' lht, as an issue al all until your Sept. I1 e -mail, which cams' Mule I 'svgs .way and I aw sett ,omv that it '.sots ;titer the deadline and too talc 1. 110 anvhing - KIIII 55,1, lel:11111g to the stale ()nice ul I.Ir•uon, dcadlme'tor 1 .1 nos Iangultg, fwd Ih,ll Irlh duet elections 0111,'01 t1 nits \nsluna and the ,\ Homey Genel.l's 1111iee lapin 111111 11 55,1, bN, Iale 1., It's 11IY Ills' r t t . language ounssunl. ` The only rcmavl■, Kim said (or• pxnuiom .Counsel 1 Mesh Ashida toll hum, Is to wail and seed the ini- tiative passes and then h:wr , outwit memba•I' :attend the ('omits ('o,le ivuh language six.. sty ulg whlwll public landsaill le acg11ued ivnh llle lax set aside. "I an sites su1T■ Ih;n we h■■c been unable to rcwlse !hi, ,l that the th'tll Illlrnl 01 Iia' I0l➢nlnlee Caul hr rellrclyd m the s111e tin arc 111111 :1 Inc nlea,11lc :' Kim wfole Hecht. "I promise that d the lisp pelt cut 1111113 Ilse pass•+, fir will ,10 .111 we ■tui to stake sure die Cuunl■ 1'o quiet! act, 11110.11 to Ieshtlr s111,secuom (111 to ilia• ('Mir" See BALLOT Page A6 - Sun Sun Lau conversion begins Former restaurant to become center, providing careglvillg services au AI AN SCHNFP