HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1064.004 2012-2014P1 Pam%
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Murashige, Laura
From: Michae|Garbahnm xmgarbahno@hawaiibigidandappraisa|s.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 30'2Ol49:SSAM
To; Council Testimony
Subject: Written Testimony Attached for 09/30/2014 Council Meeting
Attachments: VVRDTENTEST[K4ONY.pdf
Please see the attached, for submission as written public testimony for the 09/30/2014 Hawaii County Council meeting.
k4ichae|Garbahno
Lower Puna Resident
Manager, Omni Appraisals, LL[
Personal cell: (512) 470-0612
Business cell (local caU>: (808) 938-9306
Email:
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WRITTEN TESTIMONY
Agenda Item:
COMM 1064: AN UPDATE BY THE CIVIL DEFENSE ADMINISTRATOR AND THE PUBLIC WORKS
DIRECTOR ON THE ISLAND -WIDE COORDINATION OF THE LAVA FLOW EMERGENCY
The following is written Testimony from Michael Garbarino, Manager, Omni Appraisals, LLC (a local real
estate appraisal company):
As manager of a local real estate appraisal business, please be advised that access to property via usable
roads can have a fundamental impact on property value. In analyzing recent market data, the public
should be alarmed about the possible impact on lower Puna property values should the lava flow
continue to advance and cut off Hwy 130, especially if that road is not quickly re- opened. This is not in
regard to the properties that are directly in the path of the lava — it is in regard to the properties that are
not being affected by the lava except that they will be cut off if Hwy 130 is closed for any significant
period of time.
Simply put, the effect on the value of the properties that would be cut off will be devastating. By the
most conservative of estimates, the current fair market value of the properties that will be potentially
affected is more than half a billion dollars. Should such an enormous amount of personal real estate
wealth "evaporate ", because the highway is closed, there will be a resulting reduction in property taxes
collected, and the shortfall will have to be made up by increasing property taxes on the rest of the
island.
The real estate market in lower Puna is already in a tailspin, and not directly because of the lava. The
direct cause is that none of our public officials have vet declared their commitment to preventing
closure of Hwy 130 in the first place, or re- opening it as quickly as possible. No public officials have yet
had the courage to publicly express absolute determination that - whatever happens - highway access to
lower Puna will be restored, and restored quickly.
Consequently, there is no public confidence in the commitment of our public officials on absolutely
ensuring continued full access for lower Puna.
Based on all that I have learned about the issues, it appears at this point that the most viable option for
keeping the highway open or restoring the highway would be building a bridge. But instead of truly and
seriously studying and preparing for such a possible solution, the business community and political
"powers that be" are largely showing (or trying to hide) a bias - apparently derived from 'punatic'
stereotyping - and they appear ready to abandon lower Puna.
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WRITTEN TESTIMONY
Agenda Item:
COMM 1064: AN UPDATE BY THE CIVIL DEFENSE ADMINISTRATOR AND THE PUBLIC WORKS
DIRECTOR ON THE ISLAND -WIDE COORDINATION OF THE LAVA FLOW EMERGENCY
This crisis raises a first of its kind public policy question for the island — what is the public policy on
keeping our vital public roads open? Wherever one is on the political spectrum of "right vs. left ",
virtually everyone agrees that good roads are a fundamental function and responsibility of our
government. So, when a slow- moving, relatively narrow stream of lava cuts off a vital access road
anywhere on this island, will public resources be there to restore access? If this were to occur anywhere
else on the island — such as any higher income or higher wealth area being cut off - how would our
public officials respond? Are we truly one island "ohana ", or instead will our public policies on road
maintenance and access be driven by irrational bias? Is a slow moving, narrow lava flow really so
different from a flood or earthquake that takes out a vital roadway, and if not, then why is it "crazy" to
expect the road to be restored quickly?
A true cost /benefit analysis would ask & answer questions such as the following: how expensive would
a presumably first of its kind lava traverse bridge be to build? Are federal disaster relief monies
available to pay for the effort? How much money is worth spending to save more than half a billion
dollars in real estate values? In addition to loss of real estate wealth, how much in economic activity
would be lost due to inability to relocate (vacation rentals in lower Puna, for example)? What additional
economic benefits would ensue from such a completed project? Wouldn't it not only preserve current
economic activity, but also be an additional economic "boom" for the island economy, to take on such a
courageous solution as building a bridge, and making it happen?
If the answer is that it would be indeed be totally cost effective under the above way of understanding
the issues, then the only challenge is the engineering ... in that case, I think I'm right that the final
answer becomes that it can and should be done. The engineers and builders who successfully complete
the project would be celebrated as heroes. We'd get national and international news coverage,
boosting tourism. We would all have renewed pride in being part of this beautiful and magical island
home.
Consequently, each of our public officials and candidates for office should absolutely be required to
answer the following questions, publicly and clearly, with no doubt whatsoever as to their position:
1. How determined are you to ensure continued highway access for lower Puna?
2. What, exactly, are you already doing, and what are you willing to do, to guarantee continued
meaningful lower Puna access, in order to preserve island property values and its tax base?
3. Do you support building a first of its kind lava traverse bridge? If yes, will you champion the idea
and do all that you can to make it happen? If not, why not?
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