HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0009.009 2014-2016Leslie Earlanne
From: billgail @retiredinparadise.net
Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2015 6:52 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Communication 9.1: SPECIAL COUNSEL REQUEST, HAWAII FLORICULTURE v.
COUNTY
Aloha Council Members,
Please pass Communication 9.1 to hire special counsel (Paul Achitoff – Earth Justice and
George Kimbrell - Center for Food Safety) to represent the County of Hawai'i in the appeal
of the lower court's decision that invalidated the County of Hawaii's GMO restriction
ordinance (Bill 113). There will be no charge to represent the county. Earthjustice is the
world's premiere nonprofit environmental law organization and has represented — without
charge —more than 1,000 public interest clients. The Center for Food Safety is also
well versed in legal cases and has been a leader in the food movement for 15 years.
We should be worried about the attacks across our nation on HOME RULE. The
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is funded by corporations. They write
"model" legislation and have been busy trying to disempower local government (local
democracy.) Their actions have increased due to the boom in (racking and local efforts to
protect the public, local efforts to label gmo foods and local efforts to protect the public
and the environment from pesticides and genetically modified foods. This is corporate
money taking precedence over public health and environmental health.
ALEC recently launched a new offshoot that will apply ALEC's modus operandi of courting
legislators with corporate lobbyists to draft model bills advancing corporate interests – to
the local level. This new arm of ALEC, the American City County Exchange (ACCE) will
work in conjunction with ALEC to influence elected representatives in city and county
council positions, while ALEC focuses on state legislatures.
Although we are a predominantly Democratic state, we certainly are not immune to
ALEC /ACCE type actions simply because BIG MONEY, BIG AG, BIG CHEM are involved.
We need to preserve and strengthen HOME RULE.
The Community Environmental Defense Fund (http: / /celdf.org /) is an excellent source
regarding HOME RULE.
If you vote no, I fear you may be inadvertently voting against HOME RULE and against
our GMO Taro and Coffee Ban plus endangering other GMO bans (and perhaps (racking
bans) around the country.
To me, it is simply common sense to pass Communication 9.1
Mahalo for your attention,
Comm. No. 9 • /
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Gail W Jackson
68 -1907 Lina Poepoe St
Waikoloa, HI 96738