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!lorry Kim <br />Mayor <br />February 28, 2017 <br />County of Paiiiai`'t <br />Wil Okabe <br />Managing Director <br />Barbara J. Kossow <br />Deputy Managing Director <br />(offer of file 4:flavor <br />25 Aupum Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawai'l 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553 <br />KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i 96740 <br />(808) 323-4444 • Fax (808) 323-4440 <br />Senator Jill Tokuda <br />Ways and Means Committee <br />Hawai'i State Capitol <br />Honolulu, HI 96813 <br />Dear Chair Tokuda and Members: <br />RE: SB 1292, SD1 <br />Relating to the Hilo Community Economic District <br />Thank you for this opportunity to testify in support of the intent and purpose of SB1292, SD1 <br />The County of Hawaii has been partnering with the community in planning the future of <br />publically-owned commercial properties in Hilo, through the Banyan Drive Hawaii Redevelopment <br />Agency (BDHRA). While we appreciated the initiatives put forth in SB1292 and comparable bills, we <br />had not wanted to abandon our current partners, and therefore had been hoping to get input from <br />BDHRA before taking a final position on the proposed legislation. <br />Since an earlier hearing on SB1292, BDHRA has expressed its support for a redevelopment <br />district, so we, too, are on board. <br />We wish to offer the following comments for your consideration: <br />1. Should this bill be enacted into law, the Hilo Community Economic District (HCED) will <br />be the only redevelopment district outside of the City and County of Honolulu. For this reason, <br />we ask that consideration be given to providing that the District have a voting majority of <br />members from the Hilo community. Any cultural specialist, in particular, should definitely be a <br />cultural practitioner from the Hilo community. <br />2. Financial support from State general revenues should include opportunities for staffing <br />and facility support, through reimbursements, as may be provided by the County of Hawaii <br />and the BDHRA in support of the Banyan Drive redevelopment project. <br />County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. <br />