HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM. 083 Reimer, MMichael Reimer
75-6081 Ali`i Drive RR-103
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
October 30, 2009
Mr. Edmund Haitsuka, Chairman
Hawaii County Charter Commission
75-5706 Hanama Place #109
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Dear Chairman Haitsuka:
Attached is an amendment I hope to present as public testimony that I would like to have
considered as a Hawai`i County Charter Amendment concerning Financial Procedures.
It deals with the often perceived inequities in the distribution of funding from County
revenues by providing a simple and direct solution.
This amendment requests that the Budget submitted by the Mayor allot at least 50 percent
of the revenues collected in a district to be used in that district. It offers fair balance in
place of inequity and prevents falling behind in local needs such as infrastructure as new
areas of the County will experience growth over the next decade.
Article X, Section 10-2, Hawai`i County Charter, regarding Financial Procedures is
amended to read as follows with added language underscored:
Adding (a)(1)(A)
The budget shall be configured so that at least 50 percent of all yearly non-exempt
revenues collected in a district based on the original Moku boundaries of ancient Hawai`i
(Puna, Hilo, Hamakua, Kohala, Kona, Ka`u), including those collected and returned in
any proportion by the state, shall be budgeted and spent for items in that district. The
Moku boundaries are not impacted by redistricting.
Adding (a)(1)(B)
Exempt revenues are those designated and collected for special dedicated purposes for
which special areas or concepts have, are, or will be in effect such as Business
Improvement Districts or Special Tax districts, and those collected for special funds such
as safe houses, homeless shelters, or land funds. Bond funding allotments are also
considered exempt. Any expenditure considered to benefit the County as a whole, such
as circum-island transportation, is regarded as exempt and not configured into
determining the 50 percent allocation.
Sincerely,
GeoMike5@att.net
COMM. 83