Comm No 0021.005 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fund

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From: Rick Gaffney <rick.pacific@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, December 10, 2018 11:25 AM To: Charter Commission Subject: Opposed to a reduction in the 2% land fund Members of the Charter Commission; I wish to express my strong opposition to a proposed charter amendment to reduce the 2% land fund to a lower percentage, and to delete the maintenance fund from the county charter. Like the majority of those who voted (twice) to create the 2% land fund, I believed that the only way to assure that lands that are special to the community are preserved and protected, was to have 2% of our property taxes set aside for the purpose of purchasing and protecting scenic and historic properties, in perpetuity. That belief has not changed and in fact has become more certain in the face of climate change and population growth on our island. Like you all, I also serve the community as a Commissioner, in my case on the Environmental Management Commission, and in so doing I am made increasingly aware of the impacts of our community on the natural resources of this unique island. We need to step up all efforts to protect this island, not pare them back. Please reject this proposed change to the democratically created land fund, and do nothing to alter the amount of our property taxes that goes to the purchase and protection of special properties, or to the management of the maintenance fund, which was created to preserve those properties. Mahalo, Rick Gaffney 73-1062 Ahikawa Street Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 1 Comm. No. 21.5