Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0003.01.44 - Testimony - Ad Hoc - PONC fund and Maintenance fundAppeared in West Hawaii Today in Harry Kim's 2nd term (2004) prior to the vote taken by the public on the 2% Commentary By Harry Kim I would like to thank West Hawai 7 Today for the opportunity to tell you why this administration does not support mandating 2% of property taxes to be set aside each and every year for the sole purpose of buying property. First of all, the non-support of this initiative measure does not mean that the issue of preserving our precious open space is not important. It only means that we differ on how to achieve this. It means that the County's core responsibilities of working to meet the needs of public safety, transportation, recreation, solid waste and wastewater should be the highest priority in how the property tax revenues are spent. Acquiring land for open space should be an annual budget consideration along with other needs, not the highest priority that comes "off the top" of our revenues before any other expenses are met. What your County government has now for the protection of public access and open space through the purchase of lands is a good system. It was adopted by the County Council in 2005, and it requires that at least $250,000 be set aside each year in an Open Space fund for the purpose of acquiring special lands. It allows for flexibility so that in good times, more can be allocated for this purpose but that in times of hardship, money is to be spent on needed services and not for the sole purpose of buying property. It does not need to be replaced by this 2% proposal. The system has been and will continue to accomplish the work of protecting special lands. It is fiscally flexible, commits to protecting special lands and stresses the pursuit of state, federal and private funds to accomplish its goals. The proof of the strength of what is in place now is by looking at the properties acquired over the past few years. This includes the coastal land of Kohanaiki, land adjacent to Keakealaniwahine, Honis, Pohoiki, Hakalau, Lehia, Honu'apo and others. This was done with resources of federal, state, county and private funds. The responsibility of protecting lands should not be so heavily burdened on the limited county property taxes but on all sources of funds. It has been presented that Maui and Kaua`i are models for the "2% solution" that is proposed. This is misleading because neither of them sets aside 2% of taxes; Kaua`i sets aside Y2% and Maui sets aside 1%. Over the last few years, Hawai`i County has acquired more property for public protection than the counties of Maui and Kaua`i combined. The present system does the job better and need not be changed. Please know that this 2% proposal to buy property would be the only item in the county's budget that requires a fixed percent of revenue regardless of other needs or priorities. This is a large amount of money for this purpose. The mandatory 2% set-aside for property purchased would be more than the County now spends annually on its bus system, and more than on civil defense, elderly nutrition and coordinated services for the elderly combined. I would be much more open to a mandatory "rainy day" fund for hard times or for emergencies such as the past earthquake has shown. Comm. No. 3.1.44 The present system is a very good system and contains a very important provision to ensure that no more than $5 million is accumulated in the Open Space Fund. The 2% proposal contains no cap. A cap is necessary to prevent the problems that can occur when money accumulates without any limit and must be spend only for the purpose of buying property. To repeat, acquiring land for open space should be an annual budget consideration along with other needs, not the highest priority that comes "off the top" of our revenues. I truly believe it would be fiscally irresponsible to Hawai`i's taxpayers to have this mandatory 2% set aside for land acquisition. The present system has been and will continue to accomplish the work of protecting special lands. It is fiscally flexible, commits to protecting special lands and stresses the pursuit of state, federal and private funds to accomplish its goals.