HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0021.027 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fundFrom: Donald Rudny <mkea13800@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2018 10:19 AM
To: Charter Commission
Cc: Poindexter, Valerie; Kim, Harry; Chung, Aaron
Subject: PONC
Aloha Commissioners,
I read about your recent efforts to reduce the PONC fund contribution and eliminate the perpetuity clause in the present
Charter rule. Your goal is to have a question placed on the ballot in 2020.
My wife and I have lived here for about ten years now, so we voted to support the 2% contribution as did a large
percentage of the citizens on the Big Island. It was the people's wish that land be purchased, maintained and put to
good use for the benefit of present and future generations. Keeping land as open space for public use is one of our
country's best ideas as was pointed out in Ken Burn's documentary about our National Parks. If you have't watch the
series, you should. I have the DVD set and will be happy to loan it to any member who is interested. Just email me and I
can arrange to deliver it.
We have the unique opportunity on the Big Island, one of nature's most beautiful islands in the whole world, to preserve
in perpetuity the natural beauty of the coastline and other key areas, and save it from rampant development. The PONC
fund is the only way to do that and it was obvious that it's what the citizens wanted.
I am quite surprised to see this attempt to gut this fund after it's short existence. I hope you take some time and speak
with your neighbors and fellow citizens to get a better understanding of what the people want. I think you will find that
your present position will not be popular. And, after all, isn't the responsibility of elected and appointed officials of
government to serve the citizens?
Mahalo for your time and attention.
Don
Don Rudny
P.O. Box 106
Pepeekeo, HI 96783-0106
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Comm. No. 21.27