HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunication No. 2019-02- Debbie Hecht PONC Report
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11.1.2018
by Debbie Hecht
These properties have been acquired by the 2% Land Fund through 2018
A MESSAGE FROM DEBBIE HECHT: It has been my great honor to be Campaign Coordinator for
the 2% Land Fund over the last 13 years. I have learned that kuleana communities are built around
grown out of the struggles for the 2% Land Fund. Out of this love of the land has grown non - profit
community groups that are volunteering their time and using their own money to care for these
special places. To see the 2017 Report to the Mayor by the Public Access an d Open Space
to: http://rec ords.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/edoc/91477/2017 - 12 -
28%20(2017%20PONC%20Annual%20Report%20to%20the%20Mayor).pdf
THE 2% LAND FUND WAS ON THE BALLOT AS A CHARTER AMENDMENT. In 2012, Debbie
Hecht and Council member Brenda Ford added an important clause that runs with the land as a Deed
Restriction, which says:
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property (or easement) was acquired with money from the Public Access, Open Space and Natural
Resources Preservation Fund. It shall be held in perpetuity for the use and enjoyment of the people o f
County and may not be sold, mortgaged, traded or transferred in any
Council Member Brenda Ford and I thought this was very important. It takes several years before a
property is proposed by citizens, gets through the Public Access and Open Space Commission and is
funded and acquired by the County with our tax dollars. The groups that propose these lands work
hard to bring them forward and hard to care for them after they are acquired, frequently using their
own money, their time and hard w ork to improve these properties. These properties are purchased
grandchildren . This should not be subject to change just because the county cannot make their
budget . The county should be fiscally responsible and have a sizeable Disaster Relief Fund. Our
voter mandated set aside. IF not dedicated in perpetuity , the land could be sold, developed for a hotel;
beach access controlled like what happened at the Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani, Kukio Four Seasons
Resorts and Kohanaiki. The money would disappear into the general fund. Another great gift of the
2% Land Fund is the capacity to apply for matching funds . The County frequently applies for an gets
money for matching funds from State Legacy Lands and US Fish and Wildlife Service. So far, the
County has received $8.76 million in matching funds, approximately 25% of the purchase price of the
acquired properties. Why would they want to contribute money to these land purchases if the County
could turn around and sell the land?
COUNTY/ STATE and FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COOPERATION: The County is currently
collaborating with the National Park Service for both the Kahuku property and on the Waikapuna
Kahoka property. The Ala Kahakai Trail Association in conjunction with the Ala Kahakai Nati onal
Historic Trail https://www.nps.gov/alka/index.htm
or Ala Kahakai Trail that runs 175 miles from Upolu Point near Hawi to Hawaii Volcanoes National
Par k. The State of Hawaii Legacy Lands program frequently donates money to purchase properties.
THE MAINTENANCE FUND CHARTER AMENDMENT was on the ballot in 2012. Council member
Brenda Ford and I wrote the legislation creating the 2% Maintenance Fund to care f or the lands
obtained by the 2% Land Fund. Maintenance Fund grants are available to community groups who are
their good work and to enable and encourage kulean a and the building of community for these
lands. The County has made good use of these funds. But in the last 5 years there have only been 2
groups that have obtained these funds. WHY? This process needs to be improved. It has now been
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placed under the c are of the PONC Commission. This should help get these funds to community
groups! I was a PONC commissioner and these volunteers are strong advocates for land conservation
and maintenance. Get in touch with your PONC Commissioner and ask their help to obt ain
Maintenance Funds or how to suggest lands for preservation in your community.
PROPERTY ACQUISITION PROCESS is available
here: http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/browse.aspx?dbid=1&startid=13770
Resources
Commission: http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/edoc/90257/PONC%20Commissioner%20Biograp
hies%20(updated%2011 - 13 - 2017).pdf In the above map you can see there are 14 properties that have
been pu rchased and 14 groups that can use assistance. If you are one of these groups we encourage
you to apply to the Public Access and Open Space Commission (PONC).
The County should do better to enable and empower our communities and the PONC Commission
seems t o agree.
The 2018 Report to the Mayor contains:
COMMISSION AND COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCERNS
Stewardship Grant applications. There is also lack of clarity abo ut what expenses are eligible for funding
using the Maintenance Fund.
The Commission encourages non -
PONC STEWARDSHIP GRANT: Properties that are acquired with Land Fund monies can apply for
maintenanc e funds. Here is a link to the
application. http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/edoc/80189/P ONC%20Stewardship%20Grant
%20Request%20Form%20(application%20period%20801%20 - %2083116).pdf
The GREAT SUCCESS OF THE 2% LAND FUND:
PROPERTIES ACQUIRED since 2006: 14
PROPERTIES SUBMITTED FOR ACQUISITION: 180
LAND ACQUIRED: 4,428 acres of land already acquired suggested by community members
MONEY SPENT: County of Hawaii 2% Land Fun $ 27,389,268.
Grants from Matching funds* $8,764,083.
Private funds: $2,000,000
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*MATCHING FUNDS - My opinion
2% Land Fund to get dollar for dollar matching funds. To date the County has only received 1 dollar
for every 3 dollars spent fo r taxpayers OR only 32% of the money spent is from grants. The ultimate
goal would be to get dollar for dollar matching funds.
PROPERTIES SUBMITTED TO THE PONC COMMISSION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR
ACQUISITION since December 28, 2016: This information came fro m the Comprehensive List of
Properties http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/edoc/84955/20 16 - 12 -
28%20PONC%20Comprehensive%20List%20of%20Properties%20Submitted%20by%20the%20Public
.pdf _
QUICK HISTORY OF THE LEGISLATION FROM 2005 to 2018 :
1. Where did the 2% amount come from? In 2004 and early 2005 the Trust for Public Lands (TPL) did a
survey of Hawaii County residents to ask if they would like to see a 1% Land Fund or 2% Land Fund. A
large majority of residents said they would want a 2% Land Fund because land is so expensive on the
Big Island. Sammie Stanbro donated the money to TPL for this su rvey.
2.
2% of property taxes for land acquisition, e ven though this is 1.5% of the total income for the
County. County Clerk Connie Kiriu and County Counsel Lincoln Ashida disqualified almost 6,000
signatures for leaving off Pl, St. or Rd, or if husband and wife used ditto marks for their address when
sig ning under each other or if the year was left off, (we collected signatures from May to July so it was
only during 2005 which made the year implied and irrelevant).
3. County
Council decided to place the ballot measure on the ballot for 2006 anyway.
4. Despite the Corporation Counsel submitting confusing ballot language using double negatives, the
amendment to the Code passed by 63% of voters who voted on the issue and beco me part of the Hawaii
County Code.
5. In 2008 - Mayor Kenoi and the County Council suspended deposits to the Fund for two years as his very
first piece of legislation after taking office because the legislation was part of the Hawaii County Code.
The Save Our
jobs in his budget, but Mayor Kenoi failed to reinstate payments to the 2% Land Fund after cutting these
budget entries totaling approximately $14 million.
6. In 2010, the Charter Commission put the Land Fund on the ballot again, but only as the 1% Land
Fund. Again the Land Fund passed by 63% of voters, who voted on the measure.
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7. In 2012, to honor all the people who signed the petitions and worked so hard over the years, De bbie
Hecht and Brenda Ford realized we needed to put the 2% Land Fund back on the ballot as a Charter
Amendment, together with a 1/4% Maintenance Fund. We wanted to make sure the Council and Mayor
y be undone by a vote of the
people. Again, 63% of voters approved both measures. As part of the 2% Land Fund legislation, every
property obtained with our taxpayer funds shall have a covenant that runs with the land stating that these
lands are to be hel d in perpetuity for the citizens of the County of Hawaii and cannot be sold, traded,
mortgaged etc. This has already blocked a potential land trade with the State of Hawaii.
8. The Maintenance Fund was clarified in the Hawaii County Code in 2016 to allow the PONC
Commission to review Stewardship Grants and to recommend which grants to approve to the Director of
Finance.
GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZING PROCESS to pass the 3 ballot measures:
During the Petition Initiative process, the Save Our Lands Citizen Committee ha d more than 100 people
who collected signatures of more than 50 signatures each in 2006.
The Committee has a 3,000 personal email list, which we use to inform our supporters, or if we need
emails sent to elected officials, or to ask people to show up for public meetings or to lobbying their
Council members. These 3,000 people were asked to contact their email list. They represent about 10%
of the voting public on the island. (There have been approximately 100,000 voters registered for the
County of Hawai i, usually about 33,000 of these registered voters actually vote, therefore 3,000
supporters is 10% of the vote.)
Citizens have proposed 180 properties for acquisition:
Puna area: 16 properties
South Hilo area: 16 properties
North Hilo: 7 properties
Hamakua: 26 properties
North Kohala: 29 properties
South Kohala: 18 properties
North Kona: 27 properties
South Kona: 14 properties
The Community recommends a property to the Public Access and Open Space Commission, here is
the process a nd links to the
application: http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/edoc/84953/Process%20for%20Proper ty%20Acquis
ition%20with%20Funds%20from%20the%20PONC%20Fund.pdf
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THE HAWAII COUNTY CHARTER AND THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE: which regulates the 2%
Land Fund (PONC) and the PONC Maintenance Fund go
to: http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/browse.aspx?startid=13770&dbid=1
Committee Hecht.deb@gmail.com 808 - 989 - 3222
Join our email list to stay informed and keep your family and friends informed on this important
issue. hecht.deb@gmail.com