HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0021.119 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fundFrom: Donald Rudny <mkea13800@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 7, 2019 10:30 AM
To: Charter Commission
Cc: Kim, Harry; Poindexter, Valerie; Chung, Aaron; Lee Loy, Sue; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; David, Maile;
Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; Villegas, Rebecca; Eoff, Karen; Richards, Tim
Subject: Re: CA -13
Aloha Charter Commissioners,
I wish to provide written testimony on Charter Amendment 13 recently proposed. I oppose this amendment as it will
potentially affect land purchases that would be in process in times of a declared emergency. If I understand correctly,
the Mayor would have sole authority to borrow money from the PONC fund for up to five years.
We have had a number of emergencies the past few years, and given the bleak predictions of future weather patterns in
the Pacific and the uncertainty of Kilauea, we are facing almost continuous annual emergencies. With a five year
window to repay the PONC loan, it is conceivable that it will never be paid back. I understand the concern over the time
gap for State and Federal emergency assistance, but it certainly doesn't take five years. Sixty days should be sufficient if
you elect to go this way, but why consider this at all? State and Federal emergency funds are significant, and my
understanding is that the County already has an emergency fund established called the Disaster Relief Fund. Perhaps
you should consider an amendment to guarantee a minimum annual contribution similar to the PONC. I suspect that
the citizens would approve something like that.
The PONC program, as was apparent from the recent outpouring of concern over CA -7, has significant support from the
people of the Big Island. There certainly are ways to improve the process, but depleting the fund for whatever reason
will drastically impact the effectiveness of the program. As I pointed out in prior testimony, given the significant
financial resources available to the Big Island through the GET and TAT, it is difficult to understand the desire to tap this
relatively minor source.
I again respectfully request that you reject CA -7 and CA -13.
Mahalo for your time and attention.
Don
Don Rudny
P.O. Box 106
Pepeekeo, HI 96783-0106
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Comm. No. 21.119