HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0021.148 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fundHannah VanSpronsen
8th grade
Volcano HI 96785
February, 4, 2019
Charter Commission
Hilo, Hawaii
96720
Regarding: The 2% land fund program.
Aloha Charter Commission,
Hello my name is Hannah VanSpronsen. My parents are Hillary and
Kenneth VanSpronsen and we live in Mountain View. I'm an 8th grader at
Volcano School of Arts and Sciences and I'm very privileged to be able to
go to Kawa. Kawa is a very precious place because it and the people there
teach us responsibility before we move onto high school, then the real
world. When I first went there two years ago, it was overtaken by invasive
plants. But now with the help of Na Mamo o Kawa, Kumu James Akau,
Uncle Duane, Aunty Clarissa Pua, and Uncle Kaui Felder, Kawa is a
beautiful place once more. Kawa is a wahi pana, a very special place and
should stay that way so those who live here can always see what Kawa is
truly like.
Like I said Kawa is a very special place as well as being a
conservative and I personally would like it to stay that way for a long time to
come. So that the future generations can see a truly wonderful spot in
Hawaii that their parents, grandparents, and their past ancestors helped to
rebuild and recover. On that note of the future generations, I know that they
would love to see the same land that their ancestors once walked on, not
some city that took all of the ancient landmarks away from them. So I think
Comm. No. 21.148
that you should keep the 2% land fund program so we can keep on working
on recovering and rebuilding ancient Hawaiian landmarks.
If you keep the 2% land fund program, you could build or rebuild
buildings, roads, and trails making lots of Hawaiians and the communities
near Kawa happy. As you could probably tell I really care about keeping the
2% land fund program, because keeping it would keep schools like Volcano
School going and taking care of that land. With the more schools that go to
ancient landmarks and taking care of them, that's that much more
landmarks that we can save and rebuild. Also the more land with keep the
cleaner the air will be, and the cleaner the air means better health for the
island. Also this could mean a better cultural aspect on this island, with
more land means more ancient spots are kept alive for a very long time
showing the Hawaiians what their ancestors did on this very land. Hawaii
has lots of endangered and threatened animals including the Nene, the
Hawaiian Hawk, the Green Sea Turtle, and the Oahu Tree Snail. All of
these animals will go extinct if we don't keep on buying the native lands
even if it's just to save a few of these endangered animals.
One part of your argument was about, " Well, we already have about
half of the island is for conservation so why do we need more." I for one,
don't agree with that statement at all, we always need more conservation. If
you are saying that statement than you seem to forget that people come
here to go find a paradise, not another gray concrete city like one they
might of come from. Also with more cities you will be taking part in
destroying the world as we know it. More cities, means more pollution in
the air, and more pollution means climate change here will increase. So in
the end you will be destroying the world through climate change. Also you
would be getting rid of lots of the freshwater sources.
So in conclusion, it would be for the best to keep the 2% land fund
program. If you keep it, you can expand our conservation areas around the
island by buying more land, and rebuilding and restoring these amazing
forests of Hawaii. If you keep the 2% land fund program lots of Hawaiians
and all of us will be extremely happy because they can/would be able to
keep their land for generations to come.
Sincerely yours,
Hannah VanSpronsen