There are ways to reduce the budget without raiding the 2% Land Fund that has successfully acquired parts of Kawa Bay and Waipio Lookout.  Two properties are listed for sale:  Puapuaa in Kona (along Alii Drive) and Kaiholena on the Kohala Coast. Why isn’t the county negotiating to acquire these properties? 

As campaign coordinator for the 2% for the Land Fund campaign in 2006, I believe our elected representatives need to honor the work of hundreds volunteers who collected 9,782 signatures on the Initiative petitions to get the question on the 2006 ballot (at 5 minutes per signature that is over 800 volunteer hours); honor 57 percent of voters who voted for this measure at the polls in November of 2006; honor the time and accomplishments of the Open Space Commissioners and staff who have met with the communities island-wide, designed a priority system and provided three reports to the mayor (www.hawaii-county.com/finance/ponc.htm).  

Here’s a question. Will the lawmakers have to change the law to raid the fund? or can they just raid it via the budget?  

Let us not be shortsighted. NOW is the time to buy land, prices are down by 30 prices. NOW is the time to buy Hawaii Island’s best lands for parks, open space and recreation for Hawaii Island residents, so that we may preserve them forever. These lands can be the foundation for an eco-tourism industry to provide jobs for residents. 

Why don’t we wait to see how much stimulus money will be coming our way? Why are you rushing through the budget process?

A BUDGET ALTERNATIVE: The mayor states in a letter addressed to the Council regarding the budget, dated Feb. 27: “I imposed a temporary hiring suspension at the beginning of my administration and we are currently holding 481 positions vacant.  This budget eliminates funding for 42 of those positions.” The letter continues: “To achieve this balanced budget, which is $16,925,488 less than the current year’s budget…” 

The current budget deficit is $16,925,488. Corporations offer early retirement to cut costs, why can’t the county?  

I understand that there are 439 positions that still have funding for salaries that are included in the budget. I would assume with so many construction workers unemployed, that the lower paying labor jobs are filled and that the unfilled jobs are the more skilled positions.    

If the average salary of a skilled county employee is $40,000 and you eliminate the 439 unfilled positions from the budget. This would remove at least $17,560,000 in salaries from expenditures (plus benefits and retirements programs). That’s $17.6 million dollars! That would go a long way to meet the $16,925.48 budget shortfall.

If all of those positions cannot be cut, or the budget deficit is larger, here is Idea No. 2:

In the mayor’s spirit of “share the sacrifice” I asked my friends with government jobs if they would consider taking one day off per month to spend with their families without pay. Everyone one of them said “yes”!   

How much money would be saved if each county employee took one unpaid day off per month? Do you really have all the information you need to make these very important decisions for our island?

When and where will the budget be posted on the Web site, so we can review it? Got questions or ways to reduce the budget?  

Our elected officials work for us and are paid from our tax money, should honor 57 percent of voters who approved this measure at the polls in 2006. We should wait until we know how much stimulus money will be provided. There are other ways to cut the outflow of money from the county and not reduce services.   

NOW is the time to buy land, create an eco-tourism industry with more jobs and save Hawaii Island’s great places. Please have long-term vision, stay the course with the 2% Land Fund!

Debbie Hecht

Coordinator, 2% for the Land Fund Campaign 2006

hecht.deb@gmail.com