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+--- Thread: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... (/showthread.php?tid=6910)
Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - Wao nahele kane - 02-19-2010
Are you for or against Puna becoming its own incorporated city?
E ho'a'o no i pau kuhihewa.
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - Wao nahele kane - 02-19-2010
We've already got the power (electricity) and we've got water... why not break away and get some stuff done around here?
E ho'a'o no i pau kuhihewa.
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - Rob Tucker - 02-19-2010
Actually we don't have the water. What we have is a great aquifer and alomost no access to it. Water wells cost millions. Out of 49 water wells on the island Puna has two. This is an indication of where the money goes. Everywhere but Puna.
Water is rarely discussed in Puna. Seems like everyone assumes it is this way because it's supposed to be this way. That's wrong. It's this way because higher income communities have more clout than lower income communities and Puna has been 1) lower socioeconomic stats and 2) Punatics don't vote much.
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - Kelena - 02-19-2010
I recommend rebranding. What if we called it South Honolulu?
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - mdd7000 - 02-19-2010
With incorporation comes taxes in order to provide the services that those residents will inevitably demand. Where would the lines be drawn for the limits of services? Would the lines be the entire district, but only a limited portion of that district being eligible for the services based upon distance from some pre-determined point?
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - Seeb - 02-19-2010
the chuncks need to be a little smaller, the issues are more localized, how about villages - pahoa,HPP, keaau, volcano
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - Wao nahele kane - 02-19-2010
Seeb you have an excellent point.
How about dividing the county? Puna becoming a county rather than a district or potential city. Each district on the big island should be a county, division by island serves all the other islands just fine but not this one, not anymore. Times have changed. This would keep the taxes as they already stand % wise and allow all the tax dollars derived here to stay here.
The next step should probably be breaking down CoH into smaller counties. There's just too much land here to rationalize a single county island.
E ho'a'o no i pau kuhihewa.
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - critterlover - 02-20-2010
I am intrigued by the idea of creating a County of Puna. It would be interesting to watch the concept evolve here. Who would serve on the Board of Supervisors? The redistricting would likely be fair because the different communities are pretty engaged.
Please excuse the butt in to the conversation. I am here nearly daily reading the latest as a resource of what is going on my community but I rarely have anything to share. This however looks very interesting..couldn't resist.
" The greatest distance in the world is the 14 inches from our minds to our hearts."
--Agnes Baker Pilgrim
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - Wao nahele kane - 02-20-2010
critterlover,
You're not butting in, the topic is wide open for your input too. As per who would serve... How 'bout we start with Rob Tucker as a primary nominee a great spokesman. I think Bob Orts would fit in too, so I'm nominating him also. I know there's a few others who would fit the bill also.
Anyone care to nominate themselves?
One rule to start with though... you've got to live in the Puna district, I think that's normal; isn't it?
E ho'a'o no i pau kuhihewa.
RE: Puna becoming the City Of Puna... - JerryCarr - 02-20-2010
Previous efforts to split the County of Hawaii and/or establish a township in Puna have gone nowhere. The creation of any new local governments in Hawaii requires an act of the legislature, and there is a powerful group of political and economic interests arrayed against such an arrangement. The Kona side of the Big Island has long been the property cash cow of the county and has vocally expressed its displeasure at paying in more than it gets out of county government. Several citizens groups in Kona have suggested a separate county at times, but the obstacles have been too big.
Puna remains the "red-headed stepchild" of Hawaii County and will remain that way until we start electing smarter and more focused representation. State Representative Faye Hanohano actually tried to introduce legislation to establish a Township of HPP. Although I consider her to be badly lacking in assertiveness, initiative, and legislation pushing ability, I have to say in fairness that the cards in the legislature were stacked against this measure. There was probably little that Hanohano could have done to get it passed.
There are powerful government interests on Oahu and elsewhere who see the creation of new independent local governing entities as dangerous to their power and tax base. If one locality gets home rule, then others will want to follow. Places like Kapolei, Kaneohe, Lahaina, both Kailuas, and others would get in line to secede or form independent cities, thus removing most of their tax income from the current governing entities. The City and County of Honolulu, Maui County, and our own dear Hawaii County are not going to idly stand by and let this happen.
As much as I personally like the idea of home rule for Puna, HPP, or whatever, it would require changes in the State Constitution for it to be accomplished, and there are even more powerful interests lined up against that.