Kenoi vs. the 2% Land Fund

[Rob Tucker]

Todays Tribune describes Mayor Kenoi seeking to acquire access to the Land Preservation Fund monies.

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/arti...ocal02.txt

[Jon]

It's a good idea...
better to feed people than buy land.

By the way, you know you can give money to the state don't you... just write them a check... if enough people do that, they wont have to cut back.


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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT

[loffelkopffl]

bad idea, this was voted in for a purpose

[Jon]

It was voted in when everyone was flush with money...

If the county will layoff 10% of all its employees, then I would be for keeping it.... But we know is not going to happen.. so... the money has to come from somewhere...

again... write them a check, please...


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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT

[Rob Tucker]

The 2% Land Preservation Fund was a citizen initiative which was voted into being over the objections of then Mayor Kim. I don't recall it being voted in because the CoH was awash in money. I recall it being put forth as a citizen priority.

I think the base issue is not whether there are other ways to spend the money (there are always other ways) but whether the will and intent of the voters matter.

In another topic I pointed out that according toe the CoH Department of Finance 2007 audit the Public Works Capital Improvement Contracts have been running 90% over budget vs. a national average of 15%. That is big money going somewhere.

It seems practical to require the public works contractors and the administration to keep within budgets and not rubber stamp every real or imagined change order as extra taxpayer cost. If that was accomplished even half way then there would be no budget shortfall or discussion of layoffs or discussion of raiding the 2% Land Preservation Fund.

[Jon]

I agree that some depts are out of control, but to get them under control will take firing people, and that is not going to happen... so here we are.


-----------------------------------------------------------
I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT

[Rob Tucker]

I kind of hope that enough demand from the public to not raid the easy money but instead insist on accountability in CoH spending might have effect.

Punaweb moderator

[Bob Orts]

So what happened to the Budget Stabilization Fund which was supposed to be just for this purpose? Where is that money and why isn't it being used first as required by Hawaii Law?

[JerryCarr]

When the Land Preservation Fund was adopted over Harry Kim's objections, a prescient friend said, "Just wait 'til the next real estate downturn. The politicians will find some way to raid it so they don't have to cut spending elsewhere and offend any of their sources of campaign contributions." Those "sources" just might be the public employees unions and the contractors who routinely exceed bid price by 90%. "Together We Can" maintain a dysfuntional status quo.

And yes, Mr. Orts, one does wonder about that Budget Stabilization Fund. Thank you for the reminder.

Cheers, along with the usual political cynicism,
Jerry

[Seeb]

you know, from a governmental point of view spending money to take land OFF the tax roll is kind of ....... counter intuitive