08-03-2010, 02:31 PM
quote:
Originally posted by wax
James, I had heard that you chaired the PCDP committee on Agriculture and were a leader in concluding that the County should purchase agricultural land in Puna for the purpose of then leasing it out to farmers. How do you see this (purchasing land and leasing it out) fitting in with you "Back to Basics" message?
Yes, I was the convener for the PCDP Agriculture working group.
I, individually, never concluded the County should purchase agricultural land.
One of several ideas that emerged from that group was the County "purchasing" land.
I, personally, did not support that idea.
The working group report, a product of consensus, states as an objective, "Public and/or private investment in ‘agricultural parks’ or equivalent." This might or might not be the County "purchasing" land.
The final PCDP states as an action item,
"Create a fund to purchase or receive identified important agricultural lands".
How this "fund" would actually work is undefined. It could involve some public money and/or land as leverage for private funds and/or land.
There is nothing in what I spoke for in the working group that contradicts my 'back to basics' message.
Note, I was only one person on the working group and not an autocrat. Some ideas brought forward by the group I accepted as being of interest to a majority of the group, even if I personally had reservations.
The working group report was not adopted whole-body into the final PCDP. Again, the result of a community effort.
Note, many good ideas in the various working groups still exist and are available. Once in office, it is my intention to review these working group reports carefully and see what can be implemented, no matter what is or is not in final PCDP.
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park