09-06-2007, 01:01 PM
From the H-T-H:
'Green Harvest' funds cut
Sunday, June 3, 2007 10:25 AM HST
Council votes not to budget for controversial marijuana eradication project this year
by Jason Armstrong
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
The Police Department's 29-year-old program of renting helicopters to find and remove illegal marijuana plants isn't getting any more money.
The County Council voted unanimously Friday to adopt an operating budget that has no controversial "Green Harvest" eradication funding.
The vote came after lawmakers listened to more than five hours of comments from people saying the noisy aircraft, and anti-pot efforts, are ruining their quality of life.
Lawmakers decided complaints of frightened livestock, privacy intrusions and alleged police harassment outweigh the benefits of accepting $582,000 in federal "Green Harvest" money. Police sought the grants to pay for the program through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008.
Council members last month tentatively deleted the anticipated grant money from the county's $368.7 million operating budget. A second and final vote was scheduled Friday, prompting more than 70 mostly pro-marijuana advocates to stuff the council's Hilo meeting room and sign up for another chance to sound off on how bad the program is.
Following a lunch break, Chairman Pete Hoffmann announced to the standing-room-only audience that although the money could be reinstated, no proposal to do so had been introduced. Council rules require proposed amendments to be made in writing and distributed to all members before a vote is taken.
"There isn't anything here," Hoffmann told the audience. "So, I don't know why the hell you're here."
One woman shouted back that if members of the public were assured the "Green Harvest" grants would be rejected, "everybody would just get up and go."
Hoffmann, who last month voted to continue the program, said he couldn't make that guarantee.
"I don't think we need to hear from you again," he said.
A retired U.S. Army colonel, Hoffmann added that he spent 28 years protecting the public's right to testify.
"I salute your effort to be here and to make those statements," he said.
But one comment from "Green Harvest" opponent Randy McDowell upset Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong, who last month withdrew his support of the program and cast the swing vote against it.
Wearing a shirt depicting marijuana leaves and a hat with the words "Just Say Mo" printed over a pot leaf, McDowell accused Yagong of laughing when an earlier speaker threatened to vote the council members out of office. Apparently, Yagong was more upset by McDowell's expression, which went unseen by the audience since his back was turned.
"Please watch the way you look at me," Yagong said.
McDowell apologized multiple times as Yagong removed his sport coat and appeared to be very angry. Yagong did not accept his apology, but Hoffmann did.
Not all of the speakers were against "Green Harvest" raids.
County Prosecutor Jay Kimura urged council members to continue accepting the "Green Harvest" grants. If the county turns down the money, it will lose control of the program that will be shifted to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, he said.
"It could lead to more drugs in our community if Green Harvest is stopped," Kimura said.
While speaker after speaker said marijuana has medical, religious or recreational benefits, Jon DesPacio was not among them.
"I'm not a user. I'm not a grower. I'm not a distributor," the Kalapana mango farmer said.
DesPacio said he even wishes police would step up efforts to eradicate marijuana, just not with the aid of helicopters.
"Sometimes it's a little abrupt in the morning to take your coffee (while being) interrupted with two guys rappelling from a helicopter, trying to come through my place with all the tact of a diesel truck," he said.
Lawmakers, along with people on both sides of the aerial-eradication debate, will likely have at least one more chance to weigh in on the funding issue for next fiscal year.
That's because police administrators are expected in the coming months to ask the council for permission to accept the money, should the federal government approve the Police Department's grant requests.
Lawmakers on Friday said no to up-front acceptance, yet could change their minds once the money actually becomes available.
The council must vote to receive gifts, be it money or park benches, before they may become county property.
Jason Armstrong can be reached at jarmstrong@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
'Green Harvest' funds cut
Sunday, June 3, 2007 10:25 AM HST
Council votes not to budget for controversial marijuana eradication project this year
by Jason Armstrong
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
The Police Department's 29-year-old program of renting helicopters to find and remove illegal marijuana plants isn't getting any more money.
The County Council voted unanimously Friday to adopt an operating budget that has no controversial "Green Harvest" eradication funding.
The vote came after lawmakers listened to more than five hours of comments from people saying the noisy aircraft, and anti-pot efforts, are ruining their quality of life.
Lawmakers decided complaints of frightened livestock, privacy intrusions and alleged police harassment outweigh the benefits of accepting $582,000 in federal "Green Harvest" money. Police sought the grants to pay for the program through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008.
Council members last month tentatively deleted the anticipated grant money from the county's $368.7 million operating budget. A second and final vote was scheduled Friday, prompting more than 70 mostly pro-marijuana advocates to stuff the council's Hilo meeting room and sign up for another chance to sound off on how bad the program is.
Following a lunch break, Chairman Pete Hoffmann announced to the standing-room-only audience that although the money could be reinstated, no proposal to do so had been introduced. Council rules require proposed amendments to be made in writing and distributed to all members before a vote is taken.
"There isn't anything here," Hoffmann told the audience. "So, I don't know why the hell you're here."
One woman shouted back that if members of the public were assured the "Green Harvest" grants would be rejected, "everybody would just get up and go."
Hoffmann, who last month voted to continue the program, said he couldn't make that guarantee.
"I don't think we need to hear from you again," he said.
A retired U.S. Army colonel, Hoffmann added that he spent 28 years protecting the public's right to testify.
"I salute your effort to be here and to make those statements," he said.
But one comment from "Green Harvest" opponent Randy McDowell upset Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong, who last month withdrew his support of the program and cast the swing vote against it.
Wearing a shirt depicting marijuana leaves and a hat with the words "Just Say Mo" printed over a pot leaf, McDowell accused Yagong of laughing when an earlier speaker threatened to vote the council members out of office. Apparently, Yagong was more upset by McDowell's expression, which went unseen by the audience since his back was turned.
"Please watch the way you look at me," Yagong said.
McDowell apologized multiple times as Yagong removed his sport coat and appeared to be very angry. Yagong did not accept his apology, but Hoffmann did.
Not all of the speakers were against "Green Harvest" raids.
County Prosecutor Jay Kimura urged council members to continue accepting the "Green Harvest" grants. If the county turns down the money, it will lose control of the program that will be shifted to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, he said.
"It could lead to more drugs in our community if Green Harvest is stopped," Kimura said.
While speaker after speaker said marijuana has medical, religious or recreational benefits, Jon DesPacio was not among them.
"I'm not a user. I'm not a grower. I'm not a distributor," the Kalapana mango farmer said.
DesPacio said he even wishes police would step up efforts to eradicate marijuana, just not with the aid of helicopters.
"Sometimes it's a little abrupt in the morning to take your coffee (while being) interrupted with two guys rappelling from a helicopter, trying to come through my place with all the tact of a diesel truck," he said.
Lawmakers, along with people on both sides of the aerial-eradication debate, will likely have at least one more chance to weigh in on the funding issue for next fiscal year.
That's because police administrators are expected in the coming months to ask the council for permission to accept the money, should the federal government approve the Police Department's grant requests.
Lawmakers on Friday said no to up-front acceptance, yet could change their minds once the money actually becomes available.
The council must vote to receive gifts, be it money or park benches, before they may become county property.
Jason Armstrong can be reached at jarmstrong@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
Time is an illusion, but a handy one. Without it, we would not be able to hear sounds, and without that ability, we would have no music.