Council candidate accused of voter fraud!

[TomK]

The one thing I still don't understand is Tiff's quote in the Trib (see the first few posts in this thread).

"She said she didn’t think she owed the county tax revenue, and claimed she met the qualifications “at times” since moving to Hawaiian Acres."

I don't understand how you could qualify "at times" to vote in a district. Residency is an annual thing, you have to live in a district more than half a year, so how can you do that while also renting out your property where you also live "at times" more than half the year for several years? If she moved to Hawaiian Acres then she clearly was no longer living in Hilo, unless she spent most of the time living in Hilo after moving to Hawaiian Acres.

What a tangled web.

[missydog1]

Tom,
There is a confusion because the trib cobbled in a quote from an earlier article.
That quote doesn't refer to qualifying to vote, and in fact was made before the question of voter fraud was raised.

That quote is TEH addressing the homeowner's exemption and whether she owes property taxes. She is trying to say she thinks she may have lived in the Hilo house enough. I think the time needed is 200 days in a year.

Primary residence for an exemption goes by different rules than residency for voting. The former goes by percentage of the year that you spend there. Residency for voting is the home you consider permanent and to which you plan to return if you temporarily relocate.

According to Tiffany's statement, the place she lived for voting residency was Hawaiian Acres, since 2006. She said that before she knew people were going to look at her actual registration to vote and find that she used Pahoa Village. So she would seem to have shot herself in the foot.

She said she lives in the Acres to back up her eligibility to run for Council in District 5, and to deny she lived in Hilo. But then to save herself from a property tax fraud case, she throws in that she might have lived there enough to not owe taxes. But I guess not during the period prior to filing that was necessary to establish her District 5 eligibility.

However, oops, she had no right to be registered to vote in District 4, as nowhere in all this does she claim she ever lived at the Surf Shop as her permanent residence.

It will be interesting what she'll come up with on that one. So far she has not given a statement on that and is evading by saying the complaint is political theater. But she will be asked that by the police.

Kathy

[leilanidude]

I wonder how many times on her own blog alone, that she has said she lives in Hawaiian Acres?
She is a fraud, and a very deliberate one at that.

[kalakoa]

trying to say she thinks she may have lived in the Hilo house enough

I'll have to remember that approach.

"Officer, I think I was going the speed limit."

"I think I paid enough property tax."

"I'm pretty sure I already paid for these groceries."

[bluesboy]

Who cares, she lost.

[KeaauRich]

Bluesboy, she didn't lose, she just didn't win. She and Danny are in a runoff in November.

[Guest]

Tiffany Edwards Hunt quote: This is "Political theater"

Political theater?

Tiffany is the star of her own drama. Written and produced by her. Is this the end of Act One and the beginning of Act Two?

The finale? You don't want to miss that folks. That is where she is teaching inmates how to be journalists and start blogs from their cells.

Right now, it is intermission, I am going to have some popcorn and refreshments.

I appreciate all the comments that are being made and the most of you are spot on. This came to me from a friends email. Every time I read it, I smile.

"You probably will never be appreciated for the good you have done. You put out the smoke before the blanket caught fire, and the house burned down, but since it didn't happen nobody understands the tragedy for the community you averted by standing up for an honest government. No one would know Caligula if he hadn't become emperor. At least now his ghost will not be on the council."

Now you know why we do the work we do. I don't think anyone has ever said anything as beautiful and complimentary as that about RJ and I.

Have a Happy Friday and a Happy Labor day.

[oink]

On the outside chance she is convicted it will likely be a plea to some lesser charge and there is no way she will do a day in jail. I just hope the voters take note of her behavior.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[kalakoa]

nobody understands the tragedy for the community you averted by standing up for an honest government

Unfortunately much work remains, as will be evidenced by County's failure to "determine" that Tiffany did anything wrong.

[missydog1]

well kalakoa, it is not the County's purview to determine this. They correctly made a complaint to the police.

Tiffany posted a statement today:
http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/2014/0...candidacy/

Politics Ñ Setting The Record Straight About My CandidacyNo Comments
29 Aug 2014 / Uncategorized
By Tiffany Edwards Hunt

(Media release) Ñ Lately, there have been press reports calling into question my voter registration history and suggesting that I might be guilty of some sort of voter crime. It is becoming increasingly obvious that these reports and the source(s) of them are politically motivated.

I am a resident of Puna Council District 5, and have been for over 90 days before the primary election. Under the Hawaii County Charter, any voter and candidate for office must be a resident of the district for at least ninety (90) days before the primary election.

I am currently registered to vote in Puna Council District 5, residing with my husband at our family home in Hawaiian Acres.

In 2012 I was registered to vote in what is now Puna Council District 4, and listed my residence at my husbandÕs Pahoa home and surf shop, which has a living quarters.

Shortly after the 2012 election I was nominated to serve on the Windward Planning Commission. After being nominated to the commission for District 4, I learned that I should be registered in District 5 in Mountain View. I declined the nomination and updated my voter registration residency address for the next election.

I welcome any legitimate investigation regarding this issue.

After I learned of a potential pending investigation by police, I immediately contacted the responsible officer but I have not yet received a response.

I am properly registered as a voter and candidate in District 5. I look forward to serving the people of this Puna district, if elected.

Kathy