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I realize most people don't really care about how much debt the County incurs on our collective behalf, and that it's pointless to ask stupid questions about governmental procedure because "ordinary people" can't possibly understand the complexities...
1. County issues $56M bond debt to build new Pahoa Park.
2. Lava flow threatens park; all work suspended.
3. Crew and equipment, already paid for, are reassigned to "emergency roads".
4. County authorizes new $20M bond debt to pay for emergency road construction.
What happened to the original $56M bond debt? Is the park still being built?
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Mayor's Office: #961-8211
County Site:
http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/office-of-the-mayor/
Finance Director: Nancy Crawford - #961-8234
Finance Dept. Site:
http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/finance/
If you're going to the meeting tonight in Pahoa, you can ask them directly, kalakoa.
JMO.
kalakoa, that is certainly a valid question. Do share any information you obtain from the links opihikao has provided.
One question would be, is the balance after what was "already paid for" and applied to road-fuilding still earmarked for the park? If so, that would explain why a new funding source was need for CoC, but yeah, it seems to me the park should be shelved at too risky to build, and all the money should go to the other urgent civic projects.
Kathy
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I'd like to point out (again) that the county could have saved several million by insisting that the state meet its responsibility to repair Chain of Craters. Instead, they got to hand it over to the county and act like they were being manganimous. What a deal! My cynical side sees the ever ambitious for higher office Billy Kenoi making this deal to ingratiate himself with the Oahu establishment.
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Or perhaps the Mayor was tired of waiting for the typically unresponsive State and Feds to open CoC so decided to have the County do the work and risk the possibility of not getting reimbursed by the Feds. State always dumps road maintenance on the county.... e.g. roads in limbo.
Kalakoa, did you go to the council meeting and testify against the bond to the people that make the decision whether to approve it or are you just venting to people who have no power to do anything about it?
Sheila Bang
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quote:
Originally posted by kalakoa
1. County issues $56M bond debt to build new Pahoa Park.
$23M for the first phase. They won't be going in for another $23M for the second phase. It's pretty much granted the park idea is over and the county council needs to officially state it is canceled. The county council is such a bunch of spineless shufflers, they might not ever say anything and let the park, the roundabout, the shopping center just fade into nothingness like some of the missing people that are never found.
"Mahalo nui Pele, 'ae noho ia moku 'aina" - kakahiaka oli
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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As I understand it, $56 million was an island-wide figure. There is no way the Pahoa park was going to cost anywhere near that!!!
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quote:
Originally posted by Mendo
As I understand it, $56 million was an island-wide figure. There is no way the Pahoa park was going to cost anywhere near that!!!
quote:
http://bigislandnow.com/2014/01/15/appro...d-funding/
The total cost of the project is estimated at $54 million.
The first bond was for $23M. They were going to go for the second bond of about $20M - $23M after the first phase was over. Since they spent most of the money for the first phase on Railroad, Beaches and the initial CoC work, there will probably be some kind of deal to pay that bond back with state emergency funds, although that is just a guess. After things settle down a bit, there is going to be a whole lot of money being shifted around. The contract for the roundabout was also let and that money has been tapped into also. The state auditor is supposed to be keeping track of all the money shuffling that is going to happen, which just happens as the governor, and several council members leave office. Good thing the citizens keep track of where their tax dollars are going.
"Mahalo nui Pele, 'ae noho ia moku 'aina" - kakahiaka oli
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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some kind of deal to pay that bond back with state emergency funds, although that is just a guess.
You mean, the Hurricane Relief Fund, that Abercrombie raided, to pay for ending the teacher furloughs, among other things? The fund that now has nothing left?
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Yeah, that was the one, because hurricanes never hit Hawaii.
"Mahalo nui Pele, 'ae noho ia moku 'aina" - kakahiaka oli
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
