PMAR

[alaskyn66]

I like how he says the route behind keeau ag lots crossing behind kamehameha school would be acceptable. Kinda matches up with what Rob said earlier. They want Keeau to be the new Hilo.

..And the people bowed and prayed... to the neon God they made...

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

BillyB,
Under the video, and headline, is a graphic that says:
"...Walter says PMAR will increase ag theft and is unnecessary."

Sometimes a man reads what's written...

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.”
-Joseph Brodsky

[BillyB]

Sure enough. It's in the Headline, but no where in the interview. I stand corrected.

[wax]

May be referring to the fact that there are already roads that make an alternative between 130 and 11. I have looked at part of RR on Shipman land by HPP - this is not a road that simply needs a little pavement, This is a major project. The roads that exist need some work - but not like RR.

[randomq]

We can afford to lose our unpermitted owner-built shacks on cheap lots better than they can afford to lose their $300,000 mortgaged homes on expensive lots. Actually, I can probably load my house in pieces on a flatbed and move it somewhere else.

If it weren't for this mess of lava, fraud, and insanity, we wouldn't be able to live here. Lots of opportunity here to do things different, instead of making it the same as everywhere else. And maybe avoid some of the unintended consequences of "planned" development and gentrification.

[kalakoa]

there are already roads that make an alternative between 130 and 11

About 3 miles of new road mauka of 11 would connect Hilo to Keaau -- but the people who live there would probably fight having it in "their" backyard.

Lots of opportunity here to do things different

County keeps passing more stringent building codes while insisting that enforcement is available to those who complain -- almost as if our "elected officials" are totally out of touch with the reality that is Puna.

[Guest]

In Puna you live pennies on the dollar for what it costs people to live in other parts of Hawaii, excepting Ocean View.

Its a deal, and the downside is manageable for most people.

Truth be told, there are back to nature types near where I live who were disappointed the lava did not cut the road. Known criminals who ply their trade in a society cut off from police protection and courtrooms are in a very very dangerous business and risk unplanned deep sea fishing trips. Some will always seek the edge of civilization to live life on their own terms and when nature moves that edge further behind them, so much the better. Maybe next time.

---------------------------

You can't fix Samsara.

[Rob Tucker]

imagtek, All that may be true but it does not change the fact that the county and state collect taxes from these areas and return little or nothing. So the poorest areas of the state are asked to continually subsidize the wealthier areas.

Fuel taxes, for example, are intended to maintain the roads upon which the taxes are generated. That does not happen.

[kalakoa]

the poorest areas of the state are asked to continually subsidize the wealthier areas

Funny how the wealthy West/North residents also complain that they pay more taxes and are therefore subsidizing the poor East and South.

Yet, a quick tour of the island shows that everyone is getting services commensurate with their property tax billing.

Fuel taxes, for example, are intended to maintain the roads upon which the taxes are generated.

People who drive to town to get gas for their generator are therefore paying more fuel taxes...

Again, I suggest that "one size fits all" is a fail. Example: suppose FTR were actually distributed in an equitable manner. The share allocated to my subdivision might build a few hundred feet of "full-spec" road (40-foot paved on 60-foot easement), which doesn't solve the problem...

Some will always seek the edge of civilization to live life on their own terms

...but they still need a permitted septic system, a minimum of 832 square feet, and a tsunami safe room.

Making everything illegal such that a segment of the population is permanently noncompliant doesn't really help anything -- especially when those people are also taxed for the privilege.

[Rob Tucker]

It is not funny that the North and West complain also. It is true. The flow of tax money is to Hilo. All other districts suffer.