Green Harvest - D.E.A. style ?

[Green]

Could'nt they send some of them choppers to cleanout dick cheneys bunker ?

[glennoid]

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.

[Kelena]

I find it disturbing that the Government would send men and women rappelling on to private property with or without probable cause to seize marijuana and that it spends so many millions on the task. It might bring me some comfort if I could be assured that the alleged contraband won't be repackaged and sold in another part of the world to fund activities that have not been sanctioned by Congress, but I doubt I will get any such assurances.

Our Government has lost all sense of reason and proportion. Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol. On the other hand, black helicopters flying over private property with officers rappelling military style is very harmful, as it is an assault on our right to privacy, quiet enjoyment of our property, and our liberty.

Apparently, though, they think the "surge" is working and that marijuana can and will be eradicated from the face of the earth, despite the demand for it. This contradicts their blind faith in the laws of supply and demand, but they don't perceive the contradiction and insist on supplying something (enforcement) for which the only demand is from those who have a vested interest in continuing this expensive folly.

There is no stopping this war, sadly, as it is now driven by billions of dollars. At the local level, it is great that we have ceased cooperating. However, I think we can expect that the DEA will redouble its efforts and will retaliate for political non-cooperation by turning Puna, and other parts of the Island into a rappelling practice zone.

By the way, Mr. Hoffman, if you are contemptuous of the public's right to attend a meeting ("I don't know why the hell you are here", you undermine the very right you purport to protect ("Hoffmann added that he spent 28 years protecting the public's right to testify".

And, Mr. Hoffman, thank you for your military service, but absolutely nothing you did in the military over the past 28 years protected the public's right to testify. Neither the public's right to testify nor any of our other civil rights has been seriously imperiled by any foreign power at any time during your service. All threats to our civil liberties have been from within, mostly by self important civil servants who have forgotten who they serve, and that they must serve them civilly.

[Genxor]

Conspiracy theories aside, what would Puna folks support ?

I find it unfortunate that the area we live is such a bastion for individuals that choose to grow. Today it was reported about the couples arrest for growing down on Pohoiki , a few weeks ago it was the father and son in Kalapana , next week who knows ...

I may be a bit wacky but we feel as long as our friends and neighbors are growing and selling, the choppers are simply a part of life in Puna.
Until our reputation or the facts on the ground change, we anticipate more enforcement.

Greg H.

[Chunkster]

Our tax dollars at work! We have inadequate neighborhood police staffing, poor health care facilities, and civil defense sirens that don't all work. So what do we get? Rambo rapellers going after wacky weed! It's way more sexy to buzz around in copters than to catch burglars. And whatever happened to the marked police cars we were supposed to get? As usual, the priorities are screwed up.

[Carolann R]

faulty civil defense sirens??

Carrie

"All I can say about life is, Oh God, enjoy it." Bob Newhart

[missydog1]

it's not a conspiracy theory that the Rambo harvesters sell the pot they confiscate. It's been going on for a long time. At some point, people figured out that the easiest way to make money selling drugs is to let other people produce them and then take them ... working for law enforcement programs being the easiest way of becoming a successful ripoff.

I had a friend in Humboldt where they had to dismiss the charges because they had already sold the "evidence" before the trial ...

the pot that gets turned in and weighed is the bulk that has no value -- tops are sold. It's so blatant it's unbelievable.

CAMP or Green Harvest, they're not ethical, moral, or engaged in public service. Just a different face of greed.

[mella l]

The damage of crystal- meth to society, family, property, and the future of those affected, is horendous truly lethal.

The damage of the green harvest products, not so much.

I would be most curious to know where the dollars are being spent and how many.

1. How much money local, state is spent due to crystal-meth so harmful to society

2. compared to the money enforcing green harvest products, which do not destroy families, but from what I've seen make people laughing fools.

Now if crystal meth enforcement funding is say 3 million dollars a year (far guessing here)

The green harvest product enforcement funding should be budgeted around 3,000 dollars.

This stuff kills members of our society, entire family structures.

Where are our officials spending our money? Are they tending the peoples business?

One last curious note, green harvest is the number one $$$ crop in California, unfortunately it is primarily run by the Mexican Mafia. Now their trucks will be allowed with open arms over the borders to do the hauling! LOL

Just thought our tax dollars were to be used for the good of all, a chart would more than likely show that crystal meth enforcement receives far less than green harvest.

I could be way wrong on this but doubt it.

mella l

[Kelena]

Chunkster and all,

Exactly right. What are we concerned about most in terms of crime? Well, our refrigerators, lawnmowers, and washers and dryers and expensive water pumps walking away. In other words, burglary and larceny. If they spent half a million on enforcement, we might be able to leave our doors and windows open when we leave.

Priorities are totally wrong.

[bystander]

When I first moved to Puna about ten years ago the greenharvest was even more invasive. They used to fly the helicopter with a guy dangling below on a cable at rooftop level. Public outcry is what made them stop doing this. Now they have to stay at a certain height. More public outcry may make them stop entirely.