County resolution 205-17

[Seeb]

I'm surprised that no one has brought this up
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2017/0...imination/

[Hunt Stoddard]

The only thing I would add to the resolution is that it's not just low income and native Hawaiian populations in those regions (I'm less familiar with Ka'u), but EVERYONE LIVING THERE. How ridiculous is it that the only road serving Puna from Hilo, the location of most business, shopping, entertainment and medical care, is a 2 lane highway one way and 1.5 lane highway the other? And I just love how every time there's a road "improvement" the county makes sure residents suffer every step of the way by making us wait hours in jams. Here's an idea, schedule construction at night! But it's expensive; we wouldn't want that.

If you're going to make people suffer every step of the improvement, at least fix the damn problem! Instead the results are inferior and dangerous to boot.

It's terrible semi-urban planning, and it's not like they haven't had time to see it coming. The subdivisions were installed in the 1950s, the real estate fat cats got their millions. It was the future generations (us) who got the raw deal.

And yes, it's ridiculous that the only potable water is dispensed at tawdry outdoor stations, befitting a third world nation (not that they deserve them either).

It's about time people living and paying taxes there got a little heated.

P.S. IMO it's not like Hilo residents are living the life of Riley either. In case you haven't noticed, Hilo traffic, streets, infrastructure, etc. are pretty much a disaster as well. Yes, the dilapidation adds to the "quaintness", but there's a point where quaint ends and junky begins.

End Rant.

[Obie]

District 4 and 5 provide 9% of the property tax to provide county services.
Should we really expect to receive more than we pay ?

We have places like Cinderland where dozens of people are living in dozens of un-permitted structures and the property owners pay $249.00 per year in taxes.

Birdseye view of Cinderland :

https://www.bing.com/maps?cp=19.518271~-154.844179&style=o&lvl=19&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1500

[kalakoa]

If the district of Puna is too much of a burden for County, perhaps they should just set us free.

[Seeb]

The Imbalance has already been proven in court. I think this would help blunt the attitude at DPW and Planing that if you wanted equal rights " you should have moved to town"

[kalakoa]

"you should have moved to town"

I hear "some parts" of Hilo even have sewer connections.

[randomq]

quote:

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Originally posted by Obie

District 4 and 5 provide 9% of the property tax to provide county services.

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How much gas tax? How much income and GET tax? And what percentage of service and infrastructure expenditures do we receive for all of those?

Or did you just want to criticize Puna for having affordable real estate and poor people?

[Rob Tucker]

Council resolutions have a net effect of zero.

[geochem]

I'm afraid that I don't understand the logic here - the infrastructure in Puna and Ka'u isn't being subsidized by the other districts and, therefore, those districts are being discriminated against?

Of course, this seems to be the prevailing logic: "the gummint has to meet all my needs, right now and with only the best that's available.... oh, and I shouldn't have to pay for it..."

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

this seems to be the prevailing logic: "the gummint has to meet all my needs, right now and with only the best that's available.... oh, and I shouldn't have to pay for it..."

Are you suggesting that kind of logic is illogical? Or just Punalogical?

If I know what I shall find, I do not want to find it. Uncertainty is the salt of life. - biochemist Erwin Chargaff