July 28, 2015
I am not sure this is the correct avenue to address my concern. I feel the Unions have too much power over the State/City government. I am a new 1-1/2 year City employee in the City's Parks and Recreation Divison. I found out that awhile back, the union cleared someone to supervise their spouse (this spouse is my boss). I think it should be a City regulation that bosses cannot supervise their spouse; a regulation that the Unions cannot challenge. I see supervising your spouse equivalent to sleeping with your secretary. How ethical is it when the boss provides unearned excellent annual reviews? How ethical is it when the boss closes his/her eyes to spouse's long lunches and long breaks to take care of personal/family matters without signing for leave? Who do co-workers report spouse's unethical activity/behavior to? The boss? Not if he wants to keep his job. Animosity boils over when other employees get reprimanded for the same/similar actions. Is the City hiring the best qualified or are they hiring their relatives? Thank you for listening. For the sake of future City employees, I hope my concern is taken seriously.
-J.S.
August 13, 2015
My F/F would like to see the City and State governments work together not just on the homeless issue, but also collaborate on how Tourism, our State's primary economic engine, needs to be nurtured and managed. This needs to be done through good laws, effective enforcement, clear communications and great private/public efforts.
Following the model of many world class tourist destinations, Hawaii needs a better holistic approach to tourism that is sustainable and proactive. Please read the New York times article: http://nyti.ms/1e5qsD5 . Many great lessons on how world class destinations such as Copenhagen and France are "managing" their global tourism industry. Interestingly, their numbers are similar to Hawaii's- about 8 Million tourists to 1+ Million residents. The article points out ways that deliberate Government and public actions have resulted in much more successful tourism experiences for both visitors and residents.
-Chris Nakamatsu
September 3, 2015
I have been a resident of Oahu for over 41 years now and in the past year I have experienced the most dramatic jump in property tax on a rental I own in Manoa Valley. The Residential A classification is not only unfair, but was instituted on such a dramatic compressed timeline that it allowed affected residents little time to react, and budget appropriately. One year I am paying over $500/month in property tax and 3 months later I am paying over $1000/month!!
I recently learned that Churches, Credit Unions, and Registered Historic homes have had the luxury of paying a meager $300 for their annual property tax. While I do believe the aforementioned groups serve a purpose in the community, the tax burden on the citizens of Hawaii are not shared properly. Additionally, I am a member of the Hawaii Air National Guard and will be deploying to the Desert in a few months putting my life on the line for our Country and sacrificing time away from family. Arguably I can say that I serve a greater purpose to the citizens of this country and state than Churches, Credit Unions, and Historic Homes, yet I do not receive the same dramatic tax sheltering that these groups do.
Furthermore, not everyone is a member of a Credit Union or Church and there are a great number of people that do not attend Church at all. A good number of Church properties have residential dwellings on property to either house priests, property care-takers, or both. As a minimum, the square footage of that dwelling should be taxed on the same playing field as the rest of us. Although there is no direct correlation between my taxes and theirs, the discrepancy in tax rates make me feel like I am subsidizing organizations that I am not even a member of.
I believe these tax laws are dated. The current fiscal landscape has dramatically changed and in today’s age, we can no longer afford to give people a free ride. I am respectfully requesting that the City Council / Charter Commission explore rebalancing the property tax burden to all users of our City and County roads, sewer system, public services, etc. I am not against paying taxes and have worked very hard to be in the position to own a second residence however I feel there are other options worth exploring before taxing the “wealthy.”
Thank you for your time.
-Ryan Itoman
October 26, 2015
All Charter Commission meetings should be telecasted live on 'Olelo so all the outer island taxpayers can see and hear what is happening in real time. With all the latest technology, teleconferences could also be possible.
-Alvin Wong
October 30, 2015
We need to come into the 21st century with our waste water system. Having sewage pumped into the ocean as a matter of fact method of dealing with overflow is reminiscent of dumping garbage out the window onto the streets. Hearing city spokespersons declare that because it does not happen all that often makes it acceptable to keep the status quo due to an upgrade being "cost prohibitive" is appalling. In the meantime, ongoing approval for more and more development to further burden the system seems like a disaster waiting to happen. As radical as it may seem. there should be a moratorium on any new development until we spend the money to upgrade and modernize our methods of dealing with waste to reflect a city of the 21st century not one of the third world . If developers want to come in in the meantime, they need to spend some of their many, many dollars establishing buildings that are entirely self-sufficient and off the grid entirely. In the meantime, we need to take care of our city and respect the people, the land, and the ocean by making the budgeting a major overhaul of our sewage/waste water program a priority.
-Barbara Arnold
October 30, 2015
As a lifelong resident of the New York metropolitan area until recently, and now a resident of Oahu, I have seen how the financial support of a rail-centric public transit system can take on a life of its own. HART's refrain that "things are different for OUR Rail" will not be true just because they wish it so. If Rail is to be completed and operated as planned the financial support by the C&C will become a significant portion of the C&C budget. My suggestion is that any tax, fee, surcharge, long-term borrowing or any other method of revenue generation for Rail be voted upon and approved by the general public in the form of a referendum. In NY the revenue streams that feed into the MTA there are pervasive, wide-ranging and insidious and included such stealth taxes as an "MTA fee" on your cell phone bill. The people of Oahu must have a direct vote in any extraordinary revenue streams for HART. Mahalo for listening.
-John Lopinto
October 31, 2015
We need to come into the 21st century with our waste water system. Having sewage pumped into the ocean as a matter of fact method of dealing with overflow is reminiscent of dumping garbage out the window onto the streets. Hearing city spokespersons declare that because it does not happen all that often makes it acceptable to keep the status quo due to an upgrade being "cost prohibitive" is appalling. In the meantime, ongoing approval for more and more development to further burden the system seems like a disaster waiting to happen. As radical as it may seem. there should be a moratorium on any new development until we spend the money to upgrade and modernize our methods of dealing with waste to reflect a city of the 21st century not one of the third world . If developers want to come in in the meantime, they need to spend some of their many, many dollars establishing buildings that are entirely self-sufficient and off the grid entirely. In the meantime, we need to take care of our city and respect the people, the land, and the ocean by making the budgeting a major overhaul of our sewage/waste water program a priority.
-Barbara Arnold
December 5, 2015
Aloha, In proposal #107, I used Broward county as an example of a county with an inspector general's office. The Broward IG was in the news recently, and according to the article, most people are praising his work. Here's a link to the article, which you may need to subscribe to. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-corruption-fighter-broward-20151204-story.html
-Natalie Iwasa
December 8, 2015
I am writing in opposition to submission No.19 relating to changing the number of Neighborhood Boards from 33 to 9. I was the first Neighborhood Board chairperson on Oahu, elected to the Mililani, Waipio, Melemanu Board in 1975. I am very familiar with the genesis of the Neighborhood Board system from day one having participated in the drafting of the initial Neighborhood Plan. I am currently the Chair of the Kailua NB. I am particularly familiar with the process that the City & County conducted which resulted in the number and boundaries of the NB's. The first Neighborhood Commission Executive Secretary (Joan Yim) conducted over 100 community meetings on Oahu asking residents where they considered their neighborhood to be. The responses determined the NB boundaries (some were slightly modified later to match Census Block data). As a result, the NB boundaries represent where residents consider their neighborhood to be. The number of Boards and their boundaries implements the concept of the boards which is to bring government and Democracy as close to the people as possible. Neighborhood Board sub-districts further this principle. Changing to fewer boards would seriously defeat the purpose of bringing government closer to the people, and make it difficult for board members to assess the beliefs, attitudes and values of their neighbors. Changing the number of boards and their boundaries would be a serious step backwards.
-Charles Prentiss
December 8, 2015
Here's another example of what happens when people who are being investigated by the ethics arm of a city are also in charge of funding. This situation is very similar to the Honolulu Ethics Commission and points out the need to make the office independent. http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/illinois/2015/11/8582963/feds-seize-computers-files-chicago-officials-outgoing-inspector-gen
-Natalie Iwasa
December 16, 2015
Aloha. Please consider removing Proposal 140 from the list of Proposals to be indefinitely deferred. This Proposal does not meet the criteria you have set forth for the initial list to be deferred and it is inappropriately labelled/titled as a "HART" proposal. The Proposal simply suggests implementing a City-level "independent review board that will analyze the 5, 10, 15, and 20-year financial projections of the City and County of Honolulu." The State of Hawaii has its own Council on Revenues that prepares revenue estimates of the state government for each fiscal year of the six-year state program and financial plan. The people of Honolulu should have the opportunity to determine if City should follow suit. Proposal 140 merits further public discussion and review.
-Blake McElheny
December 16, 2015
Aloha. Please remove Proposal 109 (Rent Stabilization) from the list of Proposals to be indefinitely deferred. It was reported today in Civil Beat that since 2007 rents in Honolulu have continued to rise steadily, increasing 3.2 percent last year, which is twice the pace of inflation. Moreover, it was reported Hawaii has the second-largest share of cost-burdened renters in the country. In 2014, 57.5 percent of renters spent 30 percent or more of their income on rent – about a 4 percent increase since 2007. Even if Proposal 109 ends up being significantly modified as the process moves forward, the Commission sends the wrong signal to the people of Honolulu by dismissing the one proposal the Commission is considering that seeks a direct mechanism to assist residents facing the existing housing and homeless crisis.
-Blake McElheny
December 16, 2015
Aloha. Please consider removing Proposal 138 from the list of Proposals to be indefinitely deferred. This Proposal does not meet the criteria you have set forth for the initial list to be deferred because only the City and County of Honolulu has the power to prohibit the use of pesticides on City Parks. The Proposal can be narrowed and modified as the process proceeds in order to address any concerns that may be raised. The public is increasingly concerned about children and families being exposed to pesticides. Proposal 138 merits further public discussion and review.
-Blake McElheny
January 26, 2016
I am very disappointed to learn that the Charter Commission has decided to set aside three charter amendments that would have stopped or shortened the rail route, depriving Honolulu voters of the chance to vote again on a project that has turned out be dramatically different from what they originally voted on and churns on with ever-increasing cost over-runs and community disruption. It is extremely arrogant for the commission, all of whom have expressed their support for the continuation of rail as planned, to deny the rest of us the chance to weigh in on the lame excuses that we've forfeited the right to vote again and that we'd lose the federal funding. When we're already over budget by more than what that funding adds up to, so what? And now, according to the Star-Advertiser, the voting public has succumbed to a sense of inevitability--so much has been spent, why not keep spending? You are short-changing the voters of Honolulu by imposing your own preferences on your decision on whether to allow this question to be put on the ballot.
-Nancy Davlantes
February 18, 2016
Dear Charter Commission Members: The Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board discussed several charter proposals at our January 26, 2016, meeting. Regarding Proposal 17, relating to Clean Water & Natural Land, Affordable Housing, and Grants in Aid Funding, we were aware that the Commission had already deferred the proposal. However, knowing that the proposal could later be revived, we wanted to express our position. Hawaii Kai and the entire island have particularly benefited from the land preservation projects supported by the City’s Clean Water and Natural Land funds. This has helped preserve open space in East Oahu for the entire island. By unanimous consent, the Board voted to support the commission’s deferral of Proposal 17 as it relates to the Clean Water & Natural Land as well as Affordable Housing funds (the Board took no position on Grants in Aid funds). We encourage the Commission to maintain its decision to defer Proposal 17, thus ensuring that the Clean Water & Natural Land and Affordable Housing funds will continue unchanged.
-Greg Knudsen
March 6, 2016
Please check your recess notice. It does not have the agenda from 3/4/16 attached. Some people are wondering if that voids the meeting.
-Natalie Iwasa
March 6, 2016
Aloha, Attached report shows the large amount of scientific evidence and Federal documents the City of Honolulu and HART Rail are evading and avoiding to plan rail stations directly within high ground water Flood Plains, Tsunami and Hurricane Storm Surge areas and on ancient limestone reef karst full of holes, caves and subterranean waterways. Honolulu transit consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff wrote in the 2003 Final EIS: "...extreme disruption of existing underground utilities and constant dewatering made necessary by a high water table and poor soils would drive (rail) construction costs to unacceptable levels." -2003 FEIS Fletcher studies coastal hazards and says 70 percent of beaches on Kauai, Maui, and Oahu are eroding. /expert-urges-action-as-stronger-el-nino-years-further-coastal-erosion-predicted University of Hawaii at Manoa professor Chip Fletcher predicts stronger El Nino years in the future, which means more beach erosion. “We’re overdue,” he said. “We need to start making things happen now. We need to catch up.”
-John Bond
March 17, 2016
Opposition to Proposals 9, 19, 30, 113. See attached letter.
-Greg Knudsen