Mass emails are in circulation among environmentalists and conservationists alerting like-minded folks that state and county officials are looking to raid funds meant toward protecting and preserving our natural resources. The latest emails to go around have to do with House Bill 1741. It’s really disappointing to see how our politicians, in good times, profess to be “green” and truly cognizant of the need for Hawaii to be sustainable and lead the way with alternative energy. Then, in an economic slump, they set their eyes on the funds and on the programs that a group of truly committed environmentalists and conservationists swam upstream to obtain in the name of preserving natural resources. At least we now know the wolves who have dressed in sheep’s clothing. Sure hope people remember this when the pendulum swings again, and the time comes for politicians to adopt catchy slogans like “save our environment” and “Sustain Hawaii” and “malama aina!” Following is a sampling of two emails that are circulation:
“Aloha, everyone. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, the Senate Ways and Means Committee may schedule a hearing for HB 1741 relating to the conveyance tax. HB 1741 is bad news. It is one of the worst environmental bills I have ever seen in my 25 years of activism. Legislators are trying to raid every source they can to help balance the budget. But there must be better ways to cut spending and help balance the budget.
Please call and email the WAM committee members below and urge them to oppose HB 1741. Please do not let up! If you can, please also write letters to the editor, get on the radio, and distribute this Kokua Alert to everyone who cares about land, open space, water, plants and animals, forests, and affordable rental housing in Hawai’i. Mahalo nui for your kökua – this one is very important!
Senate Ways and Means Committee:
Sen. Donna Mercado Kim 587-7200 senkim@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Shan Tsutui 586-7344 sentsutsui@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland 586-6130 senchunoakland@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. J. Kalani English 587-7225 senenglish@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Carol Fukunaga 586-6890 senfukunaga@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Brickwood Galuteria 586-6740 sengaluteria@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Clayton Hee 586-7330 senhee@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Gary Hooser 586-6030 senhooser@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Michelle Kidani 586-7100 senkidani@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Russell Kokubun 586-6760 senkokubun@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Jill Tokuda 587-7215 sentokuda@capitol.hawaii.gov
Sen. Fred Hemmings 587-8388 senhemmings@capitol.hawaii.gov
What HB 1741 Does:
- HB 1741 effectively eliminates the Land Conservation Fund for 6 years by reducing 10% of the conveyance tax dedicated to the Land Conservation fund to 0% until June 30, 2015. The Land Conservation Fund is used to help purchase open space, agricultural land, forests, habitat, recreation areas, public access, etc.
- HB 1741 reduces 25% of the conveyance tax dedicated to the Natural Area Reserve Fund to 10% for 6 years – a reduction of more than half the funding until June 30, 2015. The NAR Fund supports the ceded land reserves (Natural Area Reserves System), watershed partnerships, Forest Reserves (almost all of which are also ceded land), private-state partnerships to protect forests and habitats, invasive species control, and the Youth Conservation Corps.
- HB 1741 reduces from 30% to 15% of the conveyance tax dedicated to the Rental Housing Trust Fund affordable rental housing programs.
Talking Points:
- HB 1741 is an ill-conceived bill, it is not in the public interest, and it is bad fiscal policy. It will result in lost opportunities and will cost us even more money in the future to try and make up for the loss of funding and damage done now.
- The Land Conservation Fund, Natural Area Reserve Fund, and Rental Housing Trust Fund have already decreased by 50-60% because of the economy and reduction in conveyance tax that supports these funds. (The total conveyance tax collected is expected to decrease from $38.4 million in fiscal year 2008 to approx. $19.2 million a year in the near future – a loss of as much as $23 million.)
- HB 1741 will provide only $9.6 million or so a year to help balance the budget, but it will result in irreversible harm, setting back critical programs and protections.
- It does not make good fiscal sense to cut state funds that leverage significant amounts of additional private and federal matching funds.
- In fiscal year 2008, $4.7 million in the Land Conservation Fund leveraged over $14.3 million in ADDITIONAL matching private and federal funds.
- In fiscal year 2008, $9.6 million in the Natural Area Reserve Fund leveraged an additional $19.2 million in ADDITIONAL matching private and federal funds.
- The Rental Housing Trust Fund leverages additional non-state funds for affordable rental housing programs as well, stretching scarce funds to do even more good.
- Once legislators get a hold of these funds, they will never restore them completely, or give them back. Why are the cuts proposed for 6 years when federal stimulus money is on the way? There are betters ways to help balance the budget.
- The Land Conservation Fund, Natural Area Reserve Fund, and Rental Housing Trust Fund are supported by and for the people. They were established because the legislature could not be counted on to adequately fund these programs in the budget on a regular basis. Now, after a broad coalition of concerned citizens, organizations, and elected officials worked so hard to establish these funds and increase support for these programs, some legislators want to eliminate or raid these funds. Auwë!
Link to HB 1741 HD 1:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/bills/HB1741_HD1_.htmhttp://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/lists/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1741
April 1st, 2009 at 12:36 am
[...] assault on their turf. Specifically, a possible attempt by the Hawai‘i State Legislature to suspend some environmental funding as part of their desperate attempt to balance the State’s books without throwing half of the [...]