(Editor’s note:  Following are the precinct totals for Council District 5, specifically pertaining to the Council race and the Land Fund.)

Paradise Park

Councilmember, Dist 5

BLAS, Fred 653 57.8%

NAEOLE-BEASON, Emily I. 436 38.6%

HAWAII: Establishment of an Open Space Fund

YES 701 62.1%

NO 308 27.3% Read the rest of this entry »

Dear editor:

My name is Debbie Hecht; I am the campaign coordinator for the 2% Land Fund for the Save Our Lands Citizens Committee .  If this amendment had passed it would have meant that there would be two amendments on the ballot- a 2% Land fund charter amendment ($4 million per year) and a 1% charter amendment ($2 million per year) – to once again, let the people decide.  The 1% Land Fund will be placed on the ballot by the charter commission and if passed, this would mean $2 million per year.  I hope you will vote for this measure.  ALL of the other counties in Hawaii have a charter amendment for a land fund.

I believe in representative government, where the people tell the elected officials what they want.  I believe in separation of powers, where the Mayor and the administration are separate from the council and Legislative branch. The debate between the two branches makes for better representation of the people and should guarantee debate to result in better law.   I think that is what was intended by our founding fathers when they wrote the US constitution. This did not happen this year — only $40,000.00 was cut from the budget. Read the rest of this entry »