Proposed Sale of Hamakua Land Remains Unresolved

On October 22nd the Hawaii County Council Finance Committee voted 4-4 to hold a full hearing on Bill 132 which has been dubbed the “Transparency bill” sponsored by Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong. See West Hawaii Today. Scheduling the bill for full hearing spared the bill from defeat as a 4-4 vote would have resulted in defeat, while only 3 votes were needed to set the matter for hearing.

Bill 132 was sponsored in response to the Mayor’s proposal to sell Former Hamakua Sugar lands acquired by the County for back taxes owed which have sat unused for 15 years. The Mayor proposes to sell portion of the Hamakua lands in an effort to address the economic crisis the County is facing in the form of an approximately $8.2M deficit. See Hawaii County News Office of the Mayor. The Hawaii County Council agreed with this proposal in June voting 8-1 for a budget that included revenue from a Hamakua land sale.

Bill 132 would require the mayor to bring any potential county land sale greater than 10 acres or $500,000 back to the council, so council members and the public can learn who is buying it and what their intentions are for the land. See West Hawaii Today. Bill 132 has found strong, grassroots support, mostly amongst those who do not wish to see the Hamakua lands sold, as well as those who push for greater transparency in government, however it has resulted in a division in the Council and resulting in turbulence for the Mayor’s Office has he seeks to address the County’s economic problems without huge tax hikes and minimal impacts on public services and County jobs. http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2009/10october/20091015malamahonua.htm


The Mayor argues “[t]his is bad and unnecessary legislation because the buyer, price and potential land uses in any public land sale are already public record by law,” Mayor Kenoi said. “The council already authorizes county land sales by resolution before the land is put on the market. The council is well aware of all possible uses of the lands under existing zoning, and the council has complete control over any rezoning that might be proposed in the future. This ensures the Hamakua lands will remain zoned for agriculture and will be used for agricultural activities in the future. The public has had ample opportunity to provide testimony through the budget hearing process. Appropriate safeguards are already in place to protect the public interest.” See Hawaii County News Office of the Mayor. “The proposed ordinance is an unnecessary and bureaucratic add-on to an open and transparent process. It will jeopardize the county budget and finances,” Mayor Kenoi said. “This administration’s commitment is to reduce the size and barriers in government, not to erect them as Bill 132 does.” See Hawaii County News Office of the Mayor.

One thing is clear all sides are passionate and appear to have admirable goals – a budget that can fund essential public services and preservation of agricultural land, a form of land use near and dear to the Big Island. As the community discussions of the issues continue creative proposals are being suggested. For instance one community blogger has suggested “a covenant to be put in any deed that the land shall remain in agriculture for some 20 plus years and prohibit the use of GMO on the land.”