UPDATE: Maui Steal the Farmland Initiative Fails--60% Signatures Bogus
KauaiEclectic June 14, 2016: The Maui Community Farmland initiative, which would have used taxpayer money to condemn private ag land for committee-dictated farming, has failed to make the Maui County ballot.
Organizers submitted one petition with 11,339 signatures, and then a supplemental petition with another 6,827 signatures. But 10,861 signatures were deemed invalid, leaving the initiative 1,896 registered voters short of the 9,201 required, according to a press release from the Maui County Clerk. (10861 / 18166 = 59.8% bogus)
On June 3, organizers were expressing confidence that their proposal “to convert the former [HC&S] sugarcane lands from private to public to create the world’s largest community-owned organic agricultural park” would go before voters. “We can now say with 90% certainty that we will be on the November ballot.”
Oops....
It's unclear how much was spent paying people to collect signatures, or where the money came from, because those loudly demanding transparency — these are the same folks that led the SHAKA GMO moratorium initiative on Maui — don't practice it themselves.
read … Musings: Open Season
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News Release from Maui County Clerk
The Office of the County Clerk has certified that the Community Farmland Council has not collected the required amount of valid signatures needed to advance to the Council a petition to establish a program to acquire and lease agricultural lands, County Clerk Danny Mateo announced today,
On April 18, the Community Farmland Council submitted an initiative petition that contained 11,339 signatures, and a supplemental petition on June 1 that contained 6,827 signatures,” County Clerk Danny Mateo said in the news release. “Our office has reviewed both submissions and determined that 7,305 registered voters in the County of Maui have signed the petitions, while 10,861 signatures have been deemed invalid.
Our office has carefully and diligently reviewed each line of the petitions to ensure a thorough and fair review for all sides of the issue.
Our office looks forward in assisting the public to utilize their rights as citizens of Maui County,” said Mateo. “We will continue to provide fair and unbiased assistance on all issues presented to us.
PDF: Certification of Results
MN: Only 7,305 were from registered voters in Maui County
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Successful Final Turn in of Signatures for Community Organic Farmland Initiative
From CommunityFarmland.org June 3, 2016
The Community Organic Farmland Initiative has reached its goal with a total of almost 20,000 people signing the initiative petitions. To be exact, 11,339 signatures on 1st turn in on April 18th plus 8439 signatures on the 2nd turn in on June 1st make a grand total of 19,838 people signing the initiative.
On Wednesday, June 1st, the Farmland Initiative had its 2nd and final signature turn in event with 8439 supplemental signatures given to the County Clerk. That is double the minimum number of supplemental signatures required (4193).
We have reached our goal. We can now say with 90% certainty that we will be on the November ballot. The County Clerk will release the final signature count on June 10th.
On April 18th, the Farmland Initiative had its 1st signature turn in with 11,339 signatures submitted. Then 45 days later, on May 31st, the Maui County Clerk’s Certificate of Results declared 5008 of these signatures to be valid. The Clerk stated that 4193 valid supplemental signatures would be required to meet the required 9201 valid signatures to put the initiative on the November ballot.
(Math assistance for anti-GMO morons: 5008/11339 = 44.2% x 8439 = 3730 ... 3730 + 5008 = 8738, 463 signatures short of the required 9,201.)
It is expected that the 2nd signature turn in will have a much higher valid signature ratio then the 1st turn in. (LOL!) Our petitioners have learned how to be more accurate in collecting only valid signatures of Maui registered voters. (NOT!)
We want to mahalo all of the hundreds of petitioners, volunteers and support teams for making this a reality. The Aina thanks you, and our future generations will thank you. This is a monumental accomplishment beyond our wildest imagination.
We now prepare for the public hearings on the Initiative at the County Council in July or August, and the election campaign for the November election.
The Community Organic Farmland Initiative seeks to create a legal mechanism where Maui voters can convert the former sugarcane lands from private to public ownership to create the world’s largest community-owned organic agricultural park. These Community Farmlands would be dedicated to growing healthy food to feed Maui that will provide abundant jobs and a thriving local economy. These lands can be purchased with Revenue Bonds, funded by private investors that do not divert or risk public funds, and are repaid from revenues generated by the land itself, not from County funds.
For more information, visit: www.CommunityFarmland.org
VIDEO: ‘Community Farmland” Activist Lorrin Pang Talks up Chemtrails Conspiracy Theory
Hawaii Co: After 22 Years of Abject Failure, County-Owned Ag Park May have First Tenant