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by Liz Larson
The following petition was heard last night (Thursday April 25, 2013) in Senate Chambers:
PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE 2013 HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE
We, the residents of the State of Hawaii, in the year 2013, petition the Hawaii State Legislature, both the Senate and the House of Representatives, to vote ‘No’ to Senate Bill 237 and House Bill 865, which would allow the lease of public school land to private developers even if the land is currently being used for the education of our keiki.
Of great concern is the fact that these bills will allow the current approval process for leasing public school land to by bypassed, thus creating a fast track process for private developments that may not be beneficial to the public school system, the children, or the community.
Even though the bills were created to raise needed funds for modernizing school facilities, there are better and more efficient ways to raise money for public education than to permanently build high rise buildings or other private developments where school property is currently being utilized for educational purposes.
The unintended consequence of these bills is that schools in the urban core will be targeted where open space is at a premium and where the community most desires to keep public school land exclusively for the use of the children.
There are over 500 signatures on the petition!
Thank you for your support in making this possible.
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