Senate Committee on Ways and Means (WAM) - chair: Kim

Friday, April 3, 2009, Conference Room 210

Testifier: Jacqueline Parnell, President, LWV of Hawaii

Click here to view HB1741

Dear Senator Kim and Members of the Committee: The League of Women Voters of Hawaii opposes this bill. It is extremely short sighted. It would deprive our state of significant amounts of additional private and federal matching funds for affordable rental housing programs as well as land and natural area conservation. There are better ways to help balance the budget than to siphon off conveyance tax revenue intended for the Land Conservation, Natural Area Reserve, and Rental Housing Trust Funds for the next six years. Passage of HB 1741 would be pennywise and pound foolish. While it would do little to help balance the whole state budget, likely providing only $9.6 million or so each year, that same money would go far in protecting natural areas and supporting affordable housing choices. Thank you for this opportunity to testify.