Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 3, 1 March 1997 — Dismantling of OHA? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Dismantling of OHA?

As a native Hawaiian and kupuna, I see the insidious hand of our state govemment working toward the dismanthng of OHA. At the last session of the state Legislature, the state administration introduced a bill to limit our revenues from ceded lands. This session there is a host of bills all directed toward cutting our revenues to a eap of $15,000,000

irom tne zv per cent tnat Act 304 (1990) mandates. House Bill (HB) 2207 was heard on Feb. 8, along with six other bills. HB 1302 clarifies the manner in whieh the portion of revenue from lands comprising the public land trust is calculated for allocation to OHA. We asked the committee to kill HB 1302. HB 2207 changes the amount of revenue from the pubhc land trust to be expended by OHA for the

native Hawaiians from 20 per cent to the first $15,000,000 of such revenue. (See story, page 1.) HB 307 requires that for the period Jan.l, 1997 to Dec. 31, 2003, 25% of the public land trust revenue payable to OHA be allocated to the DHHL for developing infrastructure on Hawaiian home lands. DHHL has a total of $600 million coming to them for housing and infrastructure on an annual amount of $30,000,000. Why take money away from OHA when we are responsible for the whole spectrum of services for our people: housing, culture, education, health and human services, land, etc., while DHHL is only responsible for getting native Hawauans on the land? Furthermore, OHA gave DHHL two $10 million dollar funds, one for mortgages and the other for renovations. We urged the committee to file HB 307. HB 2058 estabhshes a process by whieh

public land trust revenue is paid to OHA. We urged the committee to pass this measure whieh will help resolve Hawaiian entitlement in a timely and responsible manner. HB 2205 establishes the Commission on Native Hawaiian Public Land Trust to eonsider the conveyances of public land trust lands in satisfaction of outstanding obligations. We urged the committee to amend the bill by pursuing appointment of a joint legislative committee. As the trustee chairing the all-important Committee on Budget, Finance and Policy, I feel the need for us Hawahans to lobby to kill all bills that are detrimental to us and our welfare. If the state cannot pay us what they owe us in entitlements under Act 304 (1990), they should award us lands of eomparable value such as Sand Island, or lands at Kapolei for us to develop and

, earn revenue and other lands we choose, etc., for settlement. The governor's decision to plaee in escrow $7.5 million of airport revenues due OHA, his continuing effort to play nonHawaiians against us saying we will "bankrupt the State," the ridiculous figure of $1.2billion owed us made by the airport operations, and the continuing barrage of misinformation by some business leaders, makes me wonder about the conspiracy to dismantle and destroy OHA. Judge Heely's decision last rvr r I I /\ 1 1 ni-

ycai uii uui auii 111 v.iicuil euuu made good legal sense. As a matter of fact, the Chairman of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs asked the Attorney General if Judge Heeley's decision could be changed by the Legislature. Where are they going? What do they want to do? They are trying to destroy the OHA trust, that's what! We must be ever vigilant to see that OHA survives and continues to receive what it is entitled to receive under Act 304. Anything else would be disastrous to all Hawaiians.

Why take money from OHA when we are responsible for the whole spectrum of services for our people: housing, eulture, education, health and human services, land, etc., . . .

A(,7AAA* AIOHA Trustee, Maui