Pubdate: Thu, 17 May 2007
Source: West Hawaii Today (HI)
Copyright: 2007 West Hawaii Today
Contact:  http://westhawaiitoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/644
Author: Jim Quirk

COUNCIL DROPS MARIJUANA REMOVAL FUNDING FROM BUDGET

$600,000 In Federal Funds For Marijuana Eradication Program Were
Removed From 2007-08 Operating Budget

HILO -- Police helicopters that search for marijuana plants on the Big
Island may soon be grounded, as the Hawaii County Council voted to
remove federal funding for a marijuana eradication program from the
proposed 2007-08 operating budget.

About 50 residents, mostly from the east side of Big Island, expressed
their opposition to the county accepting federal dollars for the
marijuana eradication program during a meeting on Wednesday.

Opponents to the marijuana eradication program are most concerned
about its use of police helicopters.

Roger Christie, founder of the Hilo-based Hawaii Cannabis THC
Ministry, told the council that 30 years ago, the Big Island was a
place where people could leave their keys in their cars with no
worries about having their vehicles stolen.

The war on drugs changed all that, Christie said, as it led to people
using other drugs, particularly ice, a form of methamphetamine.

The reason the government doesn't spend money on trying to find a
cause to the meth epidemic is because the marijuana eradication
program is the cause of the meth epidemic, he said.

Councilman Bob Jacobson, Puna, Ka'u, South Kona, introduced an
amendment to Mayor Harry Kim's proposed 2007-08 operating budget to
remove from it nearly $600,000 in federal funding earmarked for the
program, which involves the use of helicopters searching for marijuana
plants.

After a lengthy discussion, the council voted 5-4 in favor of the
amendment.

Jacobson and council members Brenda Ford, South Kona; Dominic Yagong,
Hamakua; Emily Naeole, Puna; and Stacy Higa, Hilo, voted in favor of
the amendment. Hilo council members J Yoshimoto and Donald Ikeda,
along with North Kona Councilman Angel Pilago and Council Chairman
Pete Hoffmann, Kohala, voted against it.

Higa turned out to be the swing vote. He voted "kanalua" twice, which
means he is favor of the measure but has reservations about it.

The county has accepted federal funding for the program for years, but
in recent years, the council has not voted on whether to accept the
funding as a separate line item. Instead, it has been buried in the
overall budget.

Officials indicated during the meeting that the Police Department,
regardless of whether the council removes the program money from the
budget, will still be offered the federal money. Jacobson said during
a break in the meeting that the issue of whether the county accepts
the money will come to the council as a separate issue sometime later
this year.

Before the vote, Jacobson said it's important residents "see who's
voting for and against these programs."

He categorized it as "a failed program."

Deputy Police Chief James Day told the council the federal money could
only be used for the marijuana eradication program, and that other
federal grants are used toward the elimination of harder drugs such as
meth.

Higa wondered what would happen to the Police Department's helicopter
program if the county didn't accept the money, and Day said it would
be severely curtailed.

Day said the federal DEA would continue with the helicopter operations
on the Big Island without any assistance from local police.

With that in mind, Ikeda said refusing to accept the funding won't
stop the use of helicopters.

Yagong said many residents believe the use of helicopters is "too
intrusive."

Yagong, although he's interested in seeing how the county fares
without the program for a year, said there is "a danger" to consider
by not accepting the money.

"What (Ikeda) is saying is correct," Yagong said. "It doesn't stop DEA
from completing their mission. It may get worse."

Naeole said the police need to focus more on ice because meth addicts
are violent.

"They (meth addicts) don't have the brains," Naeole said. "Their
brains are fried. They'll kill you."

Naeole said she doesn't like police invading people's properties in
their search for marijuana and using harsh tactics.

"Just because you're police doesn't mean you could just terrorize,"
she said.

In addition to Jacobson's amendment, the council voted in favor of a
number of other amendments to the operating budget before finally
approving it on its first reading in a unanimous vote.

The council also made a number amendments to Kim's proposed capital
budget before approving it on first reading in a unanimous vote.
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