My name is Keisa Liu and I would like to support the Council in improving the access for public to testify in Council meetings. I understand that the new Sunshine Law was enacted at the State level. In practice, this new procedure inhibits the ability for the public to participate in meetings.
Yesterday, I waited five hours to testify on one agenda item. For my second item, the meeting concluded before I had the opportunity to testify.
Please make it an option to choose the best public testimony format for the meetings. Meetings that contain dozens of agenda items should be formatted so that public can testify at the beginning of the meeting. Meetings with few agenda items can utilize the new process.
During the pandemic, our Council worked hard to protect our right to participate in this democracy. It was something that made me proud. Even if they visibly disagreed with what we said, even if they were attacked, even if it felt like meetings dragged on forever because there were 50 testifiers, our Council made sure we had an opportunity to be heard.
Some suggestions for Item #2 - Suggestions for Improving County government -
1. Honor the new lifetime 5 term Council term limit passed by 48,967 Maui County voters in the November 2020 General Election - Alice Lee should resign at the end of this term.
2. Pass a local Sunshine Ordinance that prioritizes open, accountable, transparent government including improving access to public records and meetings.
3. Discuss and pass all amendments to legislation publicly at properly noticed public meetings. Stop amending legislation privately, off the record - examples include the 2020 County Council term limit legislation, the 2019 legislative overhaul of the County's property tax rates, annual rate setting procedures and tax classifications and the 2021 legislation eliminating proof of State and County tax filings for STRH permit renewals.
4. Do not introduce legislation and approve it on first reading at the same meeting. This does not provide residents an opportunity to review legislation and provide meaningful public comment prior to the Council's first vote.
5. Spend the County's federal Covid relief funds in an open, transparent, accountable manner.
My name is Keisa Liu and I would like to support the Council in improving the access for public to testify in Council meetings. I understand that the new Sunshine Law was enacted at the State level. In practice, this new procedure inhibits the ability for the public to participate in meetings.
Yesterday, I waited five hours to testify on one agenda item. For my second item, the meeting concluded before I had the opportunity to testify.
Please make it an option to choose the best public testimony format for the meetings. Meetings that contain dozens of agenda items should be formatted so that public can testify at the beginning of the meeting. Meetings with few agenda items can utilize the new process.
During the pandemic, our Council worked hard to protect our right to participate in this democracy. It was something that made me proud. Even if they visibly disagreed with what we said, even if they were attacked, even if it felt like meetings dragged on forever because there were 50 testifiers, our Council made sure we had an opportunity to be heard.
Please protect our right to be heard.
Some suggestions for Item #2 - Suggestions for Improving County government -
1. Honor the new lifetime 5 term Council term limit passed by 48,967 Maui County voters in the November 2020 General Election - Alice Lee should resign at the end of this term.
2. Pass a local Sunshine Ordinance that prioritizes open, accountable, transparent government including improving access to public records and meetings.
3. Discuss and pass all amendments to legislation publicly at properly noticed public meetings. Stop amending legislation privately, off the record - examples include the 2020 County Council term limit legislation, the 2019 legislative overhaul of the County's property tax rates, annual rate setting procedures and tax classifications and the 2021 legislation eliminating proof of State and County tax filings for STRH permit renewals.
4. Do not introduce legislation and approve it on first reading at the same meeting. This does not provide residents an opportunity to review legislation and provide meaningful public comment prior to the Council's first vote.
5. Spend the County's federal Covid relief funds in an open, transparent, accountable manner.