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Politics, Media, Commentary, Community
Politics, Media, Commentary, Community Friday
18May
Don't plant that victory garden yet
Friday, May 18, 2007 at 07:41AM The Honolulu Bulletin has a second-day story in today's edition about the Hawaii County Council's marijuana eradication vote which suggests the end of Green Harvest isn't as near as first reported.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald headline said rather definitively on Thursday that the Hawaii County Council "axed" a controversial pot-eradication program when it voted 5-4 Wednesday against accepting $582,000 in grant funds for "Green Harvest" helicopter operations. Subsequently, local news radio reports characteristically reported the headline but failed to include the caveats that were deeper in the story.
Frankly I was surprised by the anti-eradication votes from Council members Dominic Yagong of Hamakua, Brenda Ford of Kona and Stacy Higa of Hilo. Yagong has consistently voted for the program and Ford expressed fairly strong support for eradication at an earlier hearing.
Higa's support was the least convincing. As the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported, his vote consisted of two "kanalua" -- meaning undecided -- votes which by law equals a yes. But they certainly indicate he's still on the fence. Another vote will be taken June 1 to adopt the final budget at which time the funds could be put back in and Mayor Harry Kim has final say on the budget.
The issue largely involves the invasiveness and noise of the helicopters, which are able to swoop low over homes in search of the illegal weed and unload police onto private property without warrants to chop down the plants and make arrests.
The Tribune-Herald reported Hawaii County Prosecutor Jay Kimura saying that the feds could continue the helicopter-driven eradication program even if the County refused the grant money. Other proponents fear that a pure federal program could include aerial spraying of herbicides. But there's nothing to prevent the feds from doing that now, and I would be disappointed if the Council voted against what it felt was right for its citizens only because the federal government might do it anyway.
Some who favor the eradication program also contend that rejecting these grants could jeopardize other grants such as Weed and Seed if the feds get uptight and determine that the county's just not tough enough in the War of Drugs to deserve any other kind of help. That, too, would be disappointing and unfortunate but shouldn't deter local lawmakers from doing what's right about the helicopters.
Fifth District Councilwoman Emily Naeole, who voted against the funding, said the helicopters terrorize citizens and that she has been personally affected.
J Yoshimoto, an attorney, and Council Chairman Pete Hoffmann, were both reported saying they voted in favor of the Green Harvest program because they felt a need to uphold the law. But there's no law that says the county has to accept the grants. There are many laws and public officials make policy decisions all the time about which laws should get enhanced enforcement. Think of seat belt laws, or driving under the influence, as just a couple of examples. So unless their comments were not fully reported or taken out of context, they make a weak argument in favor of funding the program.
Nevertheless it appears now that Stacy Higa holds the key to the future of this marijuana eradication program. But even if it falls by the wayside, it's likely to crop up again.
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Reader Comments (4)
Drunken drivers, who kill and mame many people, are another kettle of fish altogether. When a drunk drives, it's like putting a loaded gun in their hands. Why is it okay to beat up people, like family members, and kill them on the highway with speeding and irratic driving allowed?
Ice-heads are a real problem, too. They are responsible for many robberies in my area and are unreasonable people. Crystal meth destroys them and their families, as well as society.
I say, change the law, and let us live in peace. It's true that the "Green Harvest" choppers terrorize the citizens. Go after the drunk drivers and meth manufacturers! The money would be better spent on these issues.
Yeah to Councilwoman Emily Naeole!
“Why is it okey to beat up people, like family members, and kill them on the highway with erratic driving allowed ?
Golly gee, Frankie I think that the cloud of smoke that is swarming around your head has interfered with your thought process. Just who ever said the this stuff is “okey and allowed”? If smoking is you way of getting loaded, so be it. Please don’t say that your illegal way of getting high is any different than from the drunk or the ice head, it is simply to what degree you like and can handle.
I drink beer and I like it, but please remember that beer is a legal beverage. If too much beer or alcohol is consumed there are laws to deal with it. You pot heads always think that you just mellow and not loaded. Well pal so dose the drunk and ice head.
The Lack
they voted 5-4 to remove the funding from the budget, All this means is that now the police will have to come before the council like EVERY OTHER GRANT PROGRAM DOES and ask the council to accept the grant or reject it, that's when the green harvest show down will happen.
the vote the other day to remove the funds from the budget (where it never should have been in the first place) was nothing more than a procedural move. Yagong, Ford, Higa, they all knew and understood that all they were doing was putting the program back where it belonged in the frist place.
Things will get very interesting when the current grant runs out and the Police must come ask the council to accept next years grant money. That's when you'll get you fireworks on this issue. The funding will pass at that time