HONOLULU Hawaii lawmakers have approved $20 million in grants and $40 million in loans to Hawaii County to help residents recover from last years Kilauea volcano eruption.
HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers have approved $20 million in grants and $40 million in loans to Hawaii County to help residents recover from last year’s Kilauea volcano eruption.
The Senate passed legislation awarding the funds on Friday, one month after the House. The bill goes to Gov. David Ige. Ige spokeswoman Jodi Leong says the governor will decide whether to sign it after his staff reviews it.
Lawmakers expect the county to receive federal funds to cover the $40 million in loans.
Lava from Kilauea volcano destroyed more than 700 homes during an eruption from May through August. The eruption wiped out a school, farms, roads, water systems and large part of the electrical grid.
Tourism dropped sharply as Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the state’s biggest tourist attraction, had to shut down.
I really don’t think its the responsibility of those who do not live in a hazard volcanic zones be charged in paying for this when they knew it was a risk. Besides the vast majority could not even get home insurance because of the hazards of living in these zones.
So why should those not living on the Big Island have to dish out their hard earned money to bail them out? What has Harry Kim or for that matter the County of Hawaii been doing with all the accumulated property taxes generated throughout those years leading up to this disaster?
And most importantly, when will the next eruption wipe out taxpayer’s “investment” of $60 million and who will be stuck with holding the bag? If that happens, then the blame should be placed on all those legislatures who passed this bill, take it out on their salaries, pensions and other “under the table” deals they make on the side.