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Conservative Forum on building code bill

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The following opinion is from the Conservative Forum of Hawaii:

We would like to emphasize the single most important major concern about the recent County Council’s narrow decision (5 to 4) regarding building codes. Every citizen needs to be alarmed by this whole process.

The new law on building codes adopts entirely the 2006 International Building Codes and International Energy Conservation Codes, and now with criminal penalties for violations.

Councilmen Blas, Ford, Hoffmann, Pilago and Smart voted “aye” without having read these codes, without even possessing copies of these codes, without knowing the impacts of these codes, and not even caring what impacts this law would have.

They would not even agree to a 2 week extension so that community building professionals could give a complete detailed list of their concerns about the impact.

They just do not care. The laws are not even readily available for any one else to read either, as they must be purchased at significant cost.

The County administration as represented by Public Works Director Warren Lee says the new codes will save lives, but deliberately refuses to do any kind of an analysis on the cost / benefit, or even the efficacy of the results. He claims they don’t have the resources to do so, but actually he does not want to know. He just doesn’t care about that, it is not important to him.

Building Division plan examiner / architect Neil Erikson has told us it would be “no problem” to review all 667 pages and make appropriate changes that actually make sense for the Big Island.

Between these 5 councilmen and the County Administration, what we have is a total neglect of the responsibility of their offices, a total disregard to the impact of their actions, and an alarming laziness in their approach to their duties.

Unfortunately, this is typical of what our government delivers more and more : they just do not care what effect their actions have, and refuse to even consider the effects before they pass laws.

As a result, our lives all become a bit more expensive, a bit more difficult, and a bit less free, every day.

Mayor Kenoi should veto this law, and all others similarly passed, unless responsible cost / benefit analysis are first done and considered fully.

Walter Moe, President
Edward Gutteling, Vice President
The Conservative Forum for Hawaii

One Response to “Conservative Forum on building code bill”

  1. Sarah says:

    I agree with Mr. Moe, Mayor Kenoi should veto this bill.

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