Mapping an Ideal PONC Workflow.
Following my office's PONC in Practice Summit at the Arc of Hilo, participants consistently identified a common challenge within the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund (PONC) process: certain provisions within the Hawaiʻi County Charter create unnecessary barriers that slow implementation and limit the program’s effectiveness.
In response to this feedback, I introduced a Charter amendment to strengthen PONC by increasing the amount of funding available for stewardship, eliminating the $3 million cap on funding, and ensuring that any unspent PONC funds remain within the fund rather than reverting to the County's General Fund. Allowing these funds to accrue over time will better position the County to support long-term stewardship and future land acquisition opportunities.
About The Bills: PONC Legislation
No Funding Cap: Removes the existing $3 million cap, allowing stewardship funding to grow alongside PONC revenues.
Keeping Funds in Account: Allows unused stewardship funds to remain in the stewardship account instead of reverting to the General Fund, ensuring funds remain available for future projects.
Clearer Charter: Simplifies and modernizes Charter language to improve clarity, consistency, and implementation while maintaining the Charter as a broad governing document.
Operational Flexibility: Moves the detailed list of eligible stewardship expenditures from the Charter to the County Code, where operational policies can be updated through the public legislative process without requiring another Charter amendment.
Preserves the Grant Process: Maintains the existing process of distributing stewardship funds through grants approved by Council resolution.
Commission Authority Remains: Does not remove any authority from the PONC Commission. The duties remain in County Code.
PONC Legislation
Bill summaries below. Click on link to review legislation.
Bill 165, as amended to Draft 2, increases the annual allocation dedicated to the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Maintenance Fund from 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent of real property tax revenue.
The bill removes the accrual limit for the fund and provides that all expenses from the fund must align with the fund’s purpose.
The bill also authorizes the awarding of grants from the fund.
The drafted code amendment transfers program-specific provisions from the Charter to the Hawaiʻi County Code. While the Charter establishes the program's foundational framework, placing operational details in the Code allows future policymakers to more efficiently update and refine the program in response to changing needs, lessons learned, and evolving best practices without requiring a Charter amendment.
Outlined Timeline of PONC Legislation
MARCH 2026 – Convening of PONC in Practice: A Policy Summit
My office convened the PONC in Practice: A Policy Summit at the Arc of Hilo to bring together PONC program stakeholders to collaboratively identify an ideal program workflow, gather recommendations for operational and policy improvements, and clarify the roles and responsibilities of County nonprofit partners.
JUNE 2026 – Charter Amendment Introduced
My office introduced the charter amendment at the June 2nd Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs meeting (click to watch meeting recording). The Committee recommended its passage to Council on first reading. On June 17, 2026, the Council voted to pass Bill 165 (click to watch meeting recording) to second reading, scheduled for July 8, 2026.
JULY 2026 – Charter Amendment moves through Council
On its second reading on July 8 (click to watch meeting recording), the Council amended the bill with the contents of Communication No. 915.4. The Council then voted to pass the bill, as amended to Draft 2, on its third and final reading scheduled for Thursday, July 23, 2026, at the Kona Chambers.