The Hawaii County Council Finance Committee voted to advance a bill sponsored by South Kona Council Member Brenda Ford to set aside one quarter of one percent of existing property tax revenues as a fund to maintain Hawaii County’s owned open space. Currently the County has purchased several properties since its open space fund was established in 2007. They include the Waipio Valley Lookout, two parcels at Kawa Bay in Ka’u, and three parcels in North Kohala. Land manager Ken Von Bergen said in an earlier discussion that some of the properties will require more…
