STAND. COM. REP. NO. 280

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 570
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, to which was
referred S.B. No. 570 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE WAIANAE COAST COMMUNITY
     BENCHMARKING PILOT PROJECT AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO
     SUPPORT THE PROJECT,"

begs leave to report as follows:
     
     The purpose of this measure is to extend the Waianae coast
community benchmarking project through June 30, 2003, and to
appropriate $400,000 to support the work of the project.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from Aloha United Way, Alternative Structures International,
Hawai`i Community Services Council, Nanakuli Neighborhood Housing
Services, Inc., Wai`anae Business Center, Waianae Coast Culture
and Art Project, Waianae Coast Early Childhood Services, Inc.,
and three individuals.  The Department of Business, Economic
Development, and Tourism opposed the measure.

     Your Committee finds that this project offers both tangible
and intangible benefits to the people of Wai`anae and the wider
Hawaii community.  Tangible benefits include a management tool
for reallocation resources, accountability for block grants, and
collaboration between public and private sector funding and
services sources.  On the intangible side, community consensus
building, increased public trust, and stronger community action
benefit all those involved.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 280
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     Your Committee is supportive of the goals and activities of
the benchmarking project and believes it provides an alternative
means of improving the economy of the Wai`anae community and the
lives of its members.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Economic Development that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 570 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Economic
                                   Development,



                                   ______________________________
                                   LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 
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