Paw patrol
HILO — More than a month
after volcanic activity began disrupting
life in lower Puna, teams
are still striving to rescue animals
that remain in the lava zones.
On Thursday, an animal
search-and-rescue team led
by the Hawaii Island Humane
Society and American Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals removed — sometimes
by helicopter — more than a
SUNDAY, JUNE 17, 2018 WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM $1.50
dozen animals, including birds,
sheep, cats and a dog, from
Kapoho Beach Lots.
According to the ASPCA, these
animals were transported to the
Humane Society’s Keaau shelter,
where they will receive care until
reunited with their families.
“These search-and-rescue
efforts are absolutely critical to
safely remove animals trapped in
areas completely cut off by active
lava fields and steep banks,” Dick
Green, senior director of ASPCA
SEE GET PAGE 8A
Disaster Response, said. “The
ongoing and relentless destruction
caused by the Kilauea volcano
eruptions has put hundreds
of animal lives at risk, and the
ASPCA is pleased to be in a position
where we can partner and
assist the Hawaii Island Humane
Society to save as many displaced
animals as possible.”
According to Green, the
ASPCA Field Investigations and
Response team deploys nationwide
to assist in relocation,
search-and-rescue, sheltering
and placement of animals during
disaster situations.
The HIHS has deployed up
to eight animal control officers
each day when given access to
search for animals, HIHS executive
director Donna Whitaker.
“We’ve gone door-to-door in
the subdivision in our search for
animals at risk and continue to
leave food and water for those
animals not yet found and rescued,”
she said.
As of Friday, Whitaker said the
HIHS has rescued more than 165
animals, nearly all of which have
been reunited with owners, with
the remaining animals sheltering
in foster homes.
A flyover of the eruption areas
and an on-the-ground evaluation
in Leilani Estates were done last
Monday to look for remaining
animals, days after a community
meeting was held by the HIHS
HILO — The public will have
two opportunities to weigh in
on a proposed quarter-percent
increase to the general excise tax
before the County Council takes
its final vote Tuesday.
Administration officials say
there’s a twofold reason for
instituting the tax: to patch an
estimated $5 million hole in the
current budget and to diversify
county revenues, to spare
property owners future tax hikes.
About 30 percent to 40 percent
of the GET is paid by tourists,
they say, while property
taxes currently account for more
than 70 percent of the county’s
operating revenues.
“Putting all your eggs in one
basket, which is real property
tax, isn’t really smart,”
Deputy Finance Director
Nancy Crawford told the Cost
of Government Commission
on Thursday, adding the GET
means “visitors will have an
opportunity to contribute to our
infrastructure as they certainly
reap the benefits of it.”
A divided council, by a 5-4
vote last week, barely passed Bill
159, a downsized version of the
mayor’s GET surcharge attempt.
The new bill trims the tax from
one-half percent to one-quarter,
and curtails the length of the tax
to Dec. 31, 2020, rather than the
Dec. 31, 2030 deadline allowed
by the state Legislature.
INDEX Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . . 6B Classified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1D Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1C Nation & World. . . . . . 3A-5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B
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58551 00781 7
VOL. 50, NO. 168 32 PAGES
INSIDE
THE
RUNAROUND
Kiddos take the
course at the
Aloha Keiki Run
SPORTS, 1B
▼
HAPPY
FATHER’S
DAY!
When your kids
reflect your love
of building and
DIY projects...
PAGE 11A
▼
FINAL TAX VOTE TUESDAY
PUBLIC HEARING MONDAY ON GENERAL EXCISE TAX INCREASE
BY NANCY COOK LAUER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
Deputy Finance Director Nancy Crawford explains the
county budget shortfall to the Cost of Government
Commission on Thursday in Hilo. NANCY COOK LAUER/WEST HAWAII
TODAY
KILAUEA ERUPTION
An animal search-and-rescue team led by the Hawaii Island Humane Society and American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, removed — sometimes by helicopter — more than a dozen animals, including
birds, sheep, cats and a dog, from Kapoho Beach Lots on Thursday.
ANIMAL SEARCH-AND-RESCUE SAVES MORE THAN A DOZEN ANIMALS FROM ERUPTION ZONE
BY STEPHANIE SALMONS
HAWAII TRIBUNE-HERALD
Teams led by the Hawaii Island
Humane Society and the ASPCA
removed more than a dozen
animals out of the Kapoho Beach
Lots subdivision in lower Puna on
Thursday. COURTESY PHOTOS
SEE RESCUE PAGE 8A
link