COUNCIL REJECTS MARIJUANA RESOLUTION

Members also send message to governor on hotel tax revenue The County
Council talked drugs and money Friday, but decided to lobby the state
Legislature only for the latter.

A nonbinding resolution urging state lawmakers to decriminalize the
cultivation, possession and use of marijuana was rejected by a 5-2 vote,
with two members absent.

Council members also voted 7-0 to urge the Legislature and Gov. Linda
Lingle to support continuing to give Hawaii's four counties their current
share of the state's hotel room-tax revenues.

"I don't want to be the leader in marijuana," Ka'u Guy Enriques said in
opposing the pot proposal from North Kona Councilman Kelly Greenwell.

Enriques said one reason he ran for his council seat in 2008 was that he
was upset that lawmakers had endorsed making marijuana use by adults the
Police Department's lowest law enforcement priority.

"I don't think any of us would want to go to a doctor who's high on
marijuana and have him make a decision," Enriques added.

The measure drew support only from Greenwell and Puna Councilwoman Emily
Naeole-Beason.

Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi and South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford were
absent when the vote was taken.

The two also missed voting on a nonbinding resolution urging the
Legislature and Lingle to "work with the counties to ensure we continue to
receive our fair share of the TAT (transient accommodations tax)
revenues."

Hawaii County, like its three counterparts, is once again at risk of
losing its roughly $18.5 million annual share of the tax collected when
residents and visitors pay for hotel rooms. The state wants to keep the
TAT funds, which make up Hawaii County's second-largest revenue source
behind property taxes, to help close a $1.2 billion budget shortfall.

Lingle and several state lawmakers, including some who represent parts of
Hawaii Island, have expressed support for withholding at least a portion
of the tax revenues.

Hawaii County's share is 8.3 percent of the total collections.

The council's request will now be sent to state lawmakers and Lingle.