A Honolulu city councilman and others have raised late objections to a bill that would authorize the private development of public school land, undermining its chances as state House and Senate negotiators approach a deadline on Friday.
Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson has introduced a resolution urging state lawmakers not to pass the bill until the state and city have an agreement on how the city would be fairly compensated for development of public school land owned by the city. Many school properties in Honolulu sit on city-owned land but are used for schools by the state Department of Education.
Anderson said Tuesday that the bill, a priority for Gov. Neil Abercrombie, is too similar to the Public Land Development Corp., which the Legislature and Abercrombie have just repealed.
Several environmental activists who fought the PLDC have made similar claims, even though the 21st-century schools proposal would be overseen by the Department of Education — not a new development agency — and would not have any of the broad land-use exemptions of the PLDC.
"It seems that the state may replace the PLDC with another agency or another similar-like agency," Anderson said.
Abercrombie wants to develop workforce housing and other commercial projects on underused school property to generate revenue to modernize public schools.
Sen. Jill Tokuda, the lead Senate negotiator on the bill, and Rep. Cindy Evans, the lead House negotiator, said the legislation would authorize the development of public school land only when compatible with county plans and surrounding communities. Both House and Senate drafts say that developers would be obligated to pay applicable county property taxes on the value of any improvements. The Senate draft says that if the development site is on county-owned land, the department shall consult with the county.
Anderson said the state took the land from the city for educational purposes, and if the property is no longer going to be used for education, "the land should revert back to its rightful owner."
Tokuda said she is open to talking with Anderson and the city about whether to strengthen the consultation process in the bill.
Tokuda (D, Kailua-Kaneohe) and Evans (D, Kaupulehu-Waimea-Halaula) remain at odds over how many projects to authorize — the Senate wants two projects; the House wants five — and whether to place a time limit on the legislation. The Senate wants a five-year time limit; the House wants no time limit, since the projects would be capped at a fixed number.
"When you don’t have an end date in sight, things can go on and on forever," Tokuda said.
Evans said she hopes the House and Senate can reach agreement by the Friday deadline to have bills ready for final votes next week. "I’m hoping it’s solvable," she said.
