North Shore NewsThe Council was pleased to recognize Linda Seyler at our June Council Meeting for her dedication and commitment to the North Shore Community through North Shore News, the North Shore Food Bank, and so much more. We were able to provide her with an honorary certificate and continue to applaud her work.
We are also happy to announce that through the collaborative efforts of community members, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Urban Forestry, and our office we were able to get trees that posed a potential threat to infrastructure and public safety removed from Kaiaka Beach Park. Being in the midst of a potentially active hurricane season due to El Nino weather conditions, we were glad the much needed removal work was performed in a timely manner avoiding potential harm to community members in the event of a hurricane or extreme weather conditions. We give a huge mahalo to all involved in the effort!
For legislative updates, I recently introduced Bill 46 (2023) with Chair Waters, to end the sale of flavored tobacco products in light of the health crisis our youth are facing, and Bill 47 (2023) with Councilmember Cordero, to require that the City collect manufactured compstables alongside green and food waste in our rubbish collection. Bill 46 is important given that 1 in 3 high school students and 1 in 5 middle school students regularly use electronic cigarettes, and it would bring electronic cigarettes into compliance with the law as it already applies to other cigarettes. Bill 47 would increase the amount of waste that is composted, which is important during a time when the City is assessing potential locations for our next landfill. In addi- tion, Bill 34 (2023), which I introduced earlier this year and which would raise the homeowner exemp- tion to $250,000, or $300,000 for those 65 years or older, also passed second reading at our last Council Meeting.
Please reach out if you have any ideas about is- sues to work on in our community – 808-768-5002 or mweyer@honolulu.gov.
Mahalo! Matt