(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) In the aftermath of the devastating Maui, Hawaii, wildfires, the state’s leftist Gov. Josh Green is already scheming to take the land under state control, Becker News reported.
In a recent interview, Green spoke very directly about his attempt to acquire the land.
“I’m already thinking of ways for the state to acquire that land so that we can put it into workforce housing, to put it back into families, or make it open spaces in perpetuity as a memorial to the people who were lost,” Green said during a recent visit to the blighted island.
According to the governor, “this to be something we remember after the pain passes as a magic place.”
In order to construct his “magic place,” Green does not want to leave the wasteland for nature to regrow, or for people to rebuild. Rather, he believes that it will be best off under state control.
His imperative was clear: “the state will take it and preserve it first.”
And though some of his concerns may be legitimate, such as foreign investors exploiting the disaster, he mentioned that he may issue “a moratorium” on any and all sales of property that has been “damaged or destroyed” by the fire.
The fire destroyed approximately 2,000 structures, and killed at least 106 people.
Mikal Watts, a lawyer who handles wildfire cases, suggested that the fire was likely started by the state of Hawaii’s own electrical equipment.
“All evidence — videos, witness accounts, burn progression, and utility equipment remaining — points to Hawaiian Electric’s equipment being the ignition source of the fire that devastated Lahaina,” said Watts.
But, convinced of the state’s competence, Green noted that his intent is to stop out-of-state and foreign investors from snapping up land on Maui in order to maximally develop the island.
According to the governor, it is necessary to allow discussions of the future of Lahaina to unfold first.
“I will try to allow no one from outside our state to buy any land until we get through this crisis and decide what Lahaina should be in the future.”
