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�5b tS 1A J h 5 <br />D <br />My name is Jason de Bruyn and I OPPOSE BILL 121. <br />Hosted short term rentals bring in such a massive amount of tax revenue, employ so many <br />people, help support local economies outside of hotel infested areas, and have such an <br />incredibly low complaint rate, it is of my opinion that if such a program had been conceived of <br />my the co-authors of this bill, I have no doubt they would be running for reelection based on its <br />overwhelming success. <br />But as we all know, it is far more difficult to create something than destroy it. And so, the Bill <br />they have written is not one of creation or solution but rather, one of destruction. <br />It will not create jobs. It will destroy them. It will not create housing or solve the housing crisis, <br />it will threaten homes. It will not bring in more tax revenue but rather massively decrease it. It <br />will not create sustainable financial security in hard times, but it will erase just that for many - <br />just as it won't help local businesses but rather only increase their struggles. <br />How rare it is to have something in the world of economics exist in such perfect symbiosis. A <br />traveller doesn't have the money for a fancy, overpriced hotel room, and I have a small Ohana <br />on my land or an extra room. I welcome them in, they pay me money and they have a <br />wonderful time. I pay my taxes to Hawaii. My guest spends their money in local grocery stores <br />and markets, in restaurants, in coffee shops, at the gas station. I too spend my money in these <br />places. The money comes from the outside and stays here. It is invested back into this island <br />we call home, and all want the best for. <br />My guests win. The local economy wins. My family wins. Hawaii wins. <br />We are a review based industry, we do not require any more regulation than that. If our rentals <br />are not up to par, unsafe, receive complaints, and so on, we get bad reviews. If we get bad <br />reviews, we don't get business. If we don't get business, we go out of business. It is quite <br />simple. And furthermore, if we receive horrible reviews, a platform such as AirBnB will kick us <br />off entirely. It is in their best interest as well that guests, communities, and hosts alike are all <br />satisfied. We are all working towards the same objective. <br />Do we really need a task force with the threat of outrageous, unaffordable fines, criminal <br />charges and new rules? Rules that could change yet once again at the whim of the next <br />ambitious, out of touch politician to come along? I can't risk my children's future under those <br />conditions. <br />a4 to �o" <br />What Kilauea could not do. What the pandemic and travel bans could not do. What inflation <br />and 5 dollar gas prices could not do, BILL 121 will succeed at if passed into law. It will force us <br />to shut down. It will force so many families and individuals to shut down. Perhaps even leave. <br />That would be the true lasting legacy of BILL 121 and anyone that votes in support of it. <br />We all know the old saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well this bill won't fix anything, <br />it will just make more hard. working. people. broke. <br />But you can stop it. <br />Thank you for your time. <br />'d e. m8 by <br />