2025-02-05 Adele Henkel Testimony

Home

The plan assumes economic diversification will reduce reliance on tourism but fails to address key barriers: •Workforce Shortages in Tech&Healthcare: While the plan emphasizes education and business services,Hawaii struggles to retain talent due to the high cost of living. •Tourism Mismanagement:Reducing tourism's footprint is economically dangerous,as it remains Hawai`i's largest industry.Balancing conservation and tourism is unrealistic without clear incentives. •Agricultural Growth Is Not Feasible at Scale:Farming expansion requires land,water,and workforce,all of which are limited.Dependence on imports will persist. 5.Climate Resilience Efforts Are Costly and Overreaching Climate change policies in the plan impose expensive regulations without clear economic benefits: • Sea Level Rise Restrictions Hurt Property Owners: Over-regulating coastal development diminishes property rights and land values. •Renewable Energy Transition Increases Costs: Shifting rapidly to renewables raises electricity prices and risks reliability issues. •Disaster Preparedness Funding Is Unclear:Climate adaptation measures require significant public spending without clearly defined funding sources. Conclusion:A More Balanced Approach Needed The General Plan 2045 prioritizes idealistic goals over practical solutions.A more balanced approach should: 1.Focus on essential infrastructure first,ensuring roads,utilities,and housing affordability before investing in speculative technology. 2.Encourage private-sector solutions rather than increasing government intervention in housing and economic development. 3.Make climate policies cost-effective,ensuring that taxpayers are not burdened by aggressive renewable energy mandates. While the plan's vision is commendable,its execution threatens affordability,economic stability,and individual property rights.A more pragmatic approach is necessary to ensure growth without overregulation and excessive public spending."