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explanations about which rooms my family will occupy in order to justify continuing to host <br /> responsibly on the property where we live. <br /> No new buildings have been created. No forest reserve has been disturbed. No agricultural <br /> land has been misused.We have had zero neighbor complaints.We pay every tax and fee <br /> known to man—transient accommodations taxes, general excise taxes, county taxes, and <br /> income tax.We are accountable, local, resident hosts. <br /> Yet we are being grilled about what we are doing with the home we work extremely hard to <br /> afford and have shared with so many.That burden is not theoretical. It has caused real <br /> stress, sleepless nights, and serious emotional strain for my family as we face the <br /> possibility that, after doing everything we believed was responsible,we may still be forced <br /> into a position where selling and leaving Hawaii becomes the more realistic option and <br /> financially viable route.And consider who we would be selling to...more than likely an out of <br /> state resident who can afford to live here half the year, earns more in lucrative mainland job <br /> markets,treats lei makers as trespassers. <br /> That is heartbreaking, and it should concern this Council. <br /> If the County truly values regenerative tourism, cultural stewardship, agricultural <br /> education, and keeping local families rooted in Hawaii,then policies should be designed <br /> to support families like ours—not overwhelm us with administrative burdens that make it <br /> harder to stay.This is the environment Bill 147 risks creating, and I respectfully ask the <br /> Council to reconsider whether that is truly the outcome you intend. <br /> 10. Many local families may be afraid to speak publicly. <br /> I will also be candid that I hesitated to submit this testimony. I did not want to become a <br /> target simply for sharing my perspective. <br /> However, I know there are many home owners in similar situations who may also be <br /> reluctant to speak publicly. <br /> Someone needs to advocate for those of us who are genuinely trying to do the right thing— <br /> by our families, by our communities, and by the properties we have worked so hard to <br /> obtain and preserve. I respectfully ask the County to also do the right thing by advocating <br /> for the working families who live,work, and contribute to this community every day. <br /> Our voices deserve to be part of this conversation. <br />