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......... <br /> Wil Okabe <br /> Managing Director <br /> Harry Kim <br /> Mayor <br /> - c_-.ts.. <br /> Barbara I Kossow <br /> i` Deputy Managing Director <br /> h.Os.......... <br /> County of Hawai`i <br /> Office of the Mayor <br /> 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo,Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553 <br /> KONA. 74-5044 Me Keohokalole Hwy,Bldg C • Kailua-Kona,Hawaii 96740 <br /> (808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440 <br /> May 1, 2017 <br /> STATEMENT ON THE PASSAGE OF SB1183 CD1 <br /> The Hawai'i Council of Mayors ("HCOM"), by majority vote, remains steadfast in its <br /> support of Honolulu's rail project, and continues to believe the best way to fund the <br /> current shortfall is to provide a one-time extension of Oahu's half-percent GET <br /> surcharge another 10 years, while maintaining the state's 10-percent withholding for <br /> other purposes. HCOM believes it's unfair to increase the Transient Accommodations <br /> Tax by 2.75 percent to pay for rail, since this added charge will be paid by visitors to all <br /> of our island, but used exclusively on O'ahu. How can there be any justification of no <br /> neighbor island counties of Maui, Kauai and Hawai'i Island receiving one dollar of this <br /> increase and at the same time cutting the counties share of the TAT. <br /> On a separate note, I do not believe this kind of increase of the TAT by 2.75% will be <br /> well received by anyone. Thank you. <br /> 77-741:------ta"kAg" <br /> Harry Kim, Mayor <br /> County of Hawai'i <br /> County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. <br />