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Senator Dela Cruz/Rep. Sylvia Luke <br />Informational Briefing <br />Testimony of HCOM <br />January 19, 2018 <br />Page 2 of 2 <br />(3)County Taxing Authority - In an effort to generate alternative sources of <br />revenue to address each county’s budgetary challenges, the counties urge the Hawaii Legislature <br />to support HB 1664 relating to County Taxing Authority. Providing the counties with such <br />taxing mechanism would allow the counties to be less dependent on revenue sources such as fuel <br />tax revenue which is predicted to decline with the increase in electric, hybrid, and other fuel <br />efficient vehicles. <br />In addition to HCOM’s priorities listed above, other concerns facing the State and the <br />Counties are the increasing impacts in our communities as a result of homelessness and the lack <br />of a deep draft harbor on any of the neighboring islands. Should there be a major catastrophic <br />incident on Oahu, a deep-draft harbor is the only acceptable alternative capable of <br />accommodating transpacific shipping. <br />On behalf of the people of the counties of Hawai‘i, Maui and Kaua‘i and the City and <br />County of Honolulu, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for all of your dedication <br />and commitment to making Hawai‘i a special place to live. We truly live in the best place on <br />earth! <br />Aloha and Mahalo, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Alan Arakawa, Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr.,Mayor <br />County of Maui County of Kaua‘i <br />Harry Kim, Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Mayor <br />County of Hawai‘i City and County of Honolulu <br />