2018-01-26 Letter to Patricia Sexton re General Excise Tax

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Harry Kim Mayor County of Hawai'i Will Okabe Managing Director Barbara I Kossow Deputy Managing Director Office of the Mayor 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Are Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i 96740 (808)323-4444 . Fax(808)323-4440 January 26, 2018 Patricia Sexton 400 Hualani Street, #2108 Hilo, HI 96720 Dear Ms. Sexton: Thank you very much for your letter of January 24, 2018 expressing various concerns. Regarding the General Excise Tax (GET), I completely share your concern that this is a regressive tax that hits the poorest of our people hardest. The action taken was only to give the County the authority to do so as an option. It must be presented for approval to the Council, whose members are just as concerned as many on this regressive tax. No one has pointed this out stronger than me to the State and County. We need the people's help with the TAT (transient accommodation tax) which was created to help the Counties, and is now used as a cash cow by the State. On the subject of the salary increases, I agree with you completely that these come at a time when our County Budget is strained. I have said publicly that I am embarrassed by the increases; these increases were determined by the Salary Commission, a volunteer body over which my administration has no control. On a personal note, I would like to address one other particular concern that you expressed, in the hopes of providing some help to you in finding a more affordable place to live. You mentioned that you are 70 years old with a fixed income that would qualify you for subsidized senior housing or Section 8 housing. I would encourage you to visit the Office of Aging at County's one-stop shop for services for our seniors, at 1055 Kino'ole Street in Hilo (around the corner from Chiefess Kapi'olani Elementary School). Their phone number is 961-8600. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.