HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0568.002 2020-2022 P/Pwmm 11
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From: David Hunt �
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2021 7:37 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Bill 105
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COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND MASS TRANSIT -
January 4, 2022 9: 30 a.m.
Bill 105:
Establishing a temporary suspension of fares for all mass transit fixed routes and paratransit services until December
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31, 2023.
I encourage you to support this bill.
I also encourage you to re uire that our area hotels financially support our bus system. ESPECIALLY since the same
hotels benefit from having many of their employees ride to their jobs at those hotels.
While I believe strongly that workers should benefit from an improved system , I don't believe that our area's
corporate hotels should directly benefit financially from our public-funded system UNLESS they pay their fair
share. It is, of course, common knowledge that our schedules and several of our routes were DESIGNED to get
hospitality employees to their hotel jobs. It is long past time to improve this model.
Lastly, I want to see our Hilo to Kona routes increaser)AND make every trip stop at our HILO(IM and Dona
(KOA)Airports- without transfers!!
I live in Honoka'a. I am 66 and retired on a small social security retirement. I pay my property and sales (and other)
taxes like everyone else living here. I have to travel for both medical reasons and personal responsibilities.
It is an extremely difficult and (often prohibitively) expensive challenge for me to travel or have family visit me
because of the distance, cost, and absence of a public transportation (bus) option. This is neither FAIR or appropriate.
Taxis and Uber/Lyft are all $100 to $150 EACH WAY to the airport($200 to $300 per round-trip!!) When I can buy
sale flight tickets for $39 each way($78 total) - getting from home TO the airport should NOT prevent my traveling
for treatment or to see my family.
Thank you for working to improve our antiquated bus system. We desperately need it.
David Hunt, Honoka'a
c:i, l , IF , SIT&
Aloha, Peace, Love, Music & Gratitude
Comm. No.
Ref. To. P1 PIN AM
Ref. Date JAN ® 4 2022
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