HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0675.089 2022-2024 From: Jillian Marohnic
Sent: Monday,January 22, 2024 9:10 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Oppose TAR Bill Package
To the County of Hawaii,
Testimony in opposition of TAR Bill Package wherein hosted vacation rentals are now being targeted and controlled.
It's clear that you are vilifying the vacation rental industry—turning public opinion against us and trying to drive us out
of business by imposing extreme taxes and fees, cumbersome registration procedures and absurdly high monetary
penalties for small violations. Many of us are residents here,with our vacation rental business being our only means of
income. We support our local economy, as mostly all our earnings are spent here on the island—buying flowers, home-
made soaps, and local artworks--hiring local cleaning and yard maintenance people... Rather than viewing us as
removing housing from a crowded island,you could rather view us as providing necessary accommodations for the
island's most important industry...the tourist industry. We are an important component for visitors to the island who
would go elsewhere if vacation rentals were not available. Our island is getting crowded... the roads are packed with
standstill traffic during school pick-up hours and work commuting hours...filled with the overwhelming number of
people who now live here permanently. We don't need to move in more families and encourage them to set up
residence here when our infrastructure can't support them. Having houses that instead host tourists for a few days at a
time alleviates some of the stress of overcrowded neighborhoods. Vacation rentals are good neighbors, with pristine
yards and well kept buildings, no barking dogs, roosters or junk cars. Housing problems will work themselves out... if
dwellings are not available,then people will find elsewhere to live. If there are too many vacation rentals then some will
go out of business. We don't need heavy-handed government interference in what is supposed to be a free economy.
We have enough rules in the vacation rental industry already. Why not try to enforce the rules we already have and
gain more permanent housing in that manner? There are plenty of illegal vacation rentals that you turn a blind eye to.
Sincerely,
Jillian Marohnic
Vacation rental owner and host
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