HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0675.090 2022-2024 From: Todd Marohnic
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2024 9:10 AM 4:c
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Oppose new TAR Bill
-71
Aloha,
As a 25 year operator/owner of vacation rentals in Volcano I'd like to object to the constant threat to what is ouelf-made
family business. We've jumped through every one of the hoops that you've made us do in the past to conform to new rules.
While others have not and continue to operate. I believe your first bill and all of the new fees were supposed to address this?
Just some points in favor of vacation rentals:
To large part and certainly in our case,the money we generate supports our family and all of our money is spent locally. We
buy our soaps home made from a Farmer's Market and any other products that we can to support our local community.
Vacation rentals in Volcano at least make the best neighbors, occupied 1/2 the time,the guests all have new(quiet)cars, no
barking dogs etc...,the stereo that comes with the rental(no loud music),the houses and lawns are always kept up providing
more jobs for cleaners, painters,carpenters, lawn care persons, etc
I believe there are more pressing concerns than this to be addressed before we worry about more long term housing. Traffic
is becoming absurd! There should be much more being done to address this,acquiring land (while still possible)to make new
routes,for example...a road to connect Stainback to Saddle without going through Hilo. Resurfacing Stainback is great but
about 5 years overdue. Obviously,another route into Puna.
We built our business up over the years and would like to pass it on to our daughter who now works for us. We managed to
put her through UH Manoa without burdening her with student loans by ramping up our business. It hasn't been an easy road
with Covid,the 2018 eruption and the varying ups and downs of tourism. Please don't create another obstacle for us in what
had been a self-made business with MANY happy guests and neighbors that are more than OK with what we do. BTW,we live
on the same street as our rentals and would NOT tolerate unruly guests. I also live next to a vacation rental that is not ours
and love it for the above mentioned reasons.
Mahalo,
Todd
Todd Marohnic
Owner/operator
Comm. .U J•"1
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