HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0675.177 2022-2024/ puU10
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From: Michelle Melendez
Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2024 12:05 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Oppose Bills 121, 122, 123
This will NOT support locals. This will destroy tourism on the island. Please stand for the people and
oppose these bills!
Mahalo,
Michelle Melendez
L3
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Fitness and Wellness Expert Since 1996
Author Of The Best Selling and 4x Award Winning Book,
End Dieting Hell: How to find peace in your body and release the weight
Order your copy of End Dieting Dell Click Here
"Great Maui Land Grab" NOW Available here
Comm. NO.. Ulklfl
Ref, To:
Ref. Date 2024
From: Michelle Melendez
Sent: Saturday, July 6, 2024 12:30 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: OPPOSE BINS 121, 122, 123!
Where is the Aloha in these bills?
These three bills will harm small farmers by constricting labor -pool and their bottom line economy. If
you care about locals, oppose these bills!
Bill 121 — Transient accommodations
This bill makes all visitors Transients with new definitions. All visitors would be called Transients
which in one farmer's opinion is a derogatory term. It is insulting to the purpose of what a WOOFer
means. World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms brings in much needed labor for small farmers
and helps keep our locally produced food affordable and available. By placing restrictions on the labor
pool harms the small farmers on our island and forces many to lose their business. There are other
compliance issues to be considered as small farmers depend on the supplemental income that
rentals bring in. There are loopholes but also steep fines and extra fees to be in compliance.
Bill 122 — no more Bed and Breakfasts
Repealing the permits for Bed and Breakfasts is a wrong approach to an obvious problem —
affordable housing for locals. The problem is as a region grows the property values and property
taxes go up. The cost of affordable housing goes up as well. Raising the cost of living makes it
difficult to keep up and to live here. Bringing in more wealthy people that can afford the rising cost
only makes it worse. This bill is biased to the wealthy. The solutions are several but limiting bed and
breakfasts and STVRs is the worst solution. This solution has negative side effects and damages our
tourist dependent economy, especially Ag Tourism. Ag Tourism for workshops and visitors for bed
and breakfasts and retreats
takes away the types of customers that account for a fourth of the local farm economy at the buy
local farmers markets. Ag Tourism and shoppers satisfies the need of the farmers and the middle
class to exist financially. This bill along promotes poverty not affordability on our island.
Bill 123 — no more Ohana dwelling
Changing the word Ohana dwelling to Accessory dwelling must not pass. Ohana is a friendly word
that means trust and family closeness. But it does not mean responsibility for your Ohana or friends
when a crime is committed. An accessory is someone who aided or contributed to the commission or
concealment of a crime. Such as renting in a manner of not being compliant with the stricter STVR
Iaws.Here is the presentation I did at the Red Pill expo.
Regards,
Michelle Melendez