HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0675.584 2022-2024From: UlyTomaszewski
Sent: Monday, September 30,2O249:36AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: OPPOSE BILL 121 testimony provided for 18/2/Z024Hawaii County Policy
Committee onPlanning, Land Use, and Development
To:
Attn: Hawaii County Policy Committee onPlanning, Land Use, and Development, October 2,2O34
RE: OPPOSE Bill 121
Please dunot consider this bill for passage. |tispremature and the economic impact study must becompleted and
reviewed V.
The urgency with which this bill is moving forward for passage raises doubt. What's the hurry? What about the
economic impact study?
Even with the latest amendments to Bill 121, draft #4, the bill still reeks of overreach.
Specifically:
Section 3and it's amended definition of "'remchmble"./sent letters toall county coyncilmembers./did not receive
single reply. You must not ask something of someone that you yourself are not willing to give.
Section in regards tmfees for owner hosted transient accommodations. $500.0Ofor initial registration? $20I8O1yr
annualfee? Really? That is excessive for us moms and pops. We are the ones doing all the paperwork, using county
online tax payment platforms that are difficult mttimes tonavigate, and paying our homeowners property tax with nm
exemptions. Let's knock that down mbit.
Section 25-4-16.5°thetransient accommodation rental must meet health and safety requirementsestablished bw
law. ° Which laws? What happened bosigning mdeclaration? That made sense.
Transient Accommodation Fine Schedule. No, just no. The fines are huge. Many ofumwould have tmdo jail time
instead of paying those fines, we do not rake in the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Ms. Kimball continues to
Mytotal gross earnings for 2024 asofthis date -$9067.0Sadly, this ismyworst year onrecord. Noone wants to
come toHawaii anymore. Aloha issuffering, tourism isnow adirty word. | still have afull-time job soI'll be
okay. Maybe some of my favorite locally owned restaurants and gift shops will close — or cut their hours. Those folks
w)Unotbeokay. It's not just the STVRs who are being impacted by these premature bills, it's EVERYONE!
This legislation promises excessive fees, fines, and moves our county toward a community of finger -pointers and tattle
tellers. Not exactly the progress vvehave all hoped for. |tgives nothing tothe business owners who have been carrying
the Aloha for this state while the folks with the microphones continue to tell visitors not to come. In fact, I believe this
bill incentivizes those who yell, give stink eye, and threaten our guests. Enough!
This bill smacks uf"culture cnush". |tinhibits our right topractice Aloha, and withholds our right to b
0.
Comm. NO
OPPOSE THIS B|LL!! Re�.
� �W��
� Ref. Date ��� �
Respectfully submitted in opposition to Bill 121.
Elizabeth Tumaszewksiowner-hosted Airbnboperator
11,27Z5Ala Kapena
Mountain View, H|,96771