HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0236.107 2024-2026p Camb
51147
60"H. 25
From: Todd Loewen C-J
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 9:18 AM o
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Bill47
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Aloha, Yb�
I would like to share my testimony against Bill47. Wasn't it just 6 months ago that the council members
decided not to pass a similar bill? I believe the decision was made to wait for an Economic Impact study.
So why are you doing this yet again? Why not wait for at least the study to be completed? Didn't the
County pay for that study? So isn't that wasting money if you are not going to wait for what the tax payers
paid for?
If you look back at the history of introducing new things to Hawaii it hasn't gone very well. Remember the
guy who thought bringing mongoose to the islands would be a good thing? Or how about the people that
decided it would be good to aerial seed the island with Albezia trees? Please honoryour own past
decision and wait until the study is completed before doing something that will have negative impacts on
real families. Has there ever been a study on how many tourists would not come to Hawaii if they were
forced to only stay in hotels? Please wait until you have all the information before making another ill
informed decision. We have travelled to many places and have always stayed in alternative
accommodations. Cabins, treehouses, covered wagons, trains, etc. None of these were hotels and no
building codes, yet perfectly safe and fun for tourists.
I honestly can't believe the County is going after families that share their property just to make ends
meet.
For myself, we are farmers that have shared our farm for almost 20 years. I believe people call it a
"Farmstay" and they are perfectly legal everywhere else in the country. The only way our farm survives is
if we are able to share it. For years Hawaii has said "Lets help our local farmers, so we can be food
independent". I have received no help as a local farmer ever. So laws like this could easily have the
negative effect of shutting down another farm.
Why don't you just make sure everyone that is a host is paying their taxes? This would serve the purpose
of making sure the government gets the proper taxes owed and not affect the families trying to earn
enough just to live in Hawaii. Please don't let it be your legacy, as public servants ,that you successfully
put farmers/local families out of business by passing a law that would stop them from sharing their
homes.
We are a real family. Thank you for your time in reading this.
With Aloha
The Loewen Family.
Todd, Madeleine, Lilla, Sophie, and Jack.
Hakalau, HI
Todd Loewen- please consider this my legal signed letter opposing Bill 47
Comm. N
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