HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0200.018 2006-2008
Apri13, 2007
Ordinance #156
Council Member
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, HI 96720
Dear Council Member:
I understand that the above Ordinance is being considered for final passage on Wednesday,
Apri14, 2007. This ordinance would subject one part of our community to a very significant
tax increase if they were to build a new facility in a recently zoned business pazk. I have
several problems with this ordinance:
• Housing is either an individual or a community problem. If the community is to
take the problem on through its government -the entire community should be a
part of the solution. Taxing just one part of the community to the affordable
housing problem will not solve the problem but will put an undue burden on one
part of the community. IE, for instance, government itself (at all levels) employs
20% of the workforce one would expect that government would shaze in the burden
in this percentage. It simply is unreasonable to expel that industries and large and
small businesses trying to establish a foothold should be taxed with this huge burden
themselves. Anew police station is slated to be built in Keeau. Is the County ready
to pay the assessed amount for die added improvement?
• It has been proven many times that the more a product is taxed the less of that
product is produced and used. In this case we are taxing business formulation,
efficiency, and jobs. As a direct result of the proposed ordinance we would have a
significant reduction in all of these. In an economy long known for being dependant
on very few key industries (govemment and tourism in particular) this ordinance will
inevitably work to discourage introduction of new industries vital to our long term
economic health. Why move to the County of Hawaii who will charge you what
amounts to an employment tax? A perfect example is Hoku Scientific, a local
product developed by a Hilo boy moving to Idaho to build a $260 million dollar
construction. Idaho offers huge tax abatements for establishing businesses there. We
can find many examples of communities offering huge tax abatements with the offer
to help the companies build infrastructures as an incentive to move businesses into
their communities. Companies have never looked to locate to a community which
has high taxes.
• The State of Hawaii is offering 100% tax credits for the formation of IT businesses
in order to attract this type of businesses to the State. The County, through this
ordinance, will be adding a huge tax for building a business in this County which will
largely negate the State's tax credit. The result will be to lose out on opportunities
here that the State is working to provide.
Comm. No. ~ ~ l
Ref. To: i0
Ref. Uate,_APR 0 4 7p117,_
_ y _ Apri14, 2007
• The County has two economic climates, East and West that aze at opposite extremes
during most periods. Residents of West Hawaii have many job opportunities but not
neazly enough housing. East Hawaii has many housing opportunities but not nearly
enough jobs. The result is the disruption of many East Hawaii families who must
travel to West Hawaii -often daily - to work. East Hawaii and Puna in particulaz has
an insufficient job base and zoning for industrial work. This ordinance would tax
those companies who would try to establish Puna's much needed jobs. The result
would be a freezing of the current situation. Pazents leaving children and family
behind to commute 4 to 6 hours a day will continue to disintegrate.
This ordinance which runs against good economic planning will further divide our already
divided community and will freeze into place die highly disruptive and people unfriendly
economic condition of the islands. Approving this bill would be to take a huge risk with the
lives of our already struggling fanulies. If it is affordable housing which is your
concern, then address affordable housing do not add anymore taxes to a State where
we are already over taxed. Do not penalized those who aze providing the much needed
jobs by adding tales which will cripple them. For a company with 20 employees, $250,000 is
a huge expense. Please do not approve Ordinance 156.
Sincerely,
Phoebe M. Lambeth, President
Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii