HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0751.139 2014-2016 VC> I\At
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Hawaii County Council
COUNTY CLERK
Live Testimony May 3, 2016 to Finance Committee COUNTY OF HAWAII
RECEIVED
Time 1Sopwin. By 0-3.
Date s/ /Pc, WO CC.
Dear Madam Chair Eoff, Vice Chair Poindexter, and Members of the Hawaii County
Council,
I specifically oppose Bill 165 which proposes to establish a one-half percent general
excise tax surcharge to be used for purposes of funding the operating and capital costs -
of public transportation.
With our economy just in the infancy of recovering from the global recession, dengue
fever outbreaks, and loss of tourism dollars; an increase in the General Excise Tax is an
increase to our cost of living as well as the cost of doing business. Businesses are
struggling! Families are struggling and living pay check to pay check! We are losing our
children to the mainland because of lower cost of living on the mainland! The LAST
THING that should be considered is an increase in the cost of living to your constituents
here on the Big Island.
This increase would impact our grocery bill, the cost of building a home, the cost of
repairing a home, the cost of medical care...frankly every good and service utilized by
Hawaii Island residents. The impact is widespread and hits every sector of the
community from those on fixed incomes, to single parents, to those most in need of -
keeping that .05% in their own pockets. Affordable housing (renting and owning) is
already an issue on the Island and this type of tax will do increasing damage to ideas
and solutions to combat the lack of affordable housing.
Please work with the Realtor Associations, Chamber of Commerce, and other
organizations and let's work on a solution to budget woos instead of putting more
financial pressure on every tax paying resident on the Island.
These are just a few of the many, many reasons I strongly urge the Council to vote NO
on Bill 165.
Respectfully submitted, ``
Tanya T. Power, 75-142 Kamilo St., Kailua Kona HI 96740 ,� j iAY1
eortmm No.
808-960-6060 Ref. To: ,Y W4/
Ref. Dote MAY 0 3 7016