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TO:
Hawaii County Council
Valerie Poindexter, Chair
Karen Eoff, Vice Chair
Executive Officers
Beau ®shiro, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Chair
John Erickson, Meadow Gold Dairies, Immediate Past Chair
Toby Taniguchi, KTA Superstores, Vice Chair
Lauren Zirbel, HFIA, Executive Director
Joe Carter, Coca-Cola Bottling of Hawaii, Secretary/
Treasurer
Stan Brown, Acosta Sales & Marketing, Advisor
Paul Kosasa, ABC Stores, Advisor
John Shilf, Rainbow Sales & Marketing, Advisor
Barry Taniguchi, KTA Superstores, Advisor
Derek Kurisu, KTA Superstores, Advisor
FROM: HAWAII FOOD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
Lauren Zirbel, Executive Director
DATE: February 21, 2018
TIME: 9am
PLACE: Hawaii County Building
RE: Bill 102 Relating to Transportation Surcharge
Position: Oppose
The Hawaii Food Industry Association is comprised of two hundred member companies
representing retailers, suppliers, producers, and distributors of food and beverage related
products in the State of Hawaii.
C
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HFIA is in opposition to this measure, as it will increase the price of groceries and other
necessities for the residents of Hawaii County. The state of Hawaii is one of only a handful of
states in which groceries are subject to the full tax rate. Residents of our state already pay 4%
tax on all purchases including the food we buy, and we have the highest cost of living of any
state in the entire country. An additional half a percent tax may not seem like a lot, but this
extra tax could add hundreds of dollars a year to Hawaii families' food bills alone, not to
mention all the other purchases it will effect. For many of the families living in Hawaii County,
especially those already subject to food insecurity, this is an added financial burden that they
may not be able to bear.
An added County Surcharge tax is not the right choice for the people of Hawaii, and we
strongly urge you to vote no on this measure. We thank you for the opportunity to testify.
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