HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0739.170 2016-2018From: Penny Lee
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony Bill 108 Draft 3, for June 18
Date: Friday, June 15, 2018 10:40:47 AM
Aloha Council members,
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Guess what the main economy is (was?) in Puna? Agriculture and tourism. Guess
how many hotels and resorts Puna has? Zero. Guess how much resort/hotel zoning
Puna has? Zero. Vacation rentals is IT, it is the MAIN way for any local resident in
Puna to make a living and afford a home. And yes on so-called Ag lots, sized often
less than 9000 sqft and bare rock. Either directly by renting their property or indirectly
by working as a caretaker, cleaner, maintenance, contractor, repair, gardening etc
person for vacation. rental properties. Also tour guides, our restaurants and shops in
lower Puna greatly depend on the tourists vacation rentals bring to the area.
Reading Bill 108 it looks like we are trying to get rid of vacation rentals? They are
"bad", like rat lungworm or meth dealers in our neighborhoods? Please explain??
No provision for any new rentals in the future? Vacation rentals on Ag land can be
easily taken out of operation by not answering the phone immediately, not showing up
within one hour in the middle of the night (repeatedly?), annoying your "favorite
neighbor" or not following any other unnamed mysterious "rule" alluded to but not
specified. What other business has the requirement to show up in 1 hr 24/7 or they
lose their business license?
IF you get the permit. Nobody knows what hoops people will have to go through to
apply for the yearly permit. Who gets a permit? Who doesn't? And $500 or more
every year for the permit?
Vacation rentals are already taxed at a very high level: GE and TAT= 14.62% on
GROSS receipts (=no deductions, very big difference), higher property taxes due to
no homeowners exemption, income tax to Federal and Hawaii State. It is quite labor
intensive and costly to provide a vacation rental.
I thought that Hawaii county wanted to make sure that everybody pays their share of
taxes? Do you really think bill 108 would achieve this? Do you think this bill would
motivate vacation rentals to sign up?
Why is this bill written like an attack? The council should work on a clean bill to
regulate vacation rentals, allow a path for new vacation rentals. The council should
support and work with vacation rental owners as a fundamental economy that it is for
many people on this island.
Not to even mention current events, the ongoing volcano eruption taking out many of
our existing vacation rentals and launching our economy into a tail spin for the whole
island.... Economic development not tear -down desperately needed now!
Thank you for your consideration, Gomm No.
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Penny Lee