HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-04-01 PL-CCI-2024-000003 Bill 121 Kerrilll and Don Kephart Testimony From: don keohartCcbearthI ink.net
To: WPCtestimonv
Subject: Bill121
Date: Monday,April 1, 2024 1:29:56 PM
Kerrill and Don Kephart
PO Box 44305
Kamuela, HI 96743
808-882-7321
808-345-0301
Donkephart(@earthlink.net
We would like to testify once again regarding proposed legislation to regulate
STVRs. We really don't need more hoops to jump through and more fees to
pay. When you combine the state's TAT, the county's TAT, and the GET, we
are being taxed at almost 20% of our gross (not net) receipts. We have one
hosted STVR, and we have never had a neighbor or a guest file a complaint.
We take good care of our vacation house and we keep our rates relatively low.
Two retired public schoolteachers, we need the extra income and built the
property with that in mind when we chose to retire in a state with such a high
cost of living. We suspect that many of the STVR owners are in a similar
situation. How would you like to have your business arbitrarily cut off at the
knees?
If you drive out the STVRs, you are going to limit the ability of research groups,
church and temple groups, working groups, medical groups, wedding groups,
etc. to house people who need to be here for short periods of time. Most of all
you are going to thwart family groups who come to enjoy what we have here
and to have some time with one another. To deny these people access to this
style of housing is antithetical to the whole idea of the "Aloha" state.
Finally, the financial impact is going to be far-reaching. Guests staying in STVRs
are not likely to switch to staying in impersonal hotels and resort condos with
inflated rates. They will simply go elsewhere. One STVR helps support grocery
stores, gas stations, Urgent Care centers, tourist attractions, restaurants, car
rentals, boutiques, beauty shops, spas, art galleries, and many other
businesses. They also help support the labor force—maintenance, cleaning,
home decorating, insurance, remodeling, landscaping, childcare, etc.
As we have pointed out in previous communiques, we think that hosted
properties should be exempt from all of these new regulations unless there are
complaints filed against them or they are delinquent on their taxes. We feel as
if we are being scapegoated for the housing issues here in Hawaii, problems to
which we have not contributed. It is simply not fair to let people retire and
move here and start a new business under one set of rules and then arbitrarily
change those rules just because you can. No evidence has been cited to
suggest that these regulations on hosted properties will bring about any
positive results. At the last hearing the pushback was impressive, but the
county council voted to move forward anyway. Go figure.
Don and Kerrill Kephart