HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-04-02 PL-CCI-2024-000003 Bill 121 Ken Honma Testimony From: Ken Honma
To: WPCtestimony; Ken Honma;Guy Berryessa
Subject: Bill 121 STR conditions and restrictions,Vote NO.
Date: Tuesday,April 2,2024 1:11:55 PM
To: Windward Planning Commission, County of Hawaii
Date 4/2/24
Vote NO on Bill 121 STR restrictions and conditions.
In defense of my right to continue operating my home sharing without additional requirements. It
should be obvious to the concerned government representatives that the constitutional right of
anyone to continue to use their property as they have been for years prior to our government's
decision to intervene in an otherwise previously legal use of a person's property is a "taking' and
doing so is illegal unless just compensation is given in exchange. In effect this taking without just
compensation would be a crime, a theft by the government, in this case the Hawaii County Council
members. The injured party would be all those who have been up till this point, completely legal, all
the years, paying extra property taxes, excise taxes, TAT taxes etc. In addition, any investment costs
to improve the property in an effort to improve the conditions for a better experience of those who
book the home-share, these investments need to be justly compensated for as well. In addition the
future life-span of the projected income of said home-share must be computed if this new legislation
causes the existing legal home-share to discontinue because of this expost-facto legislation.
The extra-requirements that are being contemplated appear to also include a "stick" to coerce and
attack presently legally operating home-shares, such as with the threat of legal prosecution and
fines, used to instill fear in those who are presently legal and who unknowingly believe that this
proposal is just and legal and they would have to decide if it would be worth the effort to comply
with these extra-requirements in order to continue to operate. This is a sleight-of-hand by the
authors of this legislation.
Those that are already legal should not be coerced with the "stick" into voluntarily agreeing to the
new requirement in order to continue operating their already legal home-sharing; without equitable
financial compensation from the government. This would be again a "taking' a taking of the financial
income and the livelihood from citizens; without equitable compensation. The injured party is the
person already legally operating the home-share, and, the County Council Members are the
perpetrators inflicting the damage.
Our representative constitutional republic is based on the will of the people, and the respect for Life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our founders fought the Revolution against the British because
of the suppression of people's rights by an oppressive monarch and his ministers. Disregarding and
trampling my and others' rights without just compensation is exactly why our forbearers fought and
bled for, and why we have our Constitutional Republic today with its limitations on the government.
Our bill of rights is a reminder mostly to those who govern and make the laws of their limitations.
It is hardly worth mentioning what huge impact that this legislation if passed would have on the
existing seniors and retirees providing for themselves who are presently operating legal home-
shares. The extra paperwork and increased financial burden would be too much for many retirees,
with the profit margins too tight to hire someone to help navigate and make physical changes to the
property in order to legally comply with the proposed legislation that many retirees would cease to
operate. In addition many seniors would not have the fortitude to write or appear before the council
members to voice their concerns.
Most seniors involved with home-sharing have always had the necessary personal pride and self-
reflection to be productive members of our society by having been the backbone within their
respective communities during their pre-retirement years. Not beggars of whiners but hard workers
that continue to provide for themselves and their families. Taking stock of what opportunities
availed them in the County of Hawaii after retirement, home-share seniors invested their hard-
earned savings into building a home-sharing environment and claim their rights to life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness. The new legislation is a slap in the face, and a kick in the butt to all of the
hardworking seniors who legally established their home-shares. Vote NO on bill 121.
Sincerely, Ken Honma
P.O. Box 451 Kurtistown, 17-362 momona rd Kurtistown, P.O. box 541 96760 8089677553