HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-01 Statement on the Passage of SB1183 CD1 .........
Wil Okabe
Managing Director
Harry Kim
Mayor
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Barbara I Kossow
i` Deputy Managing Director
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County of Hawai`i
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo,Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553
KONA. 74-5044 Me Keohokalole Hwy,Bldg C • Kailua-Kona,Hawaii 96740
(808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440
May 1, 2017
STATEMENT ON THE PASSAGE OF SB1183 CD1
The Hawai'i Council of Mayors ("HCOM"), by majority vote, remains steadfast in its
support of Honolulu's rail project, and continues to believe the best way to fund the
current shortfall is to provide a one-time extension of Oahu's half-percent GET
surcharge another 10 years, while maintaining the state's 10-percent withholding for
other purposes. HCOM believes it's unfair to increase the Transient Accommodations
Tax by 2.75 percent to pay for rail, since this added charge will be paid by visitors to all
of our island, but used exclusively on O'ahu. How can there be any justification of no
neighbor island counties of Maui, Kauai and Hawai'i Island receiving one dollar of this
increase and at the same time cutting the counties share of the TAT.
On a separate note, I do not believe this kind of increase of the TAT by 2.75% will be
well received by anyone. Thank you.
77-741:------ta"kAg"
Harry Kim, Mayor
County of Hawai'i
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.