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From: Cathy West Dale
<br /> To: Council Testimony;WPCtestimony
<br /> Subject: TAR Bill 121
<br /> Date: Thursday,April 4,2024 11:17:53 AM
<br /> My testimony from 2018
<br /> Sent to all the council members by email today: I am a 100th
<br /> generation descendant in Hawaii of my Hawaiian ancestry.
<br /> I am a 4th generation descendant in Hawaii of my German ancestry
<br /> I am a 5th generation descendant in Hawaii of my English ancestry.
<br /> I am a 5th generation descendant in Hawaii of my Chinese ancestry.
<br /> I am a 5th generation descendant in Hawaii of my Japanese ancestry.
<br /> I am a keiki o ka aina in the truest sense.When I hear reports of people calling owners of vacation rentals"from the
<br /> mainland"I cringe.I own vacation rentals and I am not"from the mainland".And
<br /> generalizations/assumptions/stereotypes/racisms aside,there is nothing wrong with someone from the mainland
<br /> owning a vacation rental in Hawaii.
<br /> Hotels and resorts employ a lot of people,but most,if not all the profits go off island,some out of country.Many
<br /> hotels are now providing and advertising their hotel"rooms"as vacation rentals and can be found on platforms like
<br /> VRBO and AirBnb and others. It is a better financial win for Hawaii Island to have as many independently owned
<br /> vacation rentals as possible to keep the money local and keep our island economy healthy.
<br /> I pay my property tax,my income tax,my GE tax and my TA tax. When I bear people say that vacation rental
<br /> owners don't pay their taxes, I cringe. i pay my taxes. I pay a LOT of taxes!
<br /> 1 employ house cleaners,handypersons,contractors,architects,draftspersons,yard care persons,pest control
<br /> persons,plumbers,electricians,buy supplies,hardware and furniture from local stores,(Water Works,Target, Home
<br /> Depot, HPM, Longs,Costco, KTA,Safeway,Walmart, Walgreens, Ross,Macy's, Paradise Plants Hilo,Kitchen and
<br /> Beyond,local craft fairs,Ace Hardware, Kaloko Furniture, HomeWorld Furniture, Sears,and more!). I have things
<br /> shipped from purchases online that help to employ local people at delivery companies such as UPS, USPS, Fedex
<br /> and others.I use local banks and credit unions to do my banking.1 employ a local accountant to help with my taxes.
<br /> 1 use a local attorney to assist with my legal issues. When 1 hear people say that hotels employ people and vacation
<br /> rentals do not,I cringe because I spend a ton of money to nun my vacation rental that stays local and employs local
<br /> people.
<br /> In the 4+years that I have been owning and running vacation rentals,I have never had a complaint from any
<br /> neighbor about noise,too many cars,drunken or obnoxious people or other neighborly upset.I do truly feel badly
<br /> for any neighbor that has problems in their neighborhood from vacation rental occupants,but truly,there are many,
<br /> many neighborhood problems that arise from people that are not vacation rental guests too. It is a people problem,
<br /> not a vacation rental problem.Anywhere and anytime there is disruption to a neighborhood,it should be addressed
<br /> with adequate attention as our current laws already provide.Penalizing and regulating an entire"group",whether
<br /> they are breaking laws already in place(noise and other illegal activity)or not is not only unfair,it is bad for the
<br /> island's economy.
<br /> If anything,our vacation rentals are very good neighbors in the neighborhood.We keep the house up in repairs and
<br /> cleanings.There are no junk cars or other garbage strewn about the yard.There is no loud music being played or
<br /> cars on blocks being worked on in the driveway.There are no vicious dogs,noisy chickens,smelly pigs or other
<br /> animals that might bother a neighbor. The property taxes,GE and TA taxes are paid that help to provide services for
<br /> the neighborhood,community and island.The values of the properties increase for resale value for the above
<br /> reasons.
<br /> Problems that need to be addressed:
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