Kamuela attorney Margaret Wille informed me about a upcoming hearing on HB 1744. This proposed legislation will suspend the dispersal of the counties share of the Transient Accommodation Tax for 6 years.The Senate Ways and Means Committee will be voting on this legislation on Monday at 9:30am.
“HB1744: LEGISLATIVE ALERT:
ON 4/6 9:30 A.M. SENATE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON TAKING COUNTIES’ TAT REVENUES
RE: STATE LEGISLATION HB1744 (WOULD TAKE AWAY THE COUNTIES PORTION OF THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATION TAX ) HAWAII COUNTY IS ALREADY FACING A 32 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL. LOSS OF THIS TAT TAX REVENUE WOULD RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET SHORTFALL OF ABOUT 18 MILLION DOLLARS. THE POSSIBILITY OF A 50 MILLION DOLLAR COUNTY DEFICIT WOULD HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR ALL COUNTY PROGRAMS.”
I equally concur that if this legislation passes it will be fiscally disastrous for every county in this state. For example, Hawaii County will be forced to do deeper budget cuts.It will also probably force the county to do furloughs and possibly layoffs (or may be both).
On a related note, KITV reported last night about Sen. Donna Kim’s proposal that would allow the counties to impose a 1% sales tax.This is absolutely the wrong time to be imposing additional taxes on Hawaii’s citizens. Especially since our economy is rapidly going into a black hole. Thus I strongly believe that government should be downsizing, not imposing additional taxes on us.
Former Hawaii County Councilman Leningrad Elarionoff wrote up a interesting letter to the editor about the misplaced complaints about the $ 21,000 spent on the Hawaii County council’s trip to the NACO conference in Washington D.C.He astutely pointed out there is bigger fat in the county budget than this trip expenditure.I only spoke up about this this illogical trip because it seemed the future of the council holding future meetings in West Hawaii was threatened.
Kai Landow has finally updated the blog which I mentioned about yesterday. It seems he wants to copy the content from my blog on to this new blog as retribution for my negative comments about Leon Siu’s outlandish Hawaii ceded lands commentary.I’m not sure if there is any way I can stop him from doing this. As the Creative Commons license allows sharing as long as its non commercial,properly attributed and not altered or transformed. Thus I’ll probably let him continue on with his little power trip.
It seems I must’ve irritated him greatly after spotting his impostor blog yesterday. I got that impression after reading the reader comments to this blog posting.
Lastly, there was a pretty good letter to the editor expressing support for the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan.
Kai...
ReplyDeleteTrust me that this will be the first and last time I make a comment on this blog.
This little "blog" of your's has got to be the biggest waste of ones energy and most unproductive use of time that one who fights for the sovereignty of a people could ever do.
It's very counter productive.
I'm fully aware that anyone can do what you are doing...
And in fact... I will stand by you as you make a fool of yourself with this blog because I do feel it's everyones right to have a blog or as many as they would want to have.
This is a pretty ridiculous blog. You have my support in wasting your time and effort in doing this.
Sincerely,
Damon
Are you sure that this is the best way to counter Aaron?
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't get much more assinine than this!
ReplyDelete