Posts: 8,484
Threads: 1,033
Joined: May 2003
I was at the council chambers this morning and Council member O'Hara had arrange for lower Puna residents to testify to council on the ongoing situation. Council got an earful. A lot of emotional testimony and none of it happy with Civil Defence and their handling of the lava situation. Some of it was tearful. A common theme was that a stressful situation was made worse by they was residents were treated and are still treated.
A new thread was an ask for the CoH to abate property taxes for Pahoa and Volcano Village businesses who are struggling to survive. A lot of residential properties are now valued at zero. A lot of Pahoa and Volcano Village businesses have business down 80% or more. Lack of lava viewing opportunities are to blame.
They were all grateful to Eileen O'Hara for the opportunity to vent. The council mostly seemed attentive and empathetic nut what comes of it will remain to be seen.
There was so much testimony I couldn't wait any loinger to see what happened with the Bill 160 (truth) vote... but Leilani folks were complaining about wrong and bad information being at the root of their complaints.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Posts: 14,138
Threads: 424
Joined: Aug 2012
... an ask for the CoH to abate property taxes for Pahoa and Volcano Village businesses ... Pahoa and Volcano Village businesses have business down 80% or more.
Not to sound insensitive, but: abating those property taxes creates a budgetary shortfall that must be made up by raising taxes elsewhere, effectively requiring "everyone else" to subsidize Pahoa/Volcano Village.
To the extent that this is theoretically an "investment" in "future tourism-based revenue opportunities" ... where was CoH when Pahoa needed a wastewater system? Where are Sal's permits to open Luquin's Cantina? How about that lava viewing area?
Leilani folks were complaining about wrong and bad information
Good thing this came up in time to revise Bill 160 with language about "except during a declared emergency".
Posts: 7,793
Threads: 693
Joined: Jun 2011
"A new thread was an ask for the CoH to abate property taxes for Pahoa and Volcano Village businesses who are struggling to survive."
This strikes a weird chord for me, because I am typically against taxes and bigger government. But I'm also pro-business and pro-market. In the end, the market drives business. Just using fake numbers for a town called Spewing Mountain (because I have no idea what the specifics are in Volcano), if the town supports 10 restaurants based on 50% of the business being from tourists, and the tourists stop coming, then the town can probably only support 5 restaurants. But some businesses (market forces) adapt. Maybe 5 of the 10 restaurants only served Bland Asian Food, but two of them switched to menus with flavor, so now the town can support 7 restaurants instead of 5.
Necessity is the mother of invention. Government welfare, not so much.
Posts: 8,484
Threads: 1,033
Joined: May 2003
Anybody want to guess who made the ask for abatement of business property taxes?
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Posts: 14,138
Threads: 424
Joined: Aug 2012
if the town supports 10 restaurants based on 50% of the business being from tourists, and the tourists stop coming
Funny you should mention this: with the possible exception of the Lodge, restaurants in town have been declining in quality to the point that I don't bother going anymore.
It's almost as if they're catering to tourists -- because those tourists won't be back anyway.
In which case a "market-based correction" is the right answer.
Posts: 7,793
Threads: 693
Joined: Jun 2011
"Anybody want to guess who made the ask for abatement of business property taxes?"
At least give us a hint, were they from Pahoa or Volcano?
Posts: 8,484
Threads: 1,033
Joined: May 2003
Pahoa
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Posts: 7,793
Threads: 693
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,484
Threads: 1,033
Joined: May 2003
No.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Posts: 703
Threads: 15
Joined: Jun 2013
"They were all grateful to Eileen O'Hara for the opportunity to vent. The council mostly seemed attentive and empathetic but what comes of it will remain to be seen."
This is exactly what many of us have been pondering with the fate of Na Hoa Holomoku. We too had our time with the Council today. our letters of support have been awesome! The low cost opportunity to sailing NHH has offered for over a decade is something worthy of preserving.
The question is............Does the Council have any power at all over the Civil Service of our County???????
