02-07-2016, 07:11 AM
quote:You are so out of it, it makes me wonder if you are living in a self barricaded lava tube out there. The number one source of income for this island is tourism and that keeps growing. The number one source of money is government: federal, state, county. That really isn't income, that is taxes of one sort or another. Export products sent out bringing outside dollars in, is way down the list, and selling recyclable materials is a big part of that. The dispensaries are in the government category, part of the island circular economy.
Originally posted by kalakoa
Better hope the new dispensaries save our economy, it's about all we have left.
TMT would have been a small contributor to the local economy, possibly increasing tourism a little, employing a couple hundred people, which is less than a minor Kona resort, still heavily government subsidized. TMT going to Atacama would barely be noticed around here after the social media blurp that would go along with that news. But it would make the current trend more noticeable, a lot less investment interest in Hawaii island in general. This could be a good thing. The development/start-up thing was a fun fever but ultimately, the intent was to make jobs on this island for mainlanders, which has wrong on it in so many ways. Visit, spend money, go home, is what kamaaina, locals and natives need. This idea of creating jobs needed by mainlanders to have the means and reason to live here has to die. Replace it with restore the forests.
"Aloha also means goodbye. Aloha!"
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*