08-01-2018, 04:52 AM
HereOnThePrimalEdge - I don't know if this has been suggested before, but doesn't the County benefit by the lava flow being perceived as a dangerous emergency situation? One that requires Federal dollars to manage an ongoing disaster? Wouldn't opening a County lava viewing area in effect say, if the danger has lessened enough that busloads of tourists can be transported to the edge of the molten flow, then maybe it's become normalized enough into routine County operating procedure, and perhaps Federal intervention (and dollars) can be phased out.
Of course, it's the County and State that benefit from an ongoing emergency response scenario, not restaurants in Pahoa, or Jack's Tours, or any other number of private businesses trying to stay afloat without visitor dollars that might be spent if visitors could look at lava.
^This - there is financial incentive for the County in justifying the need for heavy-handed control tactics (as well as getting to extend government powers under the emergency proclamation). But don't worry, the first round of tax increases is already approved, with more to follow to pay for the lack of business tax revenue and the lawsuits currently being formulated against the County. We'll all pay for it in the end, not them, so why worry?
Of course, it's the County and State that benefit from an ongoing emergency response scenario, not restaurants in Pahoa, or Jack's Tours, or any other number of private businesses trying to stay afloat without visitor dollars that might be spent if visitors could look at lava.
^This - there is financial incentive for the County in justifying the need for heavy-handed control tactics (as well as getting to extend government powers under the emergency proclamation). But don't worry, the first round of tax increases is already approved, with more to follow to pay for the lack of business tax revenue and the lawsuits currently being formulated against the County. We'll all pay for it in the end, not them, so why worry?