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Looks like our dear representatives are about to screw us again.
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/news...l-honolulu
If you think the TAT portion doesn't really effect us, you need to learn more.
Ninole Resident
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Ninole Resident
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Screwed by the lawyers again!
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Time for an audit: how much State tax is collected on "neighbor" islands vs how much the "neighbor" islands receive in return.
Favorite quote from the last round of rail articles: "fairness for people on the west side" ... where the rail doesn't go.
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Their own study shows millions of dollars and scores of jobs will be lost on the Big Island due to a 1% TAT increase. How could elected representatives screw over their own constituents like this?
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Pay particular attention to Puna Representative Joy Sanbuenaventura's ignorant comments:
"The TAT is less regressive than the GET, said Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, D-Puna. That means it won’t hit the poor the most by taking a greater percentage of their income. She and other supporters said extending Honolulu’s GET, the only other funding source being considered for Honolulu’s problem, would hurt more people, especially those who buy online and will be taxed at the higher Honolulu rate.
“The TAT affects people who can afford an increase,” San Buenaventura said. “I don’t like the fact that this has become a neighbor island versus Oahu dispute.”
She seems to have very little understanding of tourism economics or how on-line sales tax is supposed to work. And don't you just love how she takes the "let's bail out Oahu" side while lamenting that there might be dispute between Oahu and the rest of us. What an ignoramus!
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That means it won't hit the poor the most
Unless that person loses their hotel job due to staff cutbacks...
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But losing that hotel job is OK because a limited number of union supporters are making big bucks flying From BI to work on the rail.
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Ninole Resident
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I blame the Oahu developers and their political allies/tools.
Specifically, Hanneman, Caldwell, and the Legislative critters.
I called my reps, and have been calling them about this issue.
Has anyone else?
The developers and the politicians and crooked vendors get rich on
a Honolulu boondoggle, and the whole State has to pay these jokers and thieves.
Did I mention the recent past denial of funds for 130?
Doing TMT would help us here too, but it doesn't produce the needed amount of graft to get approval.[}
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Several legislators have noted that the 1% increase is a minuscule amount in the scheme of things...but tourists aren't looking at the minuscule increase, they're looking at the total tax line - 14.42% if this bill passes. That's a big chunk of change for multi-night stays, and it's law abiding tax-collecting hotel and vacation rental operators who are taking the heat (and suffering the consequences) resulting from the high taxes. Legislators -- including our own Joy San Buenaventura -- seem to think tourists have bottomless pockets that can be picked whenever they so desire without reprecussions. But as several posters have noted, any drop in tourism or tourist spending will affect local Puna people. Neighbor island tourists and accommodations operators should not be on the hook for a half-baked rail system that will only benefit a small number of people on Oahu.
We need to remind Joy that she represents us, not Oahu residents...
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You win the Airportparking Memorial Prize for bitching while complaining about bitching. Congratulations!
