Helicopters over Puna

[Ilan]

Thank you, Carey. I appreciate your honesty and thoughtful response. At the rate of 20+ choppers flying directly or almost directly overhead per hour, it's very hard to be patient with both the helicopters making bank at our expense and sanity or Pele's wisdom and timing. I certainly welcome Madame Peles intervention at this point, be it as it will be. I will continue to do what I can as well.

[kalakoa]

Your "right to peace/privacy" is a quaint notion.

Helicopters should be "mandatory disclosure" (as some Realtors already do with the coqui), but that probably won't change unless/until someone (probably in HPP) has the time/money to sue -- at which point no judge will dare to rule against the "almighty tourist cash flow".

If the subdivisions are really "private", they should be given jurisdiction over their airspace (to 1500'), and the power/authority to bill the tour operators -- just think of the "private" road maintenance your subdivision could afford with a $25/flight surcharge.

[unknownjulie]

Feel free to move this over to "Puna Development Plan", but I propose we put a "noise disturbance tax" on the helicopter tour operators and use it for "private subdivision road improvement fund" that is disbursed directly to private HOA's. Might be easier to put up with, if there was some direct benefit to residents that the choppers fly over.

[unknownjulie]

OR an even better idea is to make each person taking a tour have to pay a 5 dollar fee directly into the fund,for the noise. This would increase revenues for private road maintanance while simultaneously increasing awareness of the problem.

[Ilan]

You have a good point, unknownjulie. Public/tourist awareness of the negative impact of these tours would be most helpful. I know if I knew the distress these tours caused the local people, I would think twice about it. I realize plenty of others don't care but some would and even that amount would make a difference. A $5 tax seems very reasonable. $25 sounds even more reasonable. At the prices they charge and get, another $25 isn't even an afterthought for most customers.

Taking legal action would also get publicity.

Mahalo to all who have contributed their comments.

[rainshadow]

unknownjulie, I like the way you think.

I'm in for publicity. I've been working the legal routes for 2 years. Some awareness, but no movement. The good ol' boy .GOV club doesn't take lightly to 'the people' expressing their viewpoints. A true democracy.




-- rainshadow

[kalakoa]

Interesting/useful angle on the above: airspace is controlled by FAA, so any "taxation" would require their blessing ... at which point State and/or County would be forced to abide by their "superseded by Federal law anyway" stance.

[nnickle]

My car is required to have a muffler why not the same for helicopers?

[kalakoa]

...because tourists aren't paying for rides in your car!

[unknownjulie]

YEah, I dont think it should be called a "tax". A fee is possibly less regulated. I agree. Even 25 wouldnt negatively impact the amount of people on the tours.