GET for "transportation" ... not

[kalakoa]

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2019/0...of-ge-tax/

Mayor Kim said securing the added flexibility in how the GET surcharge funds can be spent is a "top priority" this legislative session.

[alaskyn66]

Instead of giving the confiscated drugs to the cops to smoke... why dont they resell them on the street. Wouldn't that make up the difference..

[Chunkster]

Joy Sanbuenaventura voted "No" and said, " . . . until they fix our roads and until everyone gets proper access back to their roads and back to their farms, I need to be in opposition.” My mixed opinion of Joy just picked up some big points on the positive side.

As for Harry Kim, rest assured that there is not a dollar in your pocket that he does not have his own plans for.

[kalakoa]

https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2019/03/...using-get/

"We told them our priority would still be roads," Kim said Monday.

If the priority is the same as what's already allowed by the GET surcharge legislation, then why does Kim need "flexibility" in how that money is spent? Do we really not have $50M worth of transportation needs in a $573M budget?

The County Council last week approved a quarter-cent increase to the GET, bringing the county surcharge to one-half cent, estimated to add $50 million annually to the budget. Kim earlier this month submitted a $573.5 million preliminary proposed budget, a 10.7 percent increase. Because that was based on the quarter-cent GET surcharge, the amended budget due May 5 is expected to increase by another $25 million.

In other words: we got this tax revenue, and we gotta spend it, so we're increasing the budget to match?

[jrw]

Everyone forgets that the state has all ready gave mayor over 20 million dollars and he wants another 60 million plus tax us 50 million more where does it all go

jrw