Bill 121 will cause ‘financial harm’
For months, in response to public outcry, proponents of Bill 121 have been saying “the public is just confused” or they “misunderstand.”
At the Windward Planning Commission hearing last month, these comments turned accusatory: “The public is being fed misinformation” and they are testifying to “what they have been told to say.”
Setting aside the offensive nature of these comments — which would suggest that the public is either too stupid to understand or too gullible and is being manipulated — I assure you most of the folks testifying do, in fact, understand the bill as it applies to them. Certainly, better than the county does.
Under current law, hosted rentals do not require a permit. There is no verified data specific to hosted rentals, operators or their properties, and the county hasn’t performed any studies to try to comprehend the scope of the proposed impact to Hawaii County.
The Appleseed report referenced by the drafters was published prior to Bill 108, does not perform independent research, nor does it address the differences between hosted and unhosted rentals, and doesn’t contemplate the economic impact of its various recommendations if enacted.
Hawaii Island is not San Francisco, Los Angeles or New York. And we are not Maui. Contrary to the current narrative, according to the 2023 annual Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism publication cited by the Appleseed report, since 2017 the number of vacation rental units on Hawaii Island has decreased by 3.6%.
To paint this island with the broad brush of generalized statistics is a disservice to the community at best and a grave economic miscalculation with ripple effects, at worst. The county needs to listen to its residents, perform an economic impact survey, and work on fair, consistent and accountable enforcement of existing laws.
This legislation is clumsy, overreaching and short-sighted. The only guaranteed result is financial harm. Do better.
Jennifer Wilkinson
Kailua-Kona
More EV stations are sorely needed
Every week, I read about the upcoming bills which almost always have funding or other kinds of support for affordable housing. I never see anything that includes charging stations in the parking lots of these buildings.
Mohouli Senior Residence, a relatively new complex, has around 200 people in its three phases, but not one place to charge an electric vehicle.
Where does this lack of planning originate? Is it the contractor, the County of Hawaii rules or the mayor himself?
We are watching China bust out EV, and I’ll bet they understand that whoever buys these cars must charge them.
Some forward thinking individuals have their homes set up to do this, but what about apartment buildings and condos?
I did see a station in front of the mayor’s office, so I guess his car is taken care of.
Toby S. Hazel
Hilo