Airports gateway to
world-class destination ADVERTISING Airports gateway to
world-class destination The visitor industry is our state’s economic driver, and it is dependent upon the quality of our airports, and the impressions they leave with our guests. It is vital that we
Airports gateway to
world-class destination
The visitor industry is our state’s economic driver, and it is dependent upon the quality of our airports, and the impressions they leave with our guests. It is vital that we modernize these gateways, to continue to retain our brand as a world-class destination.
As an island community, the airports are essential, connecting residents to ohana, medical services, educational and business opportunities. The airports are self-funded, with operating and capital improvements paid primarily by the airlines and concessionaires through user fees, and through passenger facility charges included in each airfare.
This year, lawmakers have an opportunity to improve the operation and management of airports statewide by creating an airport corporation. We believe they should pass this legislation, supported by the leadership of the Department of Transportation, allowing a single entity to oversee the planning, management, marketing and development of our airports statewide.
Stephanie Donoho
Kohala Coast Resort Assn.
Admin. director
Trump reminds of famous fable
A circle of advisors/spokespersons could not help but rekindle the memory of that time honored fable authored by Hans Christian Andersen.
A vain emperor who cares about nothing except wearing and displaying clothes hires two weavers who promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is either unfit for his position or hopelessly stupid. The emperor’s ministers cannot see the clothes themselves, but pretend that they can for fear of appearing unfit for their positions, and the emperor does the same.
Finally, the weavers report that the suit is finished, they mime dressing him, and the emperor marches in procession before his subjects. The townsfolk play along with the pretense, not wanting to appear unfit for their positions or stupid.
Then, a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the emperor is wearing nothing at all, and the cry is taken up by others. The emperor suspects the assertion is true but continues the procession.
Listen to the child!
Edward Shulman
Kailua-Kona
Tax classes unequal
“The benefits one class obtains must be made up in another class.” The words of Stan Sitko, the property tax administrator for the county quoted in the Sunday article by Nancy Cook Lauer.
From my perspective, a benefit Stan could be talking about is the 3 percent growth cap only benefiting the homeowners tax class. All other classes are subject to paying taxes on the full market value of their homes and businesses.
I am in the agricultural tax class and the taxable value of my home has increased 33 percent over the last four years. Those protected by the growth cap would have seen an increase of about 13 percent. What this tells us is that over time the homeowners tax class is paying a smaller percentage of the county taxes compared to other classes.
This growth cap benefit was gifted by the Kim administration 12 years ago and has unbalanced the system. If you look in the tax rolls you will see there is a huge amount of untaxed property now. Many homeowners now have over $100,000 in untaxed property value. Just check the rolls and compare market value to assessed value. You might be shocked.
Homeowners use the same parks, roads, police, and fire department as the rest of us; yet they pay a smaller percentage of its cost each year because they are protected by the 3 percent growth cap.
This is a fairness issue and should be addressed.
Phillip Koszarek
Captain Cook
