No to surcharge is no to
teacher, student needs
West Hawaii Today’s editorial espousing local control of public education seems to fund their own public educational system. Hawaii County can’t even fund public transportation or road maintenance, let alone new road construction or rebuilding lava-destroyed infrastructure and housing.
The Waikoloa community has been raising the issue of another mauka-makai road for over 15 years. Instead, the county is considering whether or not to allow the development of another subdivision on Waikoloa Road, which will further the difficulty of evacuation should we again be struck by high winds and fire. If the counties were left to fund their own schools and these schools funds were to be raised by property taxes from each district wouldn’t the most prosperous district try to keep that money in their district?
What would become of Honokaa, Pahala, Naalehu, Waiohinu, Mountain View, Puna? You say we cannot trust our state legislators and offer the example of the TAT debacle, which the rail project I agree is a continuing mess that should have been funded by Oahu’s property tax, GET tax, fed and state money, not our share of the TAT.
However, to say that we should vote no on the surcharges to fund public education is to say no to the front line teachers and students in sweltering classrooms with no offer of a viable solution is even more irresponsible. You would close the door to the possibility of at least a near-term solution to our underfunded public education system in deference to the wishes of the wealthiest people in society.
Given the statements offered by our past governors, it is painfully obvious that many in the Democratic Party of Hawaii have it right most of the time on issues of civil liberties but openly embrace very Republican policies on fiscal policy, which only serve to widen the income gap in society. The piece by Gordon Takaki of the Chamber of Commerce is not surprising because, while the chamber does at the state level represent many small businesses, it is a very right-wing big businesses corporation. His views are very much in line with that. Profit above all else.
Perhaps if this measure is voted down the teachers should stage a statewide strike until they and their students’ needs are recognized and met.
Leslie Iijima
Waikoloa
Bill punishes honest business owners
I believe that Bill 108 discriminates against honest people like myself who operate a reputable short-term rental business and pay my taxes. During the collapse of the economy in 2008, I was also furloughed from my full-time state job and needed to find a solution to supplement my income to pay my mortgage and decided to rent my home in Volcano.
It’s been a wonderful experience hosting upstanding people from all over the world, who leave a small footprint and without complaints from neighbors. My business has grown throughout the years and has become successful, feeding our community businesses and generating tax revenue for the state and county. I do not think that Airbnb should be in the business of collecting taxes. Paying your fair share is the responsibility of the individual. Those who do pay their taxes should not be punished for those who do not, or, for those who have no consideration for the community and run their business in bad taste.
Communities like Volcano did not have many housing options or resorts for those who visit, especially after dark when facing a 45-minute drive to Hilo or two hours back to Kona. I am strongly against Bill 108 and the negative effects that it could have on honest short-term rental owners that offer alternative housing options.
Peggy Kunewa
Volcano
