Act 326 is an unfair burden
Act 326 imposes a tax reporting burden on every Property Owners Association to report to the Department of Taxation each and every vacation rental within their community. This ultimately imposes a new expense on every member of the community, whether they sublet or not. This is happening because the big hotels complain that they have to collect transient accommodations tax, but individual bed and breakfasts do not. I am not aware of any public debate on the issue before it passed. It should not be our responsibility to do the tax collectors’ research and tattle on our neighbors.
I urge everyone to write to your state representatives to express your opposition to this form of tax farming.
Ken Obenski
Kaohe
Thirty Meter Telescope work desecrating mountain
It is disturbing that Mauna Kea is being selected for the Thirty Meter Telescope. Designs for it make it the largest telescope on planet Earth; it is 18 stories high and three football fields long. Leveling off the mountain definitely has to take place to build the TMT, and desecration is inevitable.
With more than ten observatories already on damaged Mauna Kea, desecration of the craziest kind has already taken place, because burials definitely flank the mountain. Imagine if King Kamehameha The Great’s remains were on Mauna Kea. Desecration of King Kamehameha The Great or any other kanaka maoli is bad news.
Yes, Mauna Kea has already been desecrated, but, it must stop. The indigenous Hawaiian race and its culture are already vanishing treasures and must be protected. If both were to be wiped off planet Earth, you could kiss tourism in Hawaii goodbye, for it sadly wouldn’t be unique here any more.
Dean Nagasako
Honokaa