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  • Tourism Governs Isle Policies

    Do you feel the way the majority in this report feel? That island policy is based on the tourist industry is true IMO, without vistors Hawaii would suffer in so many ways. Do you tourism it hurts local people ? This other report says that
    Tourists suck up resources, jam roads and crowd beaches. They bring money and jobs, but mostly the low-paying, dead-end variety. That negative view of the state's No. 1 industry appears to be growing among Hawai'i residents.
    I for one hope this is not the case because without them many people would be out of work.
    Last edited by alohabear; April 11, 2006, 05:50 AM.
    Listen to KEITH AND THE GIRLsigpic

    Stupid people come in all flavors-buzz1941
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  • #2
    Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

    Originally posted by alohabear
    Do you feel the way the majority in this report feel? That island policy is based on the tourist industry is true IMO, without vistors Hawaii would suffer in so many ways. Do you tourism it hurts local people ? This other report says that I for one hope this is not the case because without them many people would be out of work.
    It DEFINITELY is the case on Maui! Even the malihini complain about the lack of adequate roads and other services. Maybe that's why the people of Maui are being so stubborn about the Superferry and its impacts on the island. And if the contaminated waters and beaches produce more cases of infection, you can bet that Nature willl put a damper on the tourism industry, at least on Oahu!

    Miulang
    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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    • #3
      Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

      We should look at why our public infrastructure is so poor while our #1 Industry here in Hawaii is going gang busters.

      We can look at expanding into other industries to facilitate our economy or we can look at ways to cut our costs of goverment so we don't have to rely so heavily on tourism as our main income source.

      One area is entitlements. Specifically welfare. I'm not talking cutting programs or benefits to those in need. I'm talking about the cheats. The able-bodied that can but choose not to work and instead take advantage of our lenient entitlement programs.

      WIC is a perfect example of entitlements that is based soley on family size in relation to income. I worked two sometimes three jobs to support my family of six boys. Because of that my income levels prohibited me from collecting WIC coupons for free milk, cheese, eggs, juice...whatever I would have been qualified for with an infant/toddler dependant.

      All I would have had to do was to quit two of the three jobs then I'd be able to qualify...despite living in East Honolulu and driving a BMW with no other financial problems. Imagine that!

      I know people living on Hawaii Loa Ridge renting for basically nothing because they know the landlord working part time yet despite their prestegeous address/location, they qualify for Quest and those cards that replaced food stamps.

      I know an adult male in his early 30's that lived on Waialae Iki IV ridge with his mom. He worked for a real estate company as an appraiser. He got laid off when the economy dived (several years ago). He was attending UH/Manoa at the time and his source of income ended.

      Because he was laid off due to the economy, he qualified for funding under the state's Jobcore program. He used that money to complete his 4-year degree despite living well enough under his mom in a fairly eclectic area.

      Hurting? Nah these people just knew how to take advantage of the system as thousands of other do...DAILY.

      I know of families living in Waianae that are multi-generational welfare families. The kids and grandkids know of no other way of income other than what welfare provides so they go out and collect it with no intention of working.

      Lenient programs such as the Hawaii's welfare system robs the State's tax coffers of monies that could be used for other services. Instead of fixing the problem we look at bringing in more tax dollars thru industry.

      That may make sense...short of cash? Bring in more. Never mind cutting the fat to improve efficiency.

      As Hawaii's homeless population increases, there is a greater need to increase government spending to meet the needs. Where is the State of Hawaii going to get that money when those who can work to provide the tax dollars to feed the poor are the very ones we're feeding? This viscious cyle only spirals downward until our economy cannot handle the burden placed upon it. So we sell our souls to the devil by focusing on industries that negatively impact our Aina for the short time only. Basically buying time, eventually we will run out of both.

      Is the welfare system our only cash cow? No there's others like our educational system that needs a major revamping so our teachers and students can be the focus instead of the beauracracy that runs both.

      Ultimately we need to look at ourselves as taxpayers too. We demand services from our State and County governments when we can do it ourselves. Living out here on the Big Island, I realized I don't need trash pick up...I can do it myself. I don't need county water...I can collect all the water I need myself.

      Living out in the rural parts where I live in private neighborhoods, we depend on our own collection of maintenance fees to improve roads.

      Just like Oahu's latest problem with the millions of gallons of raw sewage being dumped into the Ala Wai canal. The very people complaining about the problem are the very ones that were contributing to it by simply flushing their toilets.

      So who are we to blame for our policies on Tourism? Ultimately we are because we as taxpayers and welfare recepients are the benefactors of the success of those policies. We need to change and reform in order to become less dependent on these kinds of industries.
      Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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      • #4
        Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

        Originally posted by craigwatanabe
        W We need to change and reform in order to become less dependent on these kinds of industries.
        To go a bit further, a bloated state and county governments, politics of no
        and the lingering plantation mentality are holding this state back. Since we
        tax, tax, tax and have a overall poor business climate it is difficult to diversify
        from military,tourism,construction/real estate,and agriculture.

        Sure we have a very low unemployment rate. But the numbers is misleading.
        Most of the jobs here are in the service industry which don't pay very high wages. A lot of our social woes are directly tied to people having to hold
        three or more jobs to survive here.

        If I was in charge I would reduce the bloat of government, reduce taxes,
        and improve the business climate/
        Check out my blog on Kona issues :
        The Kona Blog

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        • #5
          Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

          Originally posted by Aaron S
          If I was in charge I would reduce the bloat of government, reduce taxes,
          and improve the business climate/
          No, you wouldn't. You can't get rid of the bloat without firing 20 percent of government employees. You can't fire government employees because they have a contract -- and because you would not be elected in the first place if you were honest about your plans.

          That, my dear, is the root of the problem, as I see it. We have buttloads of government employees to support. That is where most of our tax money goes, is it not? Government payroll?

          (20 percent is a random figure I'm using to make a point.)

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          • #6
            Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

            Originally posted by MadAzza
            No, you wouldn't. You can't get rid of the bloat without firing 20 percent of government employees. You can't fire government employees because they have a contract -- and because you would not be elected in the first place if you were honest about your plans.

            That, my dear, is the root of the problem, as I see it. We have buttloads of government employees to support. That is where most of our tax money goes, is it not? Government payroll?

            (20 percent is a random figure I'm using to make a point.)
            Yes you are completely right sadly. But even so, despite what you said
            I would advocate wholesale changes to the government structure
            and eliminate the bloat. As it will eventually will be the downfall of this state.
            Check out my blog on Kona issues :
            The Kona Blog

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            • #7
              Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

              Originally posted by Aaron S
              Yes you are completely right sadly. But even so, despite what you said
              I would advocate wholesale changes to the government structure
              and eliminate the bloat. As it will eventually will be the downfall of this state.
              If State politics is anything like national politics, I would say even with "regime change" nothing will change. The reason the Demo-rats fell out of favor in 2000 is because of perceived "government bloat". The Repugnicans promised more efficient government, more open government. If that was in fact happening, why do the polls show overwhelming dissatisfaction with the current Congress? Why are we more in debt than ever before? Why have more documents been marked "Confidential" than in any other administration in history?

              The 2-party system in this country is dead. Might as well hope for anarchy if you really want change. If you took away their perty names, both sides act remarkably alike

              Miulang
              "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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              • #8
                Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

                Dealing with anything on the national is a lost cause...Thus why I focus my energies on the local level. Where it is easier to inflict change.
                Check out my blog on Kona issues :
                The Kona Blog

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                • #9
                  Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

                  Originally posted by Aaron S
                  Dealing with anything on the national is a lost cause...Thus why I focus my energies on the local level. Where it is easier to inflict change.
                  ROFL! Aaron, you just made my night! "Inflict" is the operative word!

                  Miulang
                  "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

                    Originally posted by Miulang
                    ROFL! Aaron, you just made my night! "Inflict" is the operative word!

                    Miulang
                    Whoops..after re-reading what I wrote..maybe it wasn't such an appropriate word
                    Check out my blog on Kona issues :
                    The Kona Blog

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                    • #11
                      Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

                      and because you would not be elected in the first place if you were honest about your plans.

                      As a former candidate, I can say, with authority, that that statement is dead on. The voters vote. And in Kona, they are getting EXACTLY what they asked for.

                      Tourism does not have nearly the impact to Isle Policies that big land owners have. Land banking in Hawaii is an excellent way to store wealth because property taxes are so dang low.
                      FutureNewsNetwork.com
                      Energy answers are already here.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

                        Originally posted by timkona
                        Tourism does not have nearly the impact to Isle Policies that big land owners have. Land banking in Hawaii is an excellent way to store wealth because property taxes are so dang low.
                        I concur, 96% of of the 1 million + agriculture district is considered
                        marginal agriculture land. Tim is absolutely right, big land owners
                        bank land into the agriculture district due to low tax rate.

                        However the problems is :

                        1.The methodology in determining prime and marginal agriculture land
                        is flawed.The Kona coffee belt is considered marginal agriculture land
                        believe it or not. Real prime and marginal agriculture land should be
                        determined. Real Prime agriculture should be in the agriculture district
                        only.Real marginal agriculture land should be moved to either the
                        conservation or rural district.

                        2. Due to the above reason we are doomed to have another Hokulia happen
                        in the future.Bear in mind Hokulia was developed on marginal agriculture land

                        If the land use classifications were more evenly balanced ( I believe
                        51% of land statewide is in the conservation district,46% is in the
                        agriculture district, 3% is urban, 1% is rural) it would do a world of difference.
                        The big Island is at the leading edge of this problem. With over 1 million
                        acres in the agriculture district and 80,000 lots (50,000 which are in Ka'u
                        and Puna)
                        Check out my blog on Kona issues :
                        The Kona Blog

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                        • #13
                          Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

                          A good example of how Tourism governs isle policies is the recent sewage spill on O'ahu. I believe warning signs should have went up as soon as a drop of raw sewage came off that pipe, but the city of Honolulu and the State waited days after. A man dies and this woman gets a bad infection because of it. Sure closing the beaches hurts tourism, but lawsuits will hurt all our pockets.
                          Listen to KEITH AND THE GIRLsigpic

                          Stupid people come in all flavors-buzz1941
                          Flickr

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                          • #14
                            Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

                            Originally posted by alohabear
                            A good example of how Tourism governs isle policies is the recent sewage spill on O'ahu. I believe warning signs should have went up as soon as a drop of raw sewage came off that pipe, but the city of Honolulu and the State waited days after. A man dies and this woman gets a bad infection because of it. Sure closing the beaches hurts tourism, but lawsuits will hurt all our pockets.
                            There might be a legal defense for the State and County to use against some of the lawsuits that I think are just on the horizon. I think they would have to pay up in the case of Johnson and possibly Kennedy (the woman who is in the hospital now with 5 different bacterial infections). In Kennedy's case, she was in an area that wasn't considered hazardous by the State Health Dept.

                            The State's defense for dismissing most other claims as frivolous would be because people who got in the water where signs were posted ignored the warnings and therefore knowingly put themselves at risk for infection. What was amusing to me is it took them at least a day after posting the signs in Waikiki that "oops, maybe we need to put some warnings in Japanese, too". Duh. Where do the majority of tourists to Waikiki come from???? We've become such a litigious society that even plastic bags have to have a warning: "Could cause suffocation in small children". Egads. Maybe we should just let Darwin run its course.

                            Miulang
                            Last edited by Miulang; April 12, 2006, 09:04 AM.
                            "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                            • #15
                              Re: Tourism Governs Isle Policies

                              Originally posted by Miulang
                              ...Demo-rats...Repugnicans...If you took away their perty names, both sides act remarkably alike
                              Ah, Tita Miulang --- just a reminder why I like your postings. You recognize the inherent failure of the system, and treat both broken parties with equal disdain.

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