West Maui & West Hawaii ?

[Konaguy]

I was reading this Maui News Article. It sounds like West Maui is going through the same problems
like West Hawaii ?

"During all of these administrations West Maui has been a cash cow. Our tax dollars have gone for improvements in Kahului, Wailuku, Upcountry and Kihei. A miniscule amount has trickled back. The cash cow is now dying of malnutrition."


It sounds so eerily like West Hawaii. We pay 70% of the property taxes and
get very little in return (to break it down further 41% comes from Kaupulehu,
Waikoloa, Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea resort areas).

[Miulang]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

Their main beef is the County keeps approving new developments for West Maui but hasn't done anything about infrastructure. That pali road between Central Maui and Lahaina is gridlocked almost any time of the day now. In the 60's and 70's (around the time the first hotels at Kaanapali were built) it would take about 30 minutes to get from Wailuku to Lahaina.

Nowadays, if you're lucky, it takes an hour minimum, and if there's a traffic accident anywhere on the pali road, forget it. You could be stuck for hours. There is no fast alternate highway to get from Central Maui to West Maui. You could try going around the top of Maui (via Kahakuloa) but that's a pretty spooky drive-- one lane each direction with very very steeeeep cliffs and no guard rails I would NEVER want to drive that road at night!

West Maui is also drier and hotter than Central Maui (they don't call Lahaina, Lahaina, for nothing) and this is taxing the water supply too.

Most locals who live on Maui don't go to Lahaina unless it's absolutely necessary. Most of the traffic is from rental cars going both ways.

It's not exactly true that West Maui subsidizes the rest of Maui, though, and especially not Kihei. The development of Wailea has helped build infrastructure for the South End (which is still not keeping pace with growth).

What is true is that for certain services (i.e., healthcare), there is a critical need for an expanded hospital facility (just as there is a need in Kihei) because the populations of both areas are growing so rapidly. For the Lahaina area, it would probably be a little more critical because of the traffic situation on the Honoapiilani Hwy. At least people in the Kihei area have several roads that lead to Maui Memorial Hospital from that area. The people on the West Side have lobbied for years to try to get a small hospital built there, but so far nothing has materialized.

Miulang

[pzarquon]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

Heh. Back when I lived in Waikiki (pre-Harris fake-over), our fellow residents said the same thing. It's basically the heart of the economic engine that is Honolulu, but apart from things that keep tourists happy, those that called Waikiki home got the short end of the stick.

Kona is definitely at a disadvantage as far as geographic separation from the county seat in Hilo... although I think I'd read in your blog that they're trying to conduct more government business on the Kona side these days.

[Konaguy]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

Kona is definitely at a disadvantage as far as geographic separation from the county seat in Hilo... although I think I'd read in your blog that they're trying to conduct more government business on the Kona side these days.

http://aaronstene.blogspot.com/2006/...etings-in.html

Yes they are but,

1. The resolution is non-binding
2. It is only for one year
3. "subject to the council's approval of adequate personnel, equipment and support services to comply with statutory, legal and processing deadlines."

[beaker]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

Konafornia. Pffff. Next big quake it falls into the ocean.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

What Kona or California. I read in a Hawaiian airlines in flight mag that parts of the South Kohala coastline could suddenly disappear anytime.

[SouthKona]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

Konafornia. Pffff. Next big quake it falls into the ocean.

Geez, and if the West Hawaii hotels disappear then where will all the Hilo workers go to find jobs that pay a decent wage?

You gotta love the East VS West of the B.I.! (But like I've said before, we might poke at each other, but both E & W agree the B.I. is best!)

[craigwatanabe]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

Geez, and if the West Hawaii hotels disappear then where will all the Hilo workers go to find jobs that pay a decent wage?

You gotta love the East VS West of the B.I.! (But like I've said before, we might poke at each other, but both E & W agree the B.I. is best!)

Well if the quake hits during normal business hours I presume that'll take care of them as well.

[SouthKona]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

Well if the quake hits during normal business hours I presume that'll take care of them as well.

Point well taken!

[beaker]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

Geez, and if the West Hawaii hotels disappear then where will all the Hilo workers go to find jobs that pay a decent wage?

What makes you think we don't have jobs in Hilo? How do you think we pay the $$$$ rent?

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

You know what is unusual? The west sides of BI and Maui are home to the ritzier/more expensive hotels and homes.

But on O'ahu and Kaua'i? It is the exact opposite. Ain't nobody with $$$$ clamoring to move to Wai'anae or Kekaha.

[SouthKona]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

What makes you think we don't have jobs in Hilo? How do you think we pay the $$$$ rent?

I did not say people in Hilo "don't have jobs". What I was referring to were the numerous hard working people who travel to West Hawaii so they can avail themselves of the employment opportunities, and the often higher wages/benefits that many hotels offer. (West Hawai`i has 6,000 hotel, resort and condominium rooms and has more than a million visitors annually; all the employment from that feeds a lot of families.) Also consider the numerous W.H. construction jobs, much of the workforce comes from E.H.

If West Hawai`i falls into the ocean, there will be a lot of paychecks that are missed "islandwide".

[Konaguy]

Re: West Maui & West Hawaii ?

What Kona or California. I read in a Hawaiian airlines in flight mag that parts of the South Kohala coastline could suddenly disappear anytime.

Are you sure its South Kohala ? That area is not seismically active. I know
the Puna coastline, may fall in the ocean. I checked
Hana Hou, the Hawaiian Airlines inflight
magazine. There was only one article
that talked about earthquakes- it didn't mention anything about South Kohala.