Trump joke was in bad taste
I am shocked (but not surprised) that the Garden Island news would waste precious news space on such a tacky, hurtful “Trump” joke. A newspaper should be bi-partisan (even though I know the TGI is not). The letters to the editor should not be a forum for hate.
The Dems need to get over the election loss and focus on mending the break in civility of the two major parties. Enough all ready!
Kathy Sheffield, Kalaheo
Limit vacation rental on Kauai
There is a simple solution to the vacation rental problem that the Kauai County Council has been ducking. All vacation rentals currently are supposed to be registered with the county. Now, place a limit on the number of vacation rental licenses allowed on Kauai. Once that number is reached, subsequent applicants have to wait for a slot to open.
You’re not putting anyone out of business. You are preventing the further drain of residences from the pool of homes for long term residents.
If you want to add pressure and build funding for further management and enforcement, establish a fee for the initial vacation rental license and an annual fee for renewal. Perhaps something like $500 per bedroom, $1000 for noise makers such as hot tubs, swimming pools, and elaborate lanais that encourage late night outdoor parties.
To add further encouragement to leave the business, require that annual renewal of licenses must be done in person by the property owner.
As it is now, homes continue to be converted to vacation rentals in the so called “visitor designated areas.” Unfortunately, residents also live in “VDAs” and the conversions place further pressure on available housing island wide.
Simply put a cap on the total number allowed and then start to manage it down. Or, wait and watch it get worse.
Mike Taylor, Princeville
A great first step towards mutual civility should come from our President after all he is SUPPOSED to be setting an example for the rest of us… Oh… wait…. That’s right the lack of civility in America today is due to his never ending tasteless drivel
I like the concept and the idea. Unfortunately, the problem lies with illegal vacation rentals, not the ones that are licensed. Yes, limiting the VR’s that are licensed would somewhat alleviate some crowding, but the better, easier, and more cost effective move rests with the County’s enforcement or those breaking the law by hosting illegal vacation rentals. As stated here previously, the fines collected would more than pay for additional enforcement personnel. So why hasn’t the County hired additional investigators to stop illegal vacation rentals, and thus, help with our overcrowding? Tourists generally won’t travel to Kauai without a place to stay.
Dear Ms. Sheffield, when the boy-child Trump stops hating the truth about his “crowd size”, and stops hating, and trying to destroy, our democratic system, and stops hating Mexicans, Syrians, blacks and just about everyone else who is not white and rich, and all the rest of the hate he spews and exemplifies, , you can expect a slow return to civility. More than likely, that will not happen and it will take an impeachment to get that clown out of office before he creates even more dangerous situations than he has.
This ego-driven grade-school-smarts maniac is our commander-in-chief and is in control of our nuclear arsenal.
As far as elections, the nation needs to eliminate the Electoral College and just count the votes of all citizens. If everyone’s vote really counted, Trump would not be the President.
Until then, bring on the jokes…we need some comic relief to get over the nastiness, and scariness, of Trump and the foolish Republicans who support him.
Trump uses the “it was a joke” excuse all the time. Grow some thicker skin, Kathy.
IF you’re the same Mike Taylor (in Princeville) I ‘think’ you are then you had a vacation rental for years, but obviously don’t now or you’d know owners DO pay an initial fee, and DO pay an annual renewal fee. They also have to include their TVR # on every website they advertise, and attach their TVR plaque with their permit # visibly to the rental (I don’t have a rental, but know some that do), thus it’s pretty easy for anyone to find out who’s permitted, and who’s not nowadays.
IF you’re the same Mike Taylor then your goal, like many, was vacation rent your home to offset your mortgage, visit as often as possible, and eventually retire here. And, again IF you are the same Mike Taylor > residents lived in Princeville when you were vacation renting which subsequently created one less long term rental for many years = a recent case of the NIMBY syndrome?
Politics. Trump lovers? 50.1% wins the general election. Why would you wany to win an election, if you’re dumb like these. Bernard p. Carvalho jr., Ross Kagawa, Mel Rapozo, Derek Kawakami, Mason Chock, and any cook there…serious.
Good luck with your policing on vacation rentals. Gonna camp a bruddahcuz on every doorstep of un-permitted units? Overcrowded? It is only going to get worse. Just too much money involved for the good ol boys. The rules of mathematics says even with zero tourists it would just be a matter of time before it is still overcrowded, but with no tourist $$$$$. There goes the big tires, green bottles and indoor plumbing.
Ms Sheffield, it wasn’t an election loss. It was theft.
So Kathy, do you know the difference between a crisis and a catastrophe? A crisis is if donald trump falls into the Potomac River and can’t swim. A catastrophe is if anybody saves him!
Mike Taylor and his ilk support and lobby for government force and threat of violence to coerce discrimination against one class of renter and one class of property owner. Way to go Mike, et al, nothing like supporting economic fascism…and that is precisely what you are advocating.
RG DeSoto
A state which has been impacted by Mexican drugs for decades should be helping Trump – shame on you!
No articles about Mazie Hirono who despises Hawaii’s men?