My two cents
I have greatly admired the leadership that has come from Mayor Kawakami to keep Kauai safe and our COVID-19 infections under control.
I have been disappointed by the leadership I’ve seen at a state level, both in a video conference with state legislature leaders and the public statements by the governor. Their main concern seems to be focused most on finances. State legislators talked primarily about budget shortfalls and Ige has come with ideas about cutting state workers incomes by 20%. This is not leadership. It’s bean counting.
If society is to overcome this deficit spending at a state and federal level will be required. The question I’m sure is on their mind is, “How will we ever make that up?”
Pre-pandemic, Hawaii was leading the nation in tourism, often hitting occupancies of 90-100%. The statewide average for 2019 was 81%. This will return once the pandemic is under control and the economy heats up again.
Whenever I’ve asked a public official about taxing tourists more, I get some version of the following (the figures aren’t exact but they make the point), “Tourists only account for 20% of the people here but they already cover 30% of income.” So what? An extra $50 per week tax to a family staying in a $300-600 per night hotel or a timeshare with a $2k per week maintenance fee means nothing to them and they’ll easily pay it. They pay that much for family lunch at a food truck, for goodness sake. Cutting essential services, lowering state workers incomes or additionally taxing the working-class residents of the islands should be the last fixes we consider.
I hope we get more leadership and vision about what’s possible from our state leadership and less fear and bean counting.
One guy’s thoughts,
Jason Blake, Puhi
