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A G E N D A

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    Guest User about 1 year ago

    aloha. I certainly oppose any surcharge increase on the 4 percent GE tax. I'm speaking from the housing angle, as I am a ge holding, ge tax paying landlord, dutifully (great word, as it applies here) paying my 4 percent on my retail income for 3 decades now. I also know very very well (im a 60 year maui kaama'aina-knowing a lot of residents- and have a line work that allows me to see this income to tax payment mismatch first hand ) that there is a large population of homeowners/landlords in Maui County that do not hold a GE license and are happily pocketing their rental income without paying their 4 percent. situations where they are mortgage free, or collect rental income 4-5 times their mortgage note,
    for years. now, rather than increase what the tax compliant landlords are paying, I see a solution or alternative to that. Perhaps if the county got a task force together to spend some time with the public county tax map key records, look at what people have done with their properties (cottages, ohanas, or even if the owner live there at all) and then connect the dots and determine there are GE licenses associated with all these rentals. i'm sure Maui County is being fleeced to the tune of high 100,000.00's to possibly 7 figures per year of the unreported and uncollected 4 percent taxes due. logic suggests to collect that, this would easily outweigh the income of the .5 percent increase on the table. we all know its harder and harder to make ends meet here, this proposal only puts another nail in the cost of living coffin... mahalo for your time

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    Kathleen Kearns about 1 year ago

    I am a primary care physician. In consideration of the GET rate increase, please consider exempting medical and other healthcare practices. Hawaii is a very difficult state for private practice physicians to stay in business, especially primary care physicians. This is one contributing factor to our physician shortage here on island, and in the state. Health care providers, physician practices could be exempt from the tax.

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    Guest User about 1 year ago

    Local Maui Businesses are already taxed an extremely high rate here in Maui county. Between GET tax, state taxes and federal taxes there isn't much money leftover for the business-owner to take home. To compensate, the business own MUST raise their prices, which increases the costs of their goods and services for everyone in Maui County. There are other ways to find the funding for affordable housing that don't involve raising the price of goods and services for everyone. We are all already stretched so thin with inflation.