Hawaii Legislature SB750 Regarding Transient Accommodation Taxes

The following request was sent by one of our Hawaii owners regarding SB 750. Please read this if you are a Hawaii vacation rental owner as it will impact all owners in the state of Hawaii should it be passed. If you have a rental in another part of the world, you still may want to support this issue and fax letters. If vacation rental owners band together as a strong voice, there will be enough precedents set, worldwide which will help to dissolve any future issues. Please read the sample letter as presented below and the examples of points you can make in your letter. There are fax numbers below for faxing your letters, so that your voices can be heard.

IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ, WRITE and FAX LETTERS ASAP.
We are getting the word direct from the sources at the capitol that SB 750 (which allows the State to give TAT (transient accommodation tax) information to the County for the purpose of seeking non permitted TVRs(transient vacation rentals) and B&Bs) may be shelved. There is a debate right now on whether to continue with hearings. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/
They were impressed with the number of letters sent by us for the last hearing. However, our opponents are writing letters right now to the WAM (Ways and Means Committee) supporting this bill. These opponents are mainly the County and pals of Keep it Kailua.
We have to do the same with a carload of letters from our side, but Opposing this bill. We have to show there are more of us. Politicians count votes.
This committee is very powerful and is about economics and environment. Keep to this subject. Write: "I am against (or opposed) to SB 750" in your First sentence. Make it just a few sentences. Please sign name, and give address. I have written a "Sample" letter for all of you. You can copy the letter below and insert one or more of the following sentences after the first sentence.
Then fax to each of the Committee Members below. These must be received by Wednesday!!! No later!!! We are hoping that the influx of letters will cause them to throw out this Bill.
SAMPLE LETTER:

Senator Rosalyn H. Baker, Chairperson
Senate Ways and Means Committee
FAX 586-6071 REF: SB 750

Dear Senator Baker,
I am opposed to Senate Bill SB 750 . It is an invasion of privacy to share state tax information with the County. We want to continue to work with the City and County to create a positive environment through regulations, instead of a hostile environment between neighbors in the communities.
Sincerely,

Your Name
City, State Zip Code
Phone number

Some of the points to include after the first sentence....
· We want to continue to work with the City and County to create a positive environment through regulations, instead of a hostile environment between neighbors in the communities. · Economically, it will also benefit the small businesses in the communities.
· By working with the City and County, we can control impact with off street parking, permit fees and taxes.
· By passing this bill, you will only benefit a small group. Their only attitude, I win, you lose!
· It is a waste of money in litigations. Catching someone is only half of the problem.
· To put this bill into place will take a year of tax dollars, public hearings and set ups for all four counties.
· Senior citizens who have B&BS will be economically independent and able to stay in their homes. This bill does nothing for them. This is an impossible task.

There is no way to determine from a TAT license who is renting for less than 30 days. Why would the State want to risk losing millions in tax revenues by eliminating such a lucrative tourist industry? Please write for your friends and families. Have them okay and sign the letters. Individual letters count. Include your telephone numbers and addresses. Just reword or make a few points in each letter. They will count the letters and note the first sentence.
Save your letters because if they do decide to have a hearing they will need to be sent again. Be prepared to attend if a hearing is announced. I hope that we will intimidate them enough with our letters that they shelve this bill. Our first line of defense for killing this Bill is our voices, being heard through letters. Note that we have included a fax to the Governor.
If you want a letter written for you to sign let me know.
Mahalo,
Angie
230-8981
Below are the names and faxes. Please include title of Chair for Senator Baker and Vice Chair for Senator Tsutsui. All others address as Senator, name and member of Ways and Means Committee.
Governor Linda Lingle- FAX-586-0006
Senator Rosalyn H. Baker- Chair- FAX-586-6071
Senator Shan S. Tsursui- Vice Chair- FAX-586-7348
Senator Chun Oakland-FAX-586-6131
Senator J. Kalani English-FAX-587-7230
Senator Carol Fukunaga-FAX-586-6899
Senator Gary L. Hooser-FAX- 586-6031
Senator Donna Mercado Kim-FAX-587-7205
Senator Ron Menor-FAX-586-6829
Senator Jill N. Tokuda-Fax-587-7220
Senator Paul Whalen-FAX-586-9391

Bill to Control Maui Vacation Rentals Shelved

In today's Maui News, February 16th, the following article is of great interest to owners of Maui Vacation Rentals, but also to vacation rental owners in other parts of the world who are fighting similar battles with their city councils.

"WAILUKU – A long-debated bill to regulate vacation rentals was killed Thursday by the County Council Planning Committee, after committee members agreed the proposal on the table just didn’t have enough community support.
The proposed bill sought to establish standards and policies for vacation rentals and bed-and-breakfasts, and to clarify and streamline permitting procedures." Read More

Oahu vacation rental owners have been facing similar problems discussed in detail in New Hawaii Bills For Vacation Rentals. The good news is that for now the issue in Maui has been shelved, and they have decided that because some of the county districts such as Hana, Molokai and Lanai were disappointed because they did not get a chance to express their views on vacation rentals, that the next draft should accommodate their preferences as well.

The article ends on an encouraging note by David Dantes of the Maui Vacation Rental Association who agreed that the policy needs more study. He says "I'm hoping that in future discussions everyone can look at the issues and problems from one side." and further "We all want to be happy. We all want to live together, and we need to find ways of doing that."

We encourage your comments on this article. So for now Maui Vacation Rentals are alive and well!!