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Normally I don't support hefty taxation, but I would support higher taxes on hotel chains to subsidize costs of living for locals. Visitors won't likely change behavior due to tax add-ons since there really are no substitutes to visiting beautiful Hawaii.
The Hotels and Tourists already substantially subsidize the cost of living for locals.
For example (last time I checked), on Oahu a Hotel pays a 12.40 tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value. While a residence pays only 3.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. It is only because the Hotels are paying such higher tax rate that the Residential homes can be charged such a low rate. This is a direct reduction in the cost of living for locals.
In addition to the Property Tax rate charged to Hotel properties, the State charges a nearly 14% Tax on the room rate Tourists pay at the hotels. This tax also helps reduce the taxes the government would need to charge the local families.
In essence, the Hotels and Tourists are subsidizing and helping to reduce taxes needed to be charged to local family and as a result, directly subsidizing local families.
Hmmmm isn't it locals that are providing cheap labor and in essence subsidizing profits for the Hotels and Tourist trades? Let really look at these poor Hotels and Tourist industry businesses.
Visitor spending from tourism has reached $39 million per day, with state tax revenue reaching $1.58 billion
Tourism the last few years has broken historical records in visitors and profits.
Hmmmm isn't it locals that are providing cheap labor and in essence subsidizing profits for the Hotels and Tourist trades? Let really look at these poor Hotels and Tourist industry businesses.
Visitor spending from tourism has reached $39 million per day, with state tax revenue reaching $1.58 billion
Tourism the last few years has broken historical records in visitors and profits.
I don't really see this how this, in any way, refutes the point that the Hotel & Visitor taxes already subsidize the cost of living (via lower taxes) for local residents.
I assume you are simply making a Robin Hood argument that the Government should take more from the Tourists and Hotels than they already do and give it to the people ? That really won't help homelessness and it won't help the people in the long run either. It will simply lead more people into long-term dependence on the government rather than dependence on themselves.
But if that is your argument, please tell me (1) who should be taking the "extra money" from the Tourists & Hotels, and (2) Exactly how should they be distributing to the "locals" ?
And should they to give it to all locals equally ? Or are some locals more "local" than others and should be given more ?
My point is it doesn't appear to be such a big hardship. 2nd i will always argue a rich poor me statement that in contributing to the community they make billions in isn't going beyond or above what they should be doing in the first place. And for decades big business has been dependent on government to subsidies starting businesses in communities, expecting tax payers to pay for road inprovements and infrastructure inprovements. How is that anymore different then the least of us sucking from the system? I think its worse, these corporations are not the least of us in abilities? It even more of an insult that wages are by far the lowest in relation to cost of living in the country. See im all for self dependence but this appears to only be a one sided argument for self dependence.
I've been doing a lot of research on this since the last time the thread was active, and in fact more and more communities are finding that an effective way to reduce homeless is to provide basic housing for the homeless.
Denver was a leader, turning an old downtown hotel in housing for the homeless that paid for itself in the reductions in public health costs due to their living on the streets. Other cities followed suit, and now Los Angeles is doing the same... here's a small project, but it has a huge impact on the men living there...
Quote:
Restored Rosslyn Hotel annex will house 75 homeless veterans
Athony Smith slept near the baseball diamond at a West Los Angeles park Sunday night, huddled with the olive drab duffel pack he has carried since his four-year stint as an Army medic during the Gulf War.
"I saw a lot of blood and despair," said Smith, 49.
By noon Monday, he had taken up residence in an immaculately restored, cream-and-ivory studio apartment in the grand old Rosslyn Hotel annex in downtown Los Angeles. Smith is one of 75 former service members who are moving into the $32-million SRO Housing Corp. project as part of the Obama administration's drive to end veteran homelessness by the end of 2015.
.....
The Rosslyn Hotel is run on a housing-first model, meaning residents don't have to be sober to live there. Still, after years in the street, homeless people don't always take well to housing, particularly having to pay typically 30% of their income in rent — a significant bite out of their $221-a-month welfare checks, or Social Security disability payments.
"Many times they sleep on the floor for months because they're not accustomed to sleeping on a bed," said Anita Nelson, chief executive of SRO Housing. "One resident periodically goes back under the freeway a couple of nights."
Hmmmm isn't it locals that are providing cheap labor and in essence subsidizing profits for the Hotels and Tourist trades? Let really look at these poor Hotels and Tourist industry businesses.
Cheap labor? Really? Do you know how much base pay is for housekeepers on Oahu? I will wait for you to discover this. (Then add in the tips they don't report)
I'm going to be homeless soon! My company laid me off 5 weeks ago and the state has yet to give me my unemployment benefits. Because I have a business registered with the state for photography, they refuse to believe I don't make any money from it. And I've started working part time for a wedding photographer so now they really will NEVER give me anything. I'll probably live on Chang's Beach. Maybe JungJohann will stop by and visit on his surfski
I'm going to be homeless soon! My company laid me off 5 weeks ago and the state has yet to give me my unemployment benefits. Because I have a business registered with the state for photography, they refuse to believe I don't make any money from it. And I've started working part time for a wedding photographer so now they really will NEVER give me anything. I'll probably live on Chang's Beach. Maybe JungJohann will stop by and visit on his surfski
Did you go back to Maui? I recall you went back to Texas awhile back...
I'm going to be homeless soon! My company laid me off 5 weeks ago and the state has yet to give me my unemployment benefits. Because I have a business registered with the state for photography, they refuse to believe I don't make any money from it. And I've started working part time for a wedding photographer so now they really will NEVER give me anything. I'll probably live on Chang's Beach. Maybe JungJohann will stop by and visit on his surfski
Wink - Sorry to hear of your predicament. All the online sparring and kidding aside, there are real people here behind the screen personas who may be able to help in some way, with suggestions, leads, encouragement, etc. It's probably best if you start a new thread for the purpose, but let us know what you need, or how we can help. For starters, don't give up on your UI claim, even if you feel discouraged.
Two suggestions occurred to me, may have already occurred to you, but FWIW... have you contacted your former Maui employer, union, boss, coworkers about possible job openings now? As long as you are eligible for rehire that can be a productive route for finding work.
Also, have you carefully read the Hawai'i Unemployment Handbook to be sure you are following everything you need to do? You should know it inside and out, especially since they are fighting you on the claim. For example, since you are working part time, I see they say that once you've filed a claim, even before you receive any benefits are paid out, you are required to file weekly statements on your income. If you don't, that can invalidate your claim, at least partially. If you haven't already read it, here's the link. Unemployment Insurance | Handbook on Unemployment Benefits
Don't forget, lead with Aloha. A smile and a friendly manner never hurts, and often helps. UI people are accustomed to dealing with angry and upset people, but don't show up as one of those. You'll get more traction with polite, reasonable behavior. Be knowlegable, be firm, be insistent, but be nice.
Cheap labor? Really? Do you know how much base pay is for housekeepers on Oahu? I will wait for you to discover this. (Then add in the tips they don't report)
Oh you mean they make $15.26 on a mean avrg? Hmmm but compared to COL a person would have to make about 25hr just to be even with cost of living in honolulu.
Did you know Hawaii’s housing and electricity costs are the highest in the nation, with more than 75 percent of people living in poverty paying over 50 percent of their income on shelter.
“Food costs are 60 percent higher than on the mainland. … Due to relatively high income taxes and the GET,
Hawaii’s real average wage grew at a rate nearly 13 percentage points below that of the national average,
Hawaii’s cost of living is 12 percent higher than the next highest area (Washington, D.C.) and 89 percent higher than in Oklahoma, which is the least expensive area.
the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that Hawaii’s top CEO’s enjoyed a 28 percent raise.
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