In pricey Hawaii, some prices have remained unchanged for the last 30 years (hotel, to live)

[KaraBenNemsi]

QUOTE: ...the two local brands always have their 10oz bag 10% Kona Coffee on sale for $3.99 in the local CVS store for the last 30 years.

There's no Kona coffee in those bags, don't be fooled! Not even 30 years ago. Never, ever. Why? Because no one checks what these companies buy. Shy of opening their books to the Dept of AG no one can find out.

But you still pay a premium for the cheap foreign coffee with the 10% Kona printed on the label. And in the cheap foreign coffee world there's always trashier, moldier, more bug-bitten beans to be found.

[Ian_Lee]

Originally Posted by KaraBenNemsi

QUOTE: ...the two local brands always have their 10oz bag 10% Kona Coffee on sale for $3.99 in the local CVS store for the last 30 years.

There's no Kona coffee in those bags, don't be fooled! Not even 30 years ago. Never, ever. Why? Because no one checks what these companies buy. Shy of opening their books to the Dept of AG no one can find out.

But you still pay a premium for the cheap foreign coffee with the 10% Kona printed on the label. And in the cheap foreign coffee world there's always trashier, moldier, more bug-bitten beans to be found.

I have visited the factory of one of the local brands. They have a machine like a cement mixer that various kinds of coffee beans are poured in. Bags of coffee beans are stockpiled that are imported from foreign countries with label showing points of origin like Congo and Java.

But you raised a good question. Do those products really contain 10% Kona coffee? Frankly I don't know.

[Ian_Lee]

Other low cost stuffs I can find in Hawaii:

(1) Property tax -- at an average 0.0028% rate, it is the lowest among all states.

(2) Working attire -- unless you work in a funeral home, Aloha shirt is the attire worn by everyone from State Governor to Bus Driver 365 days of the year. Plenty of them available at Costco @$19.99. Better quality and design Aloha shirts like Tori Richard (Brand that was supposed to be given by President Obama to every APEC leader) can be bought at $40+.

(3) Homeowner insurance -- the premium rate is below national average. Less than half of Florida.

(4) Auto insurance -- ranks 41st among all states in premium.

(5) Gas -- used to be highest. But now about 10% cheaper than California. Anyway you don't drive much in Hawaii and bus is pretty reliable that can get you access to almost every part on the island.

(6) Toll and Parking -- There is no toll road, no toll bridge and no toll tunnel in Hawaii. Parking rate is low except Waikiki (but even in Waikiki there are many free parking spaces).

(7) No heating bill.

(8) Most leisure activities are free -- In Florida you have theme park but that cost money even you have resident annual pass. But in Hawaii, surfing, hiking,.....etc are mostly free.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Ian_Lee

(2) Working attire -- unless you work in a funeral home, Aloha shirt is the attire worn by everyone from State Governor to Bus Driver 365 days of the year.

(5) Gas -- used to be highest. But now about 10% cheaper than California. Anyway you don't drive much in Hawaii and bus is pretty reliable that can get you access to almost every part on the island.

Well - no. An attorney will not show up to court in a Aloha Shirt. Plenty of uniformed workers from police to hospitality workers.


Don't drive much in Hawaii - hmmmm, tell that to all the people with 60-90 minutes on the west side of Oahu.

[Ian_Lee]

Of course I mean beside uniformed workers. Most other jobs ranging from White collar to sales to hotel can have Aloha Shirt as working attire.

I used to live on Leeward side. I commuted by Express Bus to work. Express Bus is quite convenient (but now it is getting more crowded). Unless you carpool, it makes more sense to commute by Express Bus to the workplace.

[pj737]

Originally Posted by Ian_Lee

Other low cost stuffs I can find in Hawaii:

(1) Property tax -- at an average 0.0028% rate, it is the lowest among all states.

(8) Most leisure activities are free -- In Florida you have theme park but that cost money even you have resident annual pass. But in Hawaii, surfing, hiking,.....etc are mostly free.

You need to revise that to state "residential" property tax. We pay some of the highest commercial property tax rates in the nation.

State and Local Property Taxes Target Commercial and Industrial Property | Tax Foundation

The average commercial property owner in the US pays 1.724 times the residential tax rate.

Here in Hawaii, these business owners pay 3.73 times the rate homeowners pay. That makes us 49 out of 50 (only ahead of New York).

Residents here only pay 28% of the entire city property tax burden with 72% of the burden being borne by commercial property owners. These taxes get passed onto to businesses which subsequently increases the cost of goods and services for all residents and visitors.

Hawaii is very good about structuring tax liabilities so that it appeases/placates the typical (clueless) voter but it disproportionately stiffs business owners (who represent a mere 9% of the voting public). They do it with GET... and they do it with property taxes.

As for #8, I couldn't agree more. It's heaven for the outdoorsy/nature-loving folks.

[Ian_Lee]

Pj373:

Thanks for correcting me. In fact Hawaii is very hostile to business, especially small one.

[KaraBenNemsi]

Originally Posted by Ian_Lee

I have visited the factory of one of the local brands. They have a machine like a cement mixer that various kinds of coffee beans are poured in. Bags of coffee beans are stockpiled that are imported from foreign countries with label showing points of origin like Congo and Java.

But you raised a good question. Do those products really contain 10% Kona coffee? Frankly I don't know.

They can buy, roast, and sell any coffee they want. The crime happens when they mislabel something as an USA product but in reality it is foreign. But that's where the profit margin is.

[Ian_Lee]

Originally Posted by KaraBenNemsi

They can buy, roast, and sell any coffee they want. The crime happens when they mislabel something as an USA product but in reality it is foreign. But that's where the profit margin is.

They didn't mislabel it. The label said 10% Kona, the other beans in the bag can be foreign origin.

They have some bags saying 100% Kona Coffee. Those sell at a much higher price.

[Ian_Lee]

Another freebie.

In some upscale resorts like Ko Olina Lagoons and Turtle Bay Resort, by law those resort management have to designate some parking spaces for public use free of charge.

The only humbug is that those free public parking spaces are scarce. If you visit during holiday or weekend, you are forced to use the adjacent resort parking lots which charge you quite a lot.