Following are a few questions that we would like to see answered:
1. The following is a chart that shows the share of lodging on Kauai for 2003, split amongst the various accommodation choices, visitors to the island have.
We see that Kauai has the largest share of alternative vacation rentals amongst the islands. That may be because we are the Garden Island, and as the Mayor says in his letter on the Discover Kauai website, the Official Tourism Site for Kauai, "While on Kauai, you will experience a quiet, charming, rural atmosphere that mirrors the old plantation community life of decades ago".
Well, that sure sounds more like vacation rental or B&B style vacation to us than the sound of the ice machine outside the 300 sq. ft. hotel room on the 46th floor. But we could be wrong?
The thing that stands out the most is that if the numbers are accurate, and we understand that it's really hard to measure these vacation rentals as a market share, but if it's true that we have a 25% market share in vacation rentals, why on earth would anyone want to put that large a percentage of employers and employees out of business, onto unemployment, and on social security? Unless there are some hidden reason we don't know about?
2. This graph below shows something else interesting. It shows that since 2001 the marketshare of hotels (or should we say the visitor choice of accommodation?) has declined, but exactly the opposite has happened with vacation rental and B&B style accommodations.
Is this the "Choice of The People" speaking out and saying, we want to feel what it's like to be a Kauaian? Or is it that since 2001 (coincidence has it that that was the start of the war on terror?) people have not been able to afford hotel rooms, and have sought less expensive alternatives?
Whichever is true, the people have spoken with their credit cards, and their choice is "Vacation Rentals and B&B on Kauai", assuming we will still have those choices to offer. But don't worry, I'm sure they can find a vacation cottage on one the other islands, or maybe Chile, or Jamaica if we shut all of our's down!
3. Why would it be in the best interest of the people of Kauai to close many of the successfully operating, and tax paying vacation rentals and B&B? If a family has achieved the American Dream, and IS their own boss, managing to employ other Kauai residents, then why should they be denied the legal 'pursuit of happiness'?
4. Why did the Kauai County issue Transient Accommodation and GE Tax licenses to any vacation rental businesses if the County was aware that none of them could legally obtain either a State or County Permit for Vacation Rental and B&B Use. Doesn't the compliance of the County issuing these licences imply an acknowledgement of these businesses to be legally operating in Kauai?
We believe that all vacation rentals and B&Bs (independent from their location and zoning ordinance) should be issued Permits and allowed to continue their operations, right up to the date this Bill is put into law; no one year proof of operation, or 25 year proof of operation as the latest version of the proposed Bill requires.
DO YOU HAVE Questions? Send them to us we'll ask them for you at county meetings... |
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