So why are city officials increasing the residential real property tax share of this equation, but not increasing the rates on other categories of property?
Every category of real property saw a tax break except the residential category. Hotel/resort enjoyed a 38 percent decline in tax payments over the past three years. Commercial enjoyed a 15 percent decline and industrial enjoyed a 6.7 percent decline during that time. Residential had to pay 6 percent more over the same period.
This means that the residential real property taxpayers actually had a fairly large tax increase over the past three years to make up the difference. The hotels are raising their room rates while experiencing record visitor counts and the city is rewarding this windfall by lowering their real property taxes. Something doesn't seem fair.
Mary Lee Stone
I believe that if Hawaii became known as a state that was without fundamentalist Christians, tourism might climb greatly. All those individuals who enjoy their hard-won freedoms would come in throngs to a place that respected the rights of all, even those who are greatly in the minority.
Jack R. Larson
The Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project will not endorse, condone or support a boycott of the Polynesian Cultural Center or any other tourist destination allied with the Mormon Church.
We know that boycotts most often punish the innocent. We know that many of the workers at the PCC do not support their leaders' bizarre focus on how 3 percent of the population organize their relationships.
Tom Ramsey
Co-coordinator
Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project
After the meeting at the Ala Wai Elementary School, Ihara and Saiki discovered an elderly woman on the school grounds who appeared disoriented and was looking for her son. Their patient questioning revealed that the woman usually took evening walks with her son through the neighborhood. This evening he was not able to be at home in time for their walk, so she left on her own and became lost.
Ihara and Saiki called the police and the woman's home, and stayed with her until she was reunited with her family, who was frantically combing the community for her. They deserve credit for coming to the aid of a person clearly in need of help, and doing so with understanding, patience and compassion.
Gregg Takayama
State Department of Public Safety
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