tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post1870350006047427281..comments2023-10-17T04:51:08.765-10:00Comments on KauaiEclectic: Musings: A Big MessJoan Conrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-74703313894909719942009-03-09T16:49:00.000-10:002009-03-09T16:49:00.000-10:00> Itʻs about the laws. <And it's about greed...<I>> Itʻs about the laws. <</I><BR/><BR/>And it's about greed. And it's anywhere that people have struck the Devil's Bargain with Tourism. Surf spots or ski slopes, the story is similar:<BR/><BR/><I>"MAMMOTH LODGE OWNERS SAY, GO AFTER THE TAX VIOLATORS.<BR/><BR/>The dam has broken on a perennial Mammoth issue. Transient Occupancy Tax compliance has veered out of control, and Mammoth's Lodging Association doesn't want to put up with it any longer, especially now that the Town of Mammoth Lakes wants to audit them.<BR/><BR/>The problem is simple, but enforcement is not. Some condo and home owners in Mammoth rent out their living quarters on their own rather than going through a rental agency, and they do not pay TOT taxes on these rentals. These private owners charge less, leaving official lodging with a business decline, according to local rental agent Judy Farnetti. The lodging associations may also face an audit by the Town."</I><BR/><BR/>Full text at http://www.ksrw.sierrawave.net/site/content/view/1832/48/<BR/><BR/>More than you might want to know about where Kaua'i is heading is in Rothman, Hal K., <I>Devil's Bargains: Tourism in the Twentieth-Century American West.</I> Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1998.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-55034404752378369252009-03-09T15:44:00.000-10:002009-03-09T15:44:00.000-10:00> yet in latin america, most of asia / india......<I>> yet in latin america, most of asia / india...i bet those factors still apply, and it was mostly not at the "expense of others" <</I><BR/><BR/>What Latin America is doing to South America's rain forest is at the expense of the entire planet. <BR/><BR/>Not that we <I>Norteamericanos</I> have anything to be smug about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-19668876910831753252009-03-09T09:40:00.000-10:002009-03-09T09:40:00.000-10:00"yeah, it's helped people in the west live much lo..."yeah, it's helped people in the west live much longer, and some way longer than they'd probably like. meanwhile, average lifespan in Africa is 35. the west has been improving its own lot at the expense of others."<BR/><BR/>-- buddy i hear you. most of africa has been screwed over for sure<BR/><BR/>yet in latin america, most of asia / india...i bet those factors still apply, and it was mostly not at the "expense of others" <BR/><BR/>there is a diminishing return dynamic here for sure too. if a resource x 1 helps a guy in asia live 10 more years, what is the deal with an american using that resource x 10 to just live 2 more years? gets complicatedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-46650640229755891362009-03-09T07:53:00.000-10:002009-03-09T07:53:00.000-10:00yeah, it's helped people in the west live much lon...yeah, it's helped people in the west live much longer, and some way longer than they'd probably like. meanwhile, average lifespan in Africa is 35. the west has been improving its own lot at the expense of others.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-76071095251822559272009-03-08T22:26:00.000-10:002009-03-08T22:26:00.000-10:00"way the standard of living has gotten better"i wo..."way the standard of living has gotten better"<BR/><BR/>i would just suggest factoring in things like:<BR/><BR/>-- farm machinery use (more food)<BR/>-- basic sanitation and clean water (planning)<BR/>-- monies for kids, moms, and old people (social programs)<BR/>-- better medicine and medical treatment (technology) <BR/><BR/>and that is just a short list of items over the last 50-100 yrs which have helped most people on earth live much longer <BR/><BR/>but of course the idea of future debt for present short term use is a dangerous one (money, nature, w/e)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-8938187269066101442009-03-08T15:50:00.000-10:002009-03-08T15:50:00.000-10:00> thankfully, the "standard of living"...<I>> thankfully, the "standard of living" has gotten better and better over time <</I><BR/><BR/>You miss the point. It's the <I>way</I> the standard of living has gotten better that is the problem -- and the fact that this "better and better" standard of living is being enjoyed by a smaller and smaller portion of the planet's ever-increasing population.<BR/><BR/>The situation is not only non-sustainable, it's explosive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-75787450436395791752009-03-08T10:27:00.000-10:002009-03-08T10:27:00.000-10:00thankfully, the "standard of living" has gotten be...thankfully, the "standard of living" has gotten better and better over time <BR/><BR/>and even when wisely factoring in a black swan chance the models and predictions are wrong, to-date the malthusians have been largely wrong. room for improvement? always. time to panic? some always doAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-85277730844386626982009-03-08T06:52:00.000-10:002009-03-08T06:52:00.000-10:00The situation prompted one North Shore resident wh...<I>The situation prompted one North Shore resident who is alarmed by the proliferation of vacation rentals in that region's rural residential neighborhoods to exclaim: “We’re pau, we’re totally screwed. If you look at Hanalei, almost the whole town is taken over.”</I><BR/><BR/>One good quote deserves another:<BR/><BR/><I>“We created a way of raising standards of living that we can’t possibly pass on to our children,” said Joe Romm, a physicist and climate expert who writes the indispensable blog climateprogress.org. <BR/><BR/>“You can get this burst of wealth that we have created from this rapacious behavior,” added Romm. “But it has to collapse, unless adults stand up and say, ‘This is a Ponzi scheme. We have not generated real wealth, and we are destroying a livable climate ...’ Real wealth is something you can pass on in a way that others can enjoy.”</I><BR/><BR/>Full text at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/opinion/08friedman.html?_r=1Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-52843217084440314122009-03-07T15:40:00.000-10:002009-03-07T15:40:00.000-10:00Aloha! You can contact PONO by emailing ponokauai...Aloha! You can contact PONO by emailing ponokauai@yahoo.com ~ MahaloAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-62101346671018452642009-03-07T13:40:00.000-10:002009-03-07T13:40:00.000-10:00again, id rather have leash laws enforced first. ...again, id rather have leash laws enforced first. is there even a dog catcher on this island?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-14688296619460786912009-03-07T13:06:00.000-10:002009-03-07T13:06:00.000-10:00The more the word gets spread on the mainland of h...<I>The more the word gets spread on the mainland of how TVRs hurt people's lives</I><BR/><BR/>Talk about over dramatic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-83176258905172220912009-03-07T10:09:00.000-10:002009-03-07T10:09:00.000-10:00There are more mainland tourists than you might th...There are more mainland tourists than you might think who avoid TVRs for all the reasons in Joan's blog.<BR/><BR/>It's increasingly clear that greed builds these things. And these days, greed is increasingly Out. The more the word gets spread on the mainland of how TVRs hurt people's lives, the less appealing they'll be.<BR/><BR/>As always, realtors and politicos are the last to hear the theme of the times: that ordinary people are being hurt by those who want to exploit and extract at any cost.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-55536358307904872042009-03-07T09:06:00.000-10:002009-03-07T09:06:00.000-10:00Does PONO have a contact number, website, or email...Does PONO have a contact number, website, or email?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-60634086542547823572009-03-06T19:46:00.000-10:002009-03-06T19:46:00.000-10:00I would like to see the TVR applications indicate ...I would like to see the TVR applications indicate residents...or not. Can there legally be more taxes, fees, etc. imposed upon those owners who do not even live here on island? Some kind of differentation. If an owner is living on this island, contributing daily to the economy, that seems to warrant some type of break....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-9367168556891561342009-03-06T15:51:00.000-10:002009-03-06T15:51:00.000-10:00Thank you, Joan! This post expresses the reasons f...Thank you, Joan! This post expresses the reasons for much of the outrage and dissapointment I have over the TVR issue. There is so much plain lying and money grubbing, not to mention government incompetance, borderline malfeasance.<BR/><BR/>A permanent tvr is not the same as a rolling stop at an empty intersection, it'll kill the community as sure as DUIs will--if I may stretch the metaphor a little. Tvrs might be quiet, but they're not neighbors. As Joan's analysis goes, it's just another way for rich folks to approriate the island life that residents have created through their contributions to the community. And the tvr owners don't care that they're hurting the community--worse, they pretend to be oblivious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-21406872840726597182009-03-06T11:14:00.000-10:002009-03-06T11:14:00.000-10:00On Oahu there has been a similar argument for year...On Oahu there has been a similar argument for years and years. When we came here and rented a place, after we signed up and moved in, suddenly a new little structure was under construction. The owner of the property was installing an illegal "ohana" to rent out. Never mind it's against the law. The thing is still there.<BR/><BR/>If that house that's empty part of the year could not make money as a TVR they would have to do something else, like rent it legitimately, or sell it, or live in it themselves. Probably it would not benefit homeless anyway. As a TVR it won't benefit homeless.<BR/><BR/>Each day people turn corners without stopping, run through red lights, cut off pedestrians in crosswalks, speed, drink under the influence (I'm looking out my window, so I have traffic examples on my mind). Breaking the law is a way of life here. The TVR issue seems to me to be part of a larger fabric.<BR/><BR/>Actually, I misspoke just now, <B>not enforcing </B>the law is a way of life. Even our governor chooses which laws she will follow and which she will ignore, setting a great example.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06742098296808508617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-76206154858073012372009-03-06T11:03:00.000-10:002009-03-06T11:03:00.000-10:00"Naturally, the roosters think it's the rising sun..."Naturally, the roosters think it's the rising sun so you can imagine."<BR/><BR/>i am sorry but that is pretty funny<BR/><BR/>but yes empty 1.5M homes near homeless is a painful messageAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-43655631241630998692009-03-06T10:10:00.000-10:002009-03-06T10:10:00.000-10:00I have heard the point made that Hanalei would be ...I have heard the point made that Hanalei would be less peaceful if all the houses were occupied year-round, instead of a few months a year.<BR/><BR/>I live next door to two VRs. Most of the time they are empty. When they are occupied, it normally doesn't affect me, but sometimes people party late into the night on weeknights, and right now a visitor has been leaving the incredibly bright porch lights on all night, which seem to be trained like tractor beams on my bedroom window. Naturally, the roosters think it's the rising sun so you can imagine.<BR/><BR/>All things considered, though, it bums me out that I see these perfectly nice houses sitting empty half the year when there are people sleeping under tarps at the beach. Something's wrong with this picture.<BR/><BR/>I guess I'd take the extra daily activity if it meant a more vibrant community with a lot of race and class diversity. To me, that's not noise, it's music!Katyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09145011324294730195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-58632120382583728472009-03-05T20:37:00.000-10:002009-03-05T20:37:00.000-10:00um ya and im saying that the examples of it near m...um ya and im saying that the examples of it near me dont bother me, and was asking others if rentals near them bothered them<BR/><BR/>so nice theory but im not dlnr<BR/><BR/>but i like laws, and i like seeing them enforced as much as the next person. i dont live near a rare swamp, just near allotta big doggiesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-91272775524009931512009-03-05T15:31:00.000-10:002009-03-05T15:31:00.000-10:00Sorry. The link works now.Sorry. The link works now.Joan Conrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-58980272466371152782009-03-05T14:23:00.000-10:002009-03-05T14:23:00.000-10:00The link doesn't work....The link doesn't work....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-4012845657981810902009-03-05T13:26:00.000-10:002009-03-05T13:26:00.000-10:00You and your response are the reason these illegal...You and your response are the reason these illegal activities have and are proliferating.<BR/><BR/>Itʻs not about you.<BR/><BR/>Itʻs about the laws. What has been determined to be a permitted activity or an unpermitted activity. <BR/><BR/>"tho i get the point that buildings / homes should not be going up on wetlands or whatever (some kind of protected area)"<BR/><BR/>Exactly, ʻsome kind of protected areaʻ.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-31415504999395629202009-03-05T10:23:00.000-10:002009-03-05T10:23:00.000-10:00i live right next to a place that is a rental, and...i live right next to a place that is a rental, and an "illegal" one it seems. but there are never any problems.<BR/><BR/>is my experience that rare? are most of the rentals really loud or have other problems?<BR/><BR/>it must be that certain rentals attract a "louder" clientele (young people?)<BR/><BR/>b/ just seeing and hearing different people / cars / voices does not seem to be a really big deal (to me at least)<BR/><BR/>tho i get the point that buildings / homes should not be going up on wetlands or whatever (some kind of protected area)<BR/><BR/>id much rather see the leash law enforced, as would my yard...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com