tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post769447511587147329..comments2023-10-17T04:51:08.765-10:00Comments on KauaiEclectic: Musings: On SustainabilityJoan Conrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-4433786574103815692017-01-01T13:27:39.200-10:002017-01-01T13:27:39.200-10:00Further proof is the introduction of the ADU was o...Further proof is the introduction of the ADU was only slated for their Lihue/puhi/hanamaulu areas. Who lives in the those areas and who own properties in those areas? Who was the families to profit from this county bill? It all leads to the same phony council members that been voted in for years and some decades.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-55170654982601392192016-12-31T15:03:57.934-10:002016-12-31T15:03:57.934-10:00TVRS have put development in all the wrong places ...TVRS have put development in all the wrong places and is a big reason why Hanalei area is such a mess. No new hotels built, but one big horizontal hotel, the worse possible scenario.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-9989562441517091522016-12-31T12:42:38.371-10:002016-12-31T12:42:38.371-10:00@12:91-- I didn't answer your question becaus...@12:91-- I didn't answer your question because it was a "gotcha" that assumed a position I hadn't taken, which is why I turned it around on you.<br /><br />No, I'm not worried about occupancy at any of the hotels. My point is that TVRs have taken the place of hotels, with their better-paying union jobs and benefits.<br /><br />And FYI, you only have to submit a commen once, not 10 times. Next time you do that your comment will not be printed at all. Joan Conrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-674380624465367952016-12-31T10:14:01.808-10:002016-12-31T10:14:01.808-10:00@8:31. Really? Show some stats. The bulk of growth...@8:31. Really? Show some stats. The bulk of growth in visitor accommodations over the past 20 years has been in TVRs and timeshares, which employ fewer people than hotels and are non-union. Joan Conrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-86811201446435006582016-12-31T09:57:34.882-10:002016-12-31T09:57:34.882-10:0012:49 said “I stopped renting my vacation rental a...12:49 said “I stopped renting my vacation rental and I keep getting an email from Hawaii Tax Online about paying "General Excise (GE) and Transient Accommodations (TA)". Apparently someone didn't realize people aren't going to pay those taxes anymore if they don't do it anymore.”<br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />@12:49 It’s your job to send in Form GEWE-TA-RV-1 to cancel your tax accounts. Otherwise they assume you’re just delinquent. Think it out buddy. How are they supposed to know? You want to hire an additional County worker to follow up on what is your lack of communication? Check the General Instructions page of your tax packet. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-71118476457227106662016-12-31T09:54:34.144-10:002016-12-31T09:54:34.144-10:00Joan (6:31) - That's why union hotel workers d...Joan (6:31) - That's why union hotel workers don't like timeshares as timeshare owners tend to eat in their condo (grocery store revenue instead of higher restaurant revenue & G.E. taxes) and reduced housekeeping jobs since they only clean once a week vs. daily in hotels. But then to prohibit timeshares is essentially featherbedding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-49965774498388402222016-12-31T08:31:33.046-10:002016-12-31T08:31:33.046-10:00Your really reaching for it, Joan. Hotel industry ...Your really reaching for it, Joan. Hotel industry jobs have increased every year for the last 20 years. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-33425101246612055902016-12-31T07:55:23.085-10:002016-12-31T07:55:23.085-10:00HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! It has been a wonderful y...HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! It has been a wonderful year reading your comments. Kauai is changing with the times(electronically). There is some good and not too good things with technology. Most everyone likes to do their job faster and with less physical effort. Technology has achieved this for us. There are those people that use technology to hurt people by stealing their identity and such...post bad things for other people to see(bullying). Bullying kills.....There are those that cannot handle being bullied. The end result is not quite welcoming. Does Kauai have bullies??? You can read it on the comments.........Some people write like they going really fuck you up if you don't listen to them. Sad people....they only "Hate". Have some Kauai LOVE. They probably don't know what Kauai LOVE is...You don't get Kauai LOVE overnight. Kauai started off with Polynesians. Then the Haoles came. Then the "rest" to work the fields. All the "ethnicities" worked the fields for the Haoles. All the "ethnicities" shared their language, lifestyle, food and they made the Kauai LOVE. It was our "ancestors" that made it possible for all to be here. To the people who flew here, learn Kauai LOVE. Kauai is a special place. Hopefully you don't forget where you came from.....(so you can go back).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-78561795918455402162016-12-31T07:43:47.981-10:002016-12-31T07:43:47.981-10:006Am How do I know? I have 4 lots with at least 6 a...6Am How do I know? I have 4 lots with at least 6 allowable units on each and one with 12 units.Plus a few Ag lots. I have been a builder type for 40 years on Kauai. After a few brief discussions with the NEW Mike D Planning, I decided I would be better off jumping off Wailua Falls instead of me marrying these guys to build out some 450K units for local purchase. Shucks, even my level of decades old ass-kissing has its limits. Mike D gives no clear cut plan. Just malarkey.<br />My land will go to my kids and to charity. Someday, maybe reason and friendliness and clear cut instructions will be in place with Planning. Planning Directors in the past...gave clear points of view of what they wanted and what you could do. Easy, a friendly mano en mano conversation. You left Planning knowing what you could do. And they honored their word.<br />Mike D's method is to NEVER let you know what you can exactly do. B'golly this department even writes in some permitting that the County can come on your property AT ANY TIME to make sure you are not doing BnB or that you are doing farming if getting a permit for Ag home. Access at any time FOREVER forever.<br />What? Forever home - entry rights to a group of ever-changing employees in a Dept that have cared for the PEOPLE to have open and free access to your land?<br />Annie-Get me my gun, put up my gate.<br />Bring back Tom,Jeff, Avery, Dee, Ian or anyone else..............These Planners of yesterday cared about the people.<br />And all you older folks in Puhi, Hanamaulu and Lihue...do not be duped by these new Rent Build Rules..once a PLANNER is on your property he MUST turn you in- Write you up- if you have un-permitted structures. About 40 percent of the homes in these districts have un-permitted decks etc....look out or you are marrying the Planning Dept and a huge expense to cure your property, TRUST NO ONE. If the Planner does not write your violation up, then the Planner is exercising "preferential enforcement" ----------this will be the big deal in all BnB court cases. Preferential enforcement. Watch out. There is no love, no real desire to cure your violation.....just a Department that wants to HIRE another 20 workers to enforce to rules that are on the books. Too many Rules Not enough Building/Planning Code Cops.<br />And why would GF, A&B, G&R ask for more density to help the citizens?.....when the council a while back tried to put them out of the Ag business? The Council MUST make an APOLOGY Proclamation to the Ag Owners.<br />Put JoAnn and Mason's name down on the Apology Parchment. These big land guys have feelings. And GF especially could fix ALL housing shortage "built-out" in 5 years with a little creative planning and a Planning Dept and Council that really wanted to bring some new nice neighborhoods in the 420K to 450K range. It can be done. <br />No anger here. Just a juicer and yoga and kale and deep breathing.<br />6Am - schpeaketh not unless you have run the Planning gauntlet a hundred times with several Directors. This new guy is a the worst. Usta be most permits were for the locals...NOW 70 percent of permits are for big estates (except for Shuler's 400 units @ $500,000 low income project)....my my my.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-48824375479309769612016-12-31T07:26:26.640-10:002016-12-31T07:26:26.640-10:00The planning commission has always appointed the P...The planning commission has always appointed the PD. The Mayor may recommend someone, but the hiring and firing is the commissions perview. Mike has done an exceptional job, so wtf would they not be happy with him?<br /><br />And TVR workers generally get no benefits beside being able to do their laundry in the units. Separate the TVRs in the VDA from the conversation, reframe it to the TVRs that are in residential areas. Let's see the job portfolio for those, benefits? Retirement? Get a good job cleaning at the hotel if your desire is to scrub someone's toilet. Get the TVRs out of the neighborhoods and kauai can start to heal, otherwise tourists are taking over. Too much greed here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-35539210108461173662016-12-31T07:11:03.531-10:002016-12-31T07:11:03.531-10:006AM Mayor Appoints. Commission has power to remove...6AM Mayor Appoints. Commission has power to remove....but Gee Duh, this will never happen. The vetting and obsequious nature of kissing the Mayors ring takes care of any removal. <br />Every project goes thru Planning, yes Council gives density, But Planning and Water are the lynchpins. Planning can take years to get you to a shovel ready stage.<br />Ask any builder who tries to put up more than a few houses........of yeah and then there is that sidewalk, affordable housing fee, park fee, etc, time is money thing.........The Planning Dept and Water Dept have made it, that it is a cost over over a hundred per raw land unit BEFORE you but the land. Minimum 75K on a 10 unit project. Over 10 units your cost is over 100K BEFORE land cost. A simple house is over 50 before you buy your land and wood.<br />Fees, Time, Plans, Septic, More Fees, endless study, ad nauseum<br />No mo houses fo da locals.................all at the Council and Planners feet.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-37315674701606949702016-12-31T07:01:46.176-10:002016-12-31T07:01:46.176-10:00Hotels have been multiplying since Iniki. Nobody i...Hotels have been multiplying since Iniki. Nobody is losing their job in hotels because of vacation rentals. That's bull. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-23414724268125427472016-12-31T06:31:04.888-10:002016-12-31T06:31:04.888-10:00@5:56. This is why people need to visit the seed f...@5:56. This is why people need to visit the seed farms. Then you will see for yourself that many (most) of their employees are locals, fully deserving of good jobs. Yes, they do bring in seasonal contract workers when they can't find local workers to fill the jobs.<br /><br />And please don't try to pretend all the cleaners and landscapers are locals. That's a huge laugh.<br /><br />As for your final question, let me turn it around and ask, when did you decide it was OK to screw hardworking union hotel employees, many of them also locals, out of good jobs due to the proliferation of TVRs?Joan Conrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-21052831045116430352016-12-31T06:00:13.785-10:002016-12-31T06:00:13.785-10:00@601 your anger is only surpassed by your ignoranc...@601 your anger is only surpassed by your ignorance. The mayor can't get rid of the planning director because the commission has removal authority. Furthermore planning isn't responsible for high rents because they don't rezone lands only permit already zoned lands. What you're talking about is re zoning which is what the council does. But why take the time to learn anything when everything can be a conspiracy theory and you can feel like a self righteous victim. Plus no need warrant if they advertise on the internet. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-79586980365865008212016-12-31T05:56:40.194-10:002016-12-31T05:56:40.194-10:00Joan Conrow said... "The seed workers are leg...Joan Conrow said... "The seed workers are legally employed in a lawful and highly regulated industry. There's a world of difference between them and the often under-the-table independents servicing the illegal TVRs."<br /><br />The chemical companies bring employees and labors from the US mainland, Mexico, and over-seas. I've met some of them.<br /><br />The housecleaners, tradesmen, and landscapers have lived here for generations and are just trying to make a living.<br /><br />When did you decide giant chemical companies and field workers from the mainland were more deserving of jobs than local familes?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-20462601153015804912016-12-31T05:55:44.573-10:002016-12-31T05:55:44.573-10:00Oh, I'm going to catch hell for this comment. ...Oh, I'm going to catch hell for this comment. <br /><br />The general consciences out of AMI symposium was farmer have a great deal of work to make our operations more sustainable. Point one to the antis with their CSAs. They recycle peelings, and flowers, composts and reapply those nutrients back to the land. That also reduces landfill waste. Our biggest concern going forward is finding a way to recycle Phosphorus and slow the rate that calcium and Potassium that is leaching from the soil. Right now, our solution is to keep reapplying fertilizer. That's ok till we run out of fertilizer. After that, we're going to be forced to coast on residual supplies in the soil profile. That's not very sustainable in long run. GMOs help, but they don't fix the underlining problem. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11553534513992452534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-35730676123482594672016-12-31T03:19:23.369-10:002016-12-31T03:19:23.369-10:00"KALAHEO – Kauai Coffee Company, Inc. was one..."KALAHEO – Kauai Coffee Company, Inc. was one of four growers statewide that agreed to a $2.4 million settlement Tuesday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for inaction against civil rights abuses against Thai migrant workers allegedly committed by the contract labor provider Global Horizons Manpower.<br /><br />Thai farm workers were contracted through Global between 2003 and 2007 under the H2-A temporary visa program. The EEOC alleges that Global violated requirements that H2-A farm workers be provided food and housing aside from paid labor.<br /><br />In addition, EEOC said the workers paid exorbitant recruitment fees that created conditions of debt bondage and vulnerabilities to denial or delay of pay, controlled movement with confiscated passports, and inhumane living conditions. Those who complained were retaliated against."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-43691410296067851522016-12-30T18:56:48.839-10:002016-12-30T18:56:48.839-10:00@1:55 The seed workers are legally employed in a l...@1:55 The seed workers are legally employed in a lawful and highly regulated industry. There's a world of difference between them and the often under-the-table independents servicing the illegal TVRs. I'm sorry if people lost their gigs, but I used to hire cleaners, yard care guys and handymen. Good, solid workers in those fields are always in demand. Joan Conrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00172330100788007499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-57695857251411212672016-12-30T18:01:26.732-10:002016-12-30T18:01:26.732-10:003:33
The Planning Dept is the main reason we have ...3:33<br />The Planning Dept is the main reason we have high rents and high home prices.<br />They make it very difficult to build a house, add a room or even put up a Sears Shed.<br />Eventually, the whole TVR, BnB thing will be deemed illegal.<br />The Planning Dept and Council over reached. I am not a fan of BnBs, but since there was no clear guidance on TVR/BnB licensing ever........The Planning Dept has the attitude that if the law does not specifically say you can do something, well then, you can't do it.<br />American Law is based on freedom. You can do anything as long as it is not against the law.<br />Until the Council pressures the Mayor to get rid of Mike D, who is a one man army against any development. Mike D's attitude is this "uhhmmm, since the Haoles may buy an Ag CPR, or rent a BnB or buy a residence...and since we don't want them Haoles buying everything up, we won't allow anyone to build anything. That'll stop them mainlanders from getting the properties"<br />Gee Mike....Doncha know that them Haoles are the ones still buying up the land. You have priced the locals out...but guess what, there are millions of Mainlanders with beauteous and beau-coup bucks that will always buy.<br />High rents and High prices are at the Planning Department's feet. Completely. SHAME.<br />(of course those creators of schadenfreude on Planning Commission and Council have a big foot in this mess as well. But the Commission is just an extension of Mike D's ego. Not a single person actually does their duty to listen to the applicants. Mike D has all them Commishners on a string to do as he directs, his vision of a bike path, coffee house, tree lined cute l'il Kauai....nothing for the locals) Shameful.<br /><br />And again 3:33....the Planning Dept has no right to access any property with out a search warrant. They have been walking on property unannounced and the friendly land owner lets them "take a look".......all property owners should tell EVERYONE from the County to go get f*ckin' search warrant to "take a look".... Trust no one. They are not your friend. Pilau.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-51494190434590565312016-12-30T17:59:32.343-10:002016-12-30T17:59:32.343-10:00@12:18 you don't know what you are talking abo...@12:18 you don't know what you are talking about. I ran an "illegal" vacation rental and paid taxes. So did everybody else i knew doing it. There was no consequences for running an "illegal" vacation rental; However, tax evasion is a different story. The state gladly accepted GE and Transient Accomadation Tax and changed our tax rate from homestead to residential commercial. The county started issuing cease and desist orders to some of the vacation rentals and the rest of us pulled them offline. I don't pay GE and Transient Accomadation Tax anymore and I appealed my tax rate and it was changed back to homestead rate. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-4968864483010454502016-12-30T15:33:32.490-10:002016-12-30T15:33:32.490-10:00Planning department has been enforcing for over a ...Planning department has been enforcing for over a year now. enforcement just takes time. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-6951334009109760642016-12-30T14:27:42.100-10:002016-12-30T14:27:42.100-10:00It's the same stupid people votes that put the...It's the same stupid people votes that put their families in office so they can be greedy and raise rents to obscene city prices. The same council members that have multiple properties and families and friends have multiple properties that want to keep the demand high and supply low. It's a public fraud case against these public officials that are in bed with unions. The same fucking people in office for decades the same ducking people who block stores from coming to kauai to compete and make prices affordable. The same fucking people!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-5764395095738169062016-12-30T13:55:53.176-10:002016-12-30T13:55:53.176-10:00Funny how Joan cares about the workers in the chem...Funny how Joan cares about the workers in the chem fields but doesn't care about the workers in the vacation rental field. There are a lot of cleaners, landscapers, handyman out of work thanks to the crack down. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-38639058824144276342016-12-30T13:00:17.222-10:002016-12-30T13:00:17.222-10:00@ 11:24
Good points.
I was assuming that if a ...@ 11:24<br /><br />Good points. <br /><br />I was assuming that if a person is running an illegal TVR they are not paying taxes on the same as they are not reporting their illegal behavior.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7875069982976812251.post-76271831492205478302016-12-30T12:49:04.187-10:002016-12-30T12:49:04.187-10:00I stopped renting my vacation rental and I keep ge...I stopped renting my vacation rental and I keep getting an email from Hawaii Tax Online about paying "General Excise (GE) and Transient Accommodations (TA) " . Apparently someone didn't realize people aren't going to pay those taxes anymore if they don't do it anymore. All you cry babies don't realize you lose too when there is no money to hand out . Once that hits home I some attitudes towards vacation rentals will change. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com