• It’s up to the people to protect Kauai • Kauai must balance tourism, services It’s up to the people to protect Kauai Affordable housing in Kauai. The problem is that someone gets into a house for, let’s say $300,000,
• It’s up to the people to protect Kauai • Kauai must balance tourism, services
It’s up to the people to protect Kauai
Affordable housing in Kauai. The problem is that someone gets into a house for, let’s say $300,000, then years go by and they sell it for $800,000. It is no more affordable housing. So if you should, in order to keep it so, it has to be sold for no more than it was bought for and has to be sold to someone who is going to live in the home, not use it for a winter home or rented out to make money.
Rent control, like in New York, is full of people subletting and they are screwing the system that they complained about not having affordable rent.
The other thing going on here is Kauai cannot support a big population. People love Kauai because it doesn’t have a huge population. The elected officials have to step up to the plate and protect the environment, natural resources, which in Kauai it is all of nature. Ocean, mountains, waterways, undeveloped lands.
Lots of people do not like Zuckerberg, but at least there won’t be 10,000 living on that land. That is another way to look at it. The first time I was on Kauai, I stated out loud, “Let’s see how long before they mess this up,” in stronger language than that.
It’s on the way. It will take huge effort to stop it. The elected officials won’t. It will take a Kauai people’s effort.
David Cooper, Lihue
Kauai must balance tourism, services
Being a frequent visitor to Kauai (eight times), my wife and I appreciate the slow, local atmosphere of this island. We don’twant it to change, but change it has.
The problem, as we see it, is the locals desire to keep it slow, while providing increasing social services to the many non-contributors to the tax base, without bringing in outside moneys.
Can’t have it both ways. You can continue to increase the “use” taxes on visitors, but eventually, you will tax yourself out ofthe travel market. There must be a happy medium.
Jim Dittig II, Rocklin, Calif.
