Shift rail funding
Hawaii’s economy is failing because of the extreme downturn of tourism. However, here’s one solution that can help: reallocate the GET rail tax for COVID-19 relief.
This is the time to reallocate any funds available that can help struggling workers, businesses and families.
For every toilet paper roll sold, the fund for COVID-19 relief will be paid into. I am not proposing anything anti-rail, this is just a way to immediately help our community and our economy in crisis.
Many are still awaiting unemployment and stimulus checks, and this will help the state come up with all this needed revenue.
Rail should not be more important than that, especially since this is a statewide tax paid into by all islands and residents, many of whom do not live on Oahu and will not use the rail anyway.
Let’s hope the Legislature and the governor will see it that way, too. This will be a great way to show aloha to the all people of Hawaii in all counties.
This is also a good way to gain confidence in the actions of the government and law enforcement, especially since we might be in lockdown indefinitely.
Shana Logan
Hilo
What about exemption?
Hawaii residents have been mandated to work from home through April 30. But this mandate doesn’t mention how doing so affects Hawaii’s homeowner exemption tax status.
Now it is recommended worldwide for businesses (who can do so) to continue their “work from home” requirements as we transition gradually out of this still-active health and safety threat.
This extraordinary situation should force a specific exception from Hawaii’s tax policies — lasting until a vaccine is widely available.
It’s not fair for homeowners to lose any part of their tax exemption status because of a pandemic!
Franis Engel
Laupahoehoe
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Lo-Li Chih
Keaau