Insanity in Action
November 12, 2007 | 07:22 PM

When we are in an economic turndown, and people are using TVR's to keep their land. This practice, by owners that live on the land and are willing to pay the taxes and insure their rentals are up to code, and are willing to minimize the number of rentals, should be grandfathered. Non-residents who use companies to manage their properties and are just renting the houses out should be scrutinized under a different set of rules. Give local living people a break here!! I don't have a vacation rental, i just believe in justice - people are hanging on by their fingernails in this hyper-inflated Maui landscape of billionaires and tourists. I see friends and neighbors losing their jobs, their ability to pay the rent, and looking at leaving because of the lack of ability of our County Council to have compassion and look deeply at the real issue - how does it affect real people today?? It is easy to bury yourselves in laws and governance - the real trick is to actually look at the people. When Commissioner UU states he 'doesn't see and brown faces out there being hurt' - what an insult. Do to Hana, dude!! We have lost enough in this paradise that has been sold and loved to death. Don't force out more real people just to allow Tavares to ok 'mini-hotels' - her connection with big business is beginning to show even more. Its up to the council to make it right. Moratorium on enforcement until they pass legislation. Pass a law that will grandfather those who are in business now - one exemption per person for a piece of land.
And write tough new laws to insure there isn't an explosion of the industry in the future. That simple.

Sean