OVER TAXED HAWAII.ORG IS THE ORGANIZING GROUP BEHIND THE TEA PARTIES ON OAHU.
APRIL 15; JULY 14; and SEPT. 12 WERE ENCOURAGED BY OVERTAXEDHAWAII.ORG.
OVERTAXEDHAWAII.ORG HAS NO MEMBERS; ONLY ACTIVE DEMONSTRATORS AND SUPPORTERS.
IF YOU HAVE A TAX ISSUE TO PRESENT TO THE TAXPAYERS; SEND IT IN FOR POSTING.
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HAWAII VOTERS ARE THE EXPERTS WHEN IT COMES TO SPENDING
DON'T LET SOME "PANEL" DECIDE EXPENSIVE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES
Taxes, of all sorts, impact the quality of life for residents of Hawaii - the highest taxed per capita population in the U.S. Marginal income taxes @11% starting at $200k and a sales tax (GE tax) equal to 14% when compared to CA or NV. Most states exempt food, medicine, rent, services, etc. but Hawaii taxes at each transaction. This pyramiding at each level of transaction plus the fact that the GE tax applies to EVERYTHING means that when comparing Hawaii to other state you must report Hawaii as having a sales tax equal to 14%.
IMAGINE, if the following is the future for HAWAII taxpayers.
- All taxes will continue to rise. There is no incentive for government officials to control spending through efficiency or productivity enhancement. Legislators and Councilmembers focus on short-term results (2 yrs. or 4 yrs) because that is their election horizon.
- After tax wages will continue to be reduced significantly under growing cost inflation for housing and food and pressure to keep raising taxes. Hawaii consumers have few alternatives; PAY OR LEAVE THE STATE!
- Honolulu consumers may soon be working to support their government first and family second when payroll withholdings exceed 50% of the total wage being paid. Just look at the withholding on your paycheck!
Spending for locals has risen over 100% just for some basic needs in the last five years. Much of the increase is energy but tax and fee increases all raise house and food prices and force difficult spending decisions by families. Why is it more difficult to live today compared to 2002? Consider just the price increases listed on the table below. Yikes!!!!
Voters are the best decision maker when it comes to spending their own money. Voters know if they will ride a bus, a train, or a car. Voters know if they will support sewer water treatment prior to ocean discharge. Voters know if they want to give credits or subsidies to special groups or businesses. Voters know when they have had enough!
Voter initiative to repeal or reset taxes will make politicians think twice before spending and encourage them to select more cost efficient government services. With no initiative pressure expect the same conclusion by politicians; “need money, raise taxes”!
Is voter initiative dangerous? Will voter initiative on taxes make for bad government? Consider Switzerland as an example of where virtually every government action/inaction is subject to initiative, referendum, or recall. Then consider that Switzerland ranks among the top five nations in the world for quality of life.
Will voter initiative on taxes second guess our elected representatives? Current elected officials were elected by and represent a minority of eligible voters. In 2006, only 35% of eligible voters voted. Statewide winners won with only 21-22% of eligible voters. Is a 22% majority representative of Hawaii voters? Don’t let a minority control the spending of your tax dollars.
Residents understand that eligible voters are the experts and need to have the right to vote on all issues. Elect candidates that support initiative to better insure that eligible voters will get a chance to vote for candidates and on specific key issues that are critical to the well being of Hawaii.
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| Cartoons courtesy of John Pritchettt at http://www.pritchettcartoons.com |
Politicians ignore business because the nature of business is to pass on costs; not pay them! Taxes are a "cost" and so they are passed to the consumer. It is a rare business that is willing to take a public stand on a matter that might only help their ultimate customer.
For example, property tax records show that Longs Pali property tax bill is up over 100% in the last three years. Who pays that increase? Not Longs. No, it is me and all the other customers (including business people acting as individuals) who get their prescriptions and supplies at Longs.
Business people shy away from taking a position that might put them, publically, at odds with elected officials. Why take the risk?
OVER TAXED HAWAII (a non partisan effort) speaks to business groups about our efforts. Our speakers are polite but they know that the only person in Honolulu paying property, GE, or gas taxes is the final consumer i.e. those who have no way to pass taxes along by including the tax charge in the price of rent, food, products, or services.
Pacific Business News had an excellent editorial comment (June 15) saying that 100 small business people testifying June 6 at the City Council could have kept commercial property taxes from rising is probably correct. Council Chair Marshall might have thought several times before casting her vote to kill the amendment keeping commercial rates the same as 2006-07.
The simple fact that there were so few businesses testifying confirms that we do not have 100 business owners who have any incentive to stand up for their customers, let alone their own families.
Control of taxes will only come when Honolulu consumers (aka taxpayers) vote and/or organize to change the current Charter and put a tax initiative measure on the November 2008 ballot. Sixty thousand signatures are needed. The business community has little reason to lead, or even join, the charge until those same business people see clearly that they also are consumers. Acting as an individual consumer/taxpayer to help control taxation would be the ultimate customer service a business owner could provide.
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OVER TAXED HAWAII is a non-profit and non partisan organization of voters who are more interested in voter choice rather than political party allegiance.
DONATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR SUCCESS.
PLEASE USE CLICK AND PLEDGE (see above) OR MAIL CHECKS TO: OVER TAXED HAWAII, 350 WARD AVE. #106-364 HONOLULU, HI. 96814-4004
THANK YOU!
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