”’The following testimony opposing Bill 40, which would increase the General Excise Tax, was submitted by Jay McWilliams, Waialua resident and vice president and co-founder of Hawaii Reporter, to the Honolulu City Council for the hearing at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005, in Kapolei, when the Council will make its final vote on Bill 40.”’
Council Members:
Please vote no to Bill 40, which will raise the General Excise Tax by 12.5 percent.
With this bill, you are locked into building a rail or ferry system only.
Yet, no one has bothered to show the public a plan.
No one thinks it is necessary to provide taxpayers with cost estimates.
You, the mayor, the governor, the congressman and everyone else pushing for rail have yet to consider any alternatives.
You are appeasing special interest groups that will benefit enormously from the largest public works project in Hawaii