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Council member looks out for big-money interests

Maui County government is rising (falling?) to new heights of irony.

It looks like the general manager of the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel is really making progress on his campaign to level the playing field. Yes, this wonderfully efficient crusader looks likely to ensure that no billionaire malahini (or time-share visitor, for that matter) will pay a penny more of property taxes than what this council member considers a fair share. If the families of Mike White’s kamaaina constituents have to sell off property that’s been in the family for generations, it’s only fair.

Why, he asks, shouldn’t kamaaina families be blocked from effective estate planning if it means the billionaire malahini will have to bear a greater share of the tax burden? Meanwhile, the unfair pressure to pay a living wage at the KBH is certain to dissipate.

All kidding aside, isn’t White’s performance as a council member proof for all time that we cannot elect running dogs (people beholden to big money, big business or big property for their livelihood) to county government?

Theo M. Wender

Haiku

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