TVRs are under attack in Kihei. Our TVR in Maui Meadows was closed last week. It was a sad end to so many happy visits from vacationers who wanted an alternative to crowded hotels.
Our next renter was depressed about the cancellation of her stay in our cottage due to the closure, saying “this is so ridiculous!”
The county official that we spoke to said it was largely due to the hotels complaining about the competition, despite their 90 percent occupancy rate. We paid our taxes and had no complaints from the neighbors. Now we face our personal woes.
“Could we just have an extension for the last two reservations?” we asked of the county in a formal letter. The answer came in the form of hard-line threats of fines and a fist of judgment in our face. Of course the cleaners have lost their job with us. The restaurants nearby will not have our guests to serve. There will be shorter lines at the gas pumps and stores, the airlines are going bust, the ferry soon to follow. This “Don’t Come to Maui” banner to vacationers will depress the economy here, but the hotels will have a 92.5 percent occupancy rate.
“Ridiculous” somehow doesn’t quite do it. We won’t be paying transient vacation rental taxes any more so the county is cheating itself right out of revenue for much-needed schools, hospitals and roads. Hats off to the hotel industry!
Maureen Jorgensen
Kihei
