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Our elected leaders need a wake-up call.
I believe our politicians do not listen in a heartfelt manner or understand what's about to happen to Hawaii and the ohana that they are supposed to serve and care for.
There is a tsunami of financial devastation and unbearable stress heading our way.
Our imminent catastrophe will be a steep drop in tourism coupled with a mass exodus of our ohana to the mainland.
Let's be honest, it is already happening. Do our leaders have the skill sets to mitigate the oncoming catastrophe?
History would suggest they do not.
I'm a Lyft driver. I have provided hundreds of rides to both tourists and our ohana. I hear daily their living challenges, far more so than any politician would encounter in their political bubble.
Every day I hear from my Lyft customers who are dismayed at the cost of vacationing or living in Hawaii.
Let the politicians be put on notice. Tourism will no longer be a growth industry for Hawaii.
The visitors taxes imposed, food and adventure expenses are fast making Hawaii a "no-go vacation choice."
And, for our Hawaiian families, food costs, rent, insurance, mental health, and medical care challenges are now too much to deal with.
Many ohana will make the only sensible choice and say goodbye to Hawaii.
Our elected leaders need to be honest and transparent. They need to put their political advancement aside.
They need to listen to their constituents, not some well-connected fat cat.
Priorities need to be about our families and solving their problems without needless delays.
Phil Winter
Kihei