Realtors and Back room deals..just say no!

And now a word from your realtors....
Did you spot the big expensive ad in Sunday's Maui News by the Realtors Association of Maui, re vacation rentals? Every realtor who has uttered those famous words "..you could rent out the extra bedrooms for a lot of money and it would help make your mortgage payment." Or the ever popular "You can do short term vacation rentals on your future retirement home here to make the mortgage payment." Of course, those statements were never followed with words like, you need a permit, or that use is illegal in this zone. Now with the county finally enforcing the law, lots of those realtors are going to be sued for failure to disclose, aka fraud. Realtors are a lot like lawyers--moral neuters if there is a possibility of a commission. Well, perhaps that's a bit harsh--there are a few good apples left in that barrel. At the Planning Commission hearing that realtors are being urged to attend--one could clear the room by shouting.."Look! There's a qualified buyer!"

A whole new way to govern
Ex Mayor Alan Arakawa had yet another viewpoint Sunday--apparently failing to read chapter 7 in the "How to Be a Great Statesmen after the Fall". He writes that "while I was a council member and chairman of the Land Use Committee, the council members, including now Mayor Tavares, requested that I meet with then Mayor Apana, the Planning Department and representatives of Maui Vacation Rental Association. An agreement was forged at that meeting to suspend enforcement of the outdated regulations until the County Council could complete its vacation rental ordinance. The county gave written assurances to the Maui Vacation Rental Assoc and the council agreed to work on a new ordinance with the MVRA and the public. When an agreement is made, I believe in honoring that agreement."

What's wrong here? Since when are laws suspended behind closed doors with an organization that wants the rules changed? That's old boy politics! Just a paragraph later Arakawa states that creating and writing legislation is the responsibility of the council. Yet rules and regulations were suspended by this little band of schemers, not in a public hearing before the Council. Was the Corporation Counsel party to these activities? Now 6 years later that "agreement", never adopted by formal Council action, is resulting in a lawsuit which will cost the taxpayers more money. And by the way, the Council recently attempted a new ordinance and it never got out of the gate because in reality the Maui Vacation Rental Asociation really doesn't want an ordinance--they like the free wheeling , no holds barred, hell with the neighbors current approach that has been in effect since that back room deal.
The Planning Department has a proposed ordinance that updates the rules regarding TVR's and B & B's. It is practical and preserves our neighborhoods. On first reading it appears to be fair and equitable.
The absentee owners operating Transient Vacation Rentals and the North Shore B & B operators have blasted the Mayor and Planning Director for months. It is clearly obvious that Mayor Tavares is on the right track and is doing it in a legal and lawful manner. No back room deals for this Mayor. New woman politics!!! When these new ordinances arrive at the Council, hopefully each will garner the full support of the Council, (pleeeeze no political pandering to this rowdy group)and this issue will just go away. And Alan can go back to playing chess on a board instead of in the newspaper........

And so it goes......