How can Maui County diversify its economy, support small businesses and create jobs?
Maui County needs to become more business-friendly and look at business as a partner in an economic recovery rather as an adversary. The quickest way to kick-start our economy, create jobs and help our struggling businesses would be to increase our focus on visitor and business promotions. For example, our historic small-town, sporting and cultural organizations should be encouraged to maintain current events and generate new opportunities to bring communities together in a way that helps local businesses and bring locals and visitors together. The county should provide both monetary and manpower assistance as appropriate. We should be helping Maui farmers with marketing and promotion, as well as securing a stable water supply. Additionally, we should be spending more to market Maui to the world since 75 percent of Maui’s economy is generated by visitor expenditures. Because of this reality, increases in visitor spending have an immediate positive impact on small business and help crea
