This is crazy. A direct hit on families looking to rent anything larger than a studio.  Take a look a rentals on craigslist; a quick glance shows that 90% of 2 bedroom and above already rent well above the $1500 proposed exemption.  Get ready for a full rental market increase  to cover the tax.  Way to dump the cost directly on families who can not afford it.  

Add this to the 100% increase to investment homes > 1 mil and you have a %400 tax increase   .  As crazy as it sounds, there are lots on homes valued at > 1 mil that rent at a much lower rent to value ratio.   

We seem to vilify people who have chosen real estate investment as a business in Hawaii.  Many of us are not sitting on a state pension. 

As a DOE teacher, I think HSTA needs to go back to school and learn some basic economics  .  Fix the wasteful spending.