OWNER ALERT!

OWNERS BE AWARE! There are unscrupulous companies that make offers to sell or otherwise take possession of your deeded timeshare week. During the past few years, numerous suspect “Transfer Companies” have mushroomed. The fee is often several thousands of dollars for selling or transferring ownership.

BEFORE YOU ACT on an offer, please call your resort and discuss the proposed transaction. There may be alternatives that will not carry the inherent risk associated with dealing with unknown Companies. Your Board and Management care and have recently witnessed an increase in illegitimate companies who do not finalize transfers. This has resulted in some owners having been defrauded out of their money while continuing to retain a legal obligation to the Association for both current and future maintenance fees.

DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU.
CALL YOUR RESORT BEFORE ACTING ON ANY OFFER.

What Is ARDA-ROC And What Does It Do For You.
Check out this article from TimeSharing Today (May/June 2011), "Timeshare Owners' Best Friend," by Scott Riddle.

"I would like to share some information with you regarding a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and enhancing vacation ownership: ARDA-ROC (Resort Owners' Coalition)...."
Click here for the complete article in PDF format.

Maui County Mayor Releases Revised
Property Tax Rates

2011-04-20
Issue Brief
The Maui Council Committee on Budget and Finance has now held several community hearings to receive input regarding the Mayor’s proposal to increase the timeshare property tax rate from $14.00 to $19.60. At those hearings, representatives from Starwood, Marriott, Trading Places International, ARDA-ROC, ARDA-Hawaii, employees of timeshare developers, individual timeshare owners, and other respected community leaders told Council Members the timeshare community opposes this tax increase. Claims by the Mayor that this tax is “revenue neutral” were debunked by information provided by the industry, and the Mayor’s staff offered no documentation to support a 40% increase in the property tax rate. Yesterday morning, the Mayor released his modified proposal for property tax increases which included an overall $1.45 increase for the timeshare category in lieu of his initial increase of $5.60. The next hearing of the Budget and Finance Committee is today at 9:00 am HST, and industry representatives -- including the Chairman of ARDA-Hawaii, Dan Dinell, and the Chairman of ARDA-ROC, Ken McKelvey -- will be present to testify against any increase in property tax rates for timeshare (click here for a copy of ARDA-ROC's testimony).

Impact
Even with this reduction in the proposed rate increase, timeshare owners would pay a 10% increase in property taxes assuming property values stayed the same.

Position/Call to Action
ARDA-ROC and ARDA-Hawaii will continue to oppose any increase in the tax rate for timeshare as they both believe that timeshare owners and timeshare developers alike already pay more than their fair share of taxes.

Posted from the ARDA-ROC website.

TripAdvisor Announces The Travelers' Choice
Awards for 2011

Top 25 Beaches in the United States

1 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach boasts some of the best beaches on America's East Coast, which are distinguished by panoramic views of the Atlantic, calm waters and soft white sand. Ideal for swimming and sunbathing, Myrtle Beach also offers plenty of family attractions, making it perfect for beach-lovers with kids.
Don't miss these Myrtle Beach beaches: Myrtle Beach State Park

19 Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Enjoy an old-fashioned beach vacation, complete with a boardwalk, at one of Delaware's most popular resort towns. Long a traditional summer getaway for families, Rehoboth Beach is now also a favorite of gay and lesbian travelers. Serious golfers will want to test their skills at the Kings Creek Country Club, while Old Landing Golf Course offers great views of the local scenery. Along with enjoying the famous beach and strolling the boardwalk, there's also a nearby amusement park called Funland to check out.
Don't miss these Rehoboth Beach beaches: Rehoboth Beach

To see the complete list of the Travelers' Choice Beaches Awards, click here.

Maui County Mayor Releases Revised Property Tax Rates

Impact Even with this reduction in the proposed rate increase, timeshare owners would pay a 10% increase in property taxes assuming property values stayed the same.

Position/Call to Action ARDA-ROC and ARDA-Hawaii will continue to oppose any increase in the tax rate for timeshare as they both believe that timeshare owners and timeshare developers alike already pay more than their fair share of taxes.

Maui County Mayor Releases Revised
Property Tax Rates

Impact
Even with this reduction in the proposed rate increase, timeshare owners would pay a 10% increase in property taxes assuming property values stayed the same.

Position/Call to Action
ARDA-ROC and ARDA-Hawaii will continue to oppose any increase in the tax rate for timeshare as they both believe that timeshare owners and timeshare developers alike already pay more than their fair share of taxes.