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i 1 September 7, 2019 Grace Reinhard Chairperson,Tax Board of Review Finance Director Real Property Tax Office County of Hawaii Aupuni Ceneters, Suite 4 101 Pauahi Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720I Re: ASSESSEMENTS OF REAL PROPERTY IN HAWAII COUNTY REFORM REPORT TO MAYOR 1. County Real Property assessment should not include a MARKET VALUE, ONLY THE ASSESSMENT for the purpose of tax, unless the staff are realtors who can determine that assessment. 2. A person's ownership of a second or third home should not automatically have a higher assessment than their first, primary residence. Perhaps no one is paying rent in that second home. Maybe it's empty or under renovation repairs or cleaning. If rent is being paid, then general excise tax hopefully is also being paid. A higher tax rate may be imposed, and I would appreciate that instead of an automatic raise in assessment and related tax. AUTOMATIC HIGHER ASSESSMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR "SECOND HOMES" MEANS, IF IT IS A RENTAL, AN INCREASE IN RENT. Maybe we'll need less Section 8 if rents were not so high. That program does not allow others to benefit if families live in a rental most of their adult lives with incredible protections, too high benefits. 3. Inequities! Many homes in the rural area are assessed higher per square foot than urban homes that have all County services within a few miles, especially Police, road, transportation services. Those old "plantation homes" have been left to the next generation who do not want to move there because of the poor services provided to the area, and a family's third or fourth generation live at the home that grandma and grandpa left for all to use. Home ownership, a victory for moving to Hawaii. However, the one whose name is listed as the owner now has a tax bill that seems as though it is an investment. ,+ 4. Not enough staff to survey properties. Perhaps a one-time inclusion of a 1 iv ti■ V RT`3• g i, i w Ye •