2017-04-04 HCOM Opposition to HCR 169

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BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017; 10:35 AM TO: THE HONORABLE SYLVIA J. LUKE, CHAIR THE HONORABLE TY J.K. CULLEN, VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE FROM: HAWAII COUNCIL OF MAYORS SUBJECT: OPPOSITION TO HCR169 The Hawaii Council of Mayors (HCOM) strongly opposes HCR169, which requests the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to convene an economic development and tax reform working group to study the economic outcome of transferring the authority to tax real property to the State and allocate a portion of general excise tax revenues to the counties. In 1978, public ratified the decision to give the power to impose and collect real property taxes solely to the counties through a constitutional amendment. Real property tax revenues make up the most significant portion of all of the counties' general funds. These funds go toward providing essential services such as road repaving, wastewater treatment, police, and fire fighters. We believe that the counties are carrying out their duties responsibly. By convening a working group to discuss taking away the counties' authority to impose any taxes, this resolution ignores all the efforts of all the counties. We oppose the intent and passage of this resolution. Mayor Harry Kim Mayor Kirk Caldwell Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. Mayor Alan Arakawa County of Hawaii City and County of Honolulu County of Kauai County of Maui th 25 Aupuni Street 530 South King Street 4444 Rice Street 200 South High Street, 9 Floor Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Lihue, Hawaii 96766 Wailuku, Hawaii 96793