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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br /> DATE: May 2, 2023 Re: Comm. No. 218/Bill No. 44 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i <br /> TIME: 2:40 p.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawai`i County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Bill No. 44, reports as follows: <br /> Bill No. 44, transmitted by Committee Member Kimball and Committee Member Galimba, via <br /> Communication No. 218 dated April 4, 2023, amends Chapter 19, Articles 1 and 7, of the Hawai`i <br /> County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), relating to Community Food Sustainability Use <br /> Assessments and Nondedicated Agriculture Use Assessments. <br /> This bill seeks to implement recommendations of the Real Property Tax Review Working Group and <br /> Agricultural Committee's September 2019 Final Report and the 2021 Annual Report of the Real Property <br /> Tax Board of Review by: establishing a sunset date for the definition of"Nondedicated agricultural use <br /> assessment"; adding a new definition for "Community food sustainability use"; establishing a sunset date <br /> for Section 19-57 of the Hawai`i County Code; and establishing a new section titled "Community food <br /> sustainability use assessment". <br /> This bill was previously heard and postponed on April 18, 2023. <br /> Finance Committee Meeting of April 18, 2023 <br /> Committee Member and co-introducer Heather Kimball provided background on this matter and <br /> expressed the intent of the proposed measure citing that she wanted to give a pathway to individuals <br /> who are legitimately involved in commercial agriculture and to individuals who provide food and <br /> produce to food programs by incentivizmg their contributions to community with a tax benefit. <br /> Ms. Kimball invited Committee Member and co-introducer Michelle Galimba to provide more <br /> background on this measure, to which Ms. Galimba discussed the proposed repeals in detail and what <br /> they hope to accomplish with those suggested amendments. <br /> Committee Member Holeka Goro Inaba commented that he understood this bill's intent and how it <br /> benefits those in community food sustainability. However, he was still determining whether this <br /> includes members who currently provide to the community independently rather than directly to a <br /> nonprofit, further stating concerns that the nonprofit contribution qualifier may not be a proper qualifier <br /> for this benefit. <br /> FC Report No. 51 <br />