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DATE: December 2, 2025 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Hilo, Hawaii <br />TIME: 1:00 P.M. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />REPORT OF THE <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />Re: Comm. No. 593Bill No. 103 <br />Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Bill No. 103, reports as follows: <br />Bill No. 103, transmitted by Committee Members Heather Kimball and James Hustace via <br />Communication No. 593, dated October 17, 2025, amends Chapter 19, Article 7, Section 19-53, <br />of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended) relating to Real Property Tax. <br />This bill applies the homeowner classification's three -percent annual assessment increase cap to a <br />property's agricultural assessed value under certain conditions, including if the property is no <br />longer assessed according to its agricultural use; expires after two tax years. <br />Committee on Finance Meeting of November 19, 2025 <br />Real Property Tax Administrator Lisa Miura was present in Chambers. <br />Committee Member Heather Kimball provided background and the motivation for this legislation. <br />Ms. Miura provided additional background information and emphasized the need to notify <br />residents and expressed concern over the bill's repeal date in relation to the real property tax <br />cycle. <br />Committee Member Jenn Kagiwada expressed concern over the loss of productive lands and ways <br />to encourage continued use of the land. <br />Committee Members Dennis "Fresh" Onishi and Holeka Goro Inaba suggested that the makers <br />work with the Real Property Tax Division on the bill. <br />Committee Member Michelle Galimba emphasized the need for a repeal date to avoid creating an <br />incentive for members to not use their agricultural lands. Ms. Galimba suggested possibly <br />lowering the consecutive years of agricultural use requirement from ten to five years. <br />Committee Member James Hustace emphasized the purpose;of the bill in providing older farmers <br />and food producers a means of retiring without the property tax burden when no longer using <br />their lands for agriculture. <br />Bill 103 was postponed to December 2, 2025 <br />FC Report No. 112 <br />