HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0387.014 2000-2002 ~®n Jac®bs
15-2722 I~`opaa Street 808/g65-0361
Pahoa, 4~1 9677`8 email: donjC~aloha.net
November 20, 2001
TESTIM®NY 6EF®RE TI~BE I~I~OI10All C®UN°fY C®UNCIL EIN~4NCE C®MMITTEE
Mr. Chairman and members of the Finance Committee, my name is Uon
Jacobs. I live on Popaa Street near the; bottom of Kahakai an area
commonly known as Hawaiian Beaches. n~~@~
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strongly oppose Eill 121. At best it is a dirty, quick fix for the current cam'^~~ ~ ~ 4
shortfall in tax revenues. A quick fix that would do more harm than good in
the long run.
During the annual budgeting process the Mayor's office and the County
Council determine the amount of money that must be derived from real
property tax revenues.
Chapter 19 of the Hawaii County Code identifies eight (8) classes of land and
several classes of buildings in the Code. according to Section 1 ~?-90(c), the
County Council shall assign a percentage of the tote! tax revenue to each
class of real estate and establish the levy rate for each class 'T® THE
NEaARES`f KENNY' per thousand dollars of assessed value.
~t this point I should clarify an issue. The dollars per 1000 levy rate and
the minimum tax are two different things.
~ If the County Council would properly assign levy rates there would be
no shortfall and there would be no need for a minimum tax.
~ ~ minimum tax is discriminatory, it is a double tax on the lower
valued properties all across the various classes of real estate.
Real estate taxes here in I~awaii County are among the lowest in the nation.
No one that I know wants to pay h'sgher taxes. Neither do I. We own three
houses here in I~lawaii County if my taxes go up after you have honestly
done a fair and equitable job of prorating the tax revenues over the various
classes of real estate, I will pay the increased taxes without complaint. I
may not be happy about it, but I would have no legitimate reason to complain.
Kill Bill 121 ft would be asking the owners of lower valued properties and
many of those with qualified exemptions to bear the burden for all.
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Thank you for listening