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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0533.025 2000-2002 193 I~Ialai Street I-Iilo, I-IT 96720 May l 5, 2002 t2E~trV~~ ~~.,,~.--...a_.. Testimony for the Property Tax Dearing, May 15, 2002 ~ry ~~`~"`!~`~t~~` Dear Members: Thank you for allowing me to testify. My name is A. Stephen ~Voo, Jr., and I have lived in Pl[ilo since 1975. I oher two premises: 1) Living in Milo is not an entitlement but a privilege. 2) I want to pay my fair share of taxes. Over the past 26 years our family has increased its use of county services such as the 1Park and Recreation, Public .Forks, Culture and Arts, etc. VVe are pleased with the availability and variety of these services, and we are well aware they cost money. However what amazes me is that though I am benefiting more, I am paying less. My residential property taxes for the past 20 years have fluctuated greatly, Yvith property taxes in six of the past 20 years being less than what they were 'when we arrived in 1975. (T no.~° pay 50% less because of the homeowner's exemption given to those over 6o years in age.) These figures are in current dollar3 and are not adjusted for inflation. Yet we all know the cost of operating the county has gone up, not down. The price of everything has risen as, for example, the retail price of gasoline which increased steadily over the same period. (7Please refer to chart.) ~JVhile I don't recall the reasons or causes for the tax reductions, but examining the condition of our facilities leave one with the conclusion that delaying maintea~ance is one ~vay the county his used to keep taxes low. Sure, it may save money to skip painting the roof, but in the, long run it is far more expensive to replace it. As the saying goes, "Pay me no~v or pay me later." I suspect that "later" has caught up with us, and I don't mind paying the taxes that should have been levied ten years ago. On the other hand the government has an obligation to be efficient and not wasteful with our money. I applaud ~ ~ _ establishing the "Cost of Government Comrraission." May our leaders take its findings to heart for the benefit of the community. Mahalo. Sincerely, A. Stephen VE/oo, Jr~m` F°i~e :m1~. Ref. ~`a` ,Ref ~~.ti a a ~ ~ ~ ~ LJ z ~ ~ v, ~ ~ J 11 ~ ~J ~ ~ © v ~ c! ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ I ~ ~ ~ ~ t~ r