HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0624.002 2002-2004
Letter to The Hawaii County Council:
Public Hearing - Thursday May 20, 2004P
Ohana Keauhou Beach Resort
Dear Council,
Agricultural Property Owners Alert!
My Husband John and I, Beverly Aikele, received
one of the form letters telling about the new
method for calculating the value of our
agricultural property recently.
We own a macadamia nut orchard, Tax map key 7-
3-007-006.
When I could not get Michael D'Amico (one of
the assessors) at his telephone number, (he was
swamped, I later found out, by all the calls and
confusion of the letter), I called the Kona office
and spoke with one of the clerks there. I had many
questions about the new method and she answered
them politely and well,
The letter stated that the homeowner's
classification tax rate is $5.55 per one thousand
of net taxable market value, while the agricultural
zoned rate is $9.85 per one thousand of net
assessed value.
When I asked the clerk why the ag rate is so much
higher, she stated, "that is because agricultural
land is assessed so low." That sort of made sense
to me.
Then I received my tax notice, and got quite a
shock! The assessed value of our agriculture
property has tripled in its assessed value, from a
year ago.
My question is then, will the rate be lowered this
Comm. No, 1(! L~ ~ 7i
Ref. To:
Ref. Uate
year? That is the only way to make this Huge Tax
Problem fair to the farmer here in Kona where the
neighboring residential properties are valued so
high!
Why should the farmers who are already
struggling with low prices on their agriculture
products due to drought, harvesting procedures and
lack of workers, have their tax rate tripled?
Does the council want to further send the
message to small farmers to "not bother trying to
grow anything here in Kona?" Or, "don't try to
make a decent living in agriculture?"
You are really hurting the small farmers by
this huge tax increase!
June 20'h is the deadline for County Council to establish tax
rates. We paid an increase last year and now this huge
increase? We will be paying an increase of nearly $1000.00
more than this year -
You, the Council can lower the tax rate. And for the good of
all small farmers, I'm asking you to lower the rate. This
problem will not go away unless you, the Council, make a
decision and do it before June 20th.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Beverly Aikele
73-4340 Kailana PI.
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
(808) 325 6993