HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0817.055 2008-2010Testimony to the Hawaii County Council
Monday, June 7, 2010; 7:30 a.m.
25 Aupuni Street, Hilo
Chairperson Yoshimoto and the Members of the Hawaii County Council:
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?010 JUN 7 frl 7 '12
RE: FINAL BUDGET HEARING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 6/30/2011
You have before you a daunting task of approving or amending a $376 million budget
for the upcoming fiscal year. This was preceded by many months of planning and studying by
the Mayor's staff which looked at many different scenarios before submitting its present
proposal. I wish to submit to you my respectful recommendation to approve the budget as
submitted on May 5, 2010.
Clearly, the most contentious issue regarding this budget is the means in which the
administration has recommended to close the last $23 million revenue /expense gap, which was
by way of increasing the tax rates of certain categories of real properties in the County. Please
understand that, unlike a "Tax Increase" that has been erroneously labeled by the media and
other individuals and lawmakers, the tax rate adjustment will still result in lower collections than
in the immediately preceding fiscal year. Thus, this proposed budget will continue to result in a
Tax Decrease for the upcoming fiscal year.
Moreover, the adjustments to the real property tax rates will not apply to the lower
income and owner - occupant categories of our citizenship. Both the owner occupant and
affordable rental categories have been spared any tax rate adjustments. These two categories are
probably the taxpayers that would benefit the most from the declining tax liabilities that will be
resulting from their lower tax valuation; thus, the administration needs to be commended for
sparing the highest risk categories of our community.
Although several amendments have been proposed in hopes of avoiding the
adjustments to the tax rates, I believe some of these have been ill- conceived and will prove most
troublesome. A proposal to impose a fare for the County Bus Service will impact the lowest
income levels of our community; thus, resulting in a most regressive form of taxation in the
disguise of fees. Additionally, a proposal to stop or defer the payment of $5 million to the
retirement fund may be tantamount to a criminal action. At best, the county would be reneging
on its commitment which will end up costing the taxpayers of the county of Hawaii much more
in the future.
Comm. No
Ref. To:
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All of us recognize that these are trying times for our economy. Everyone, including
employees, will be required to contribute to get us through this period. This proposed budget,
however, assures that the most at risk of our citizenry, the owner- occupants and the lower
income lessors, will be spared any property tax rate adjustments and will be able to fully benefit
from the decrease in their tax liabilities as a result of declining values. It has clearly been well -
planned, debated and studied. But hastily developed changes to this proposed budget without
consultation with the budget's administrators amounts to irresponsible legislation. Please
approve this budget and allow our administration and county council to get back to your efforts
of creating and maintaining good government.
Respectfully submitted,
Eugene Nishimura
Hilo