HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0926.020 2018-2020 F/!�ftw
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From: Randy Ripley <randy.ripley@elitepacific.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2020 8:27 AM
To: Council Testimony COUNTY CLERK
Subject: Subject: Opposition to Bill 169 COUNTY OF HAWAIII
RECEIVED
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To: County Council, County of Hawaii Date MAY 1 2 2020
From: Randy Ripley, resident of Hawaii County
RE: Bill 169 Amends Chapter 19 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 edition, as amended), Article
6, by adding a new section to create two tiers for the residential class;
and Article 11, Section 19- 90, by adding a new section authorizing Council to set tax rates for each
tier, relating to real property tax
Position: Oppose
Good Afternoon Council Chair Chung, Vice-Chair Eoff and esteemed members of the Finance
Committee.
I am writing today to ask that you oppose Bill 169. There are numerous repercussions to which Council
Members may be unaware regarding Bill 169.
• Bill 169 institutionalizes discrimination against Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders with a two-tier
residential property tax system. The County would be using the property taxes to make areas of
the County, less affordable to whole categories of protected classes, including Hawaiian and
Pacific Islanders, many which combine households to afford larger and more expensive estates.
• Bill 169 could further expose the County to disparate impact claims under the federal Fair
Housing Act should tax foreclosures within the tiers impact Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, or
other races including Caucasians, disproportionally. Under the Fair Housing act, it is not
necessary to demonstrate an intent to discriminate, it is only necessary to show the
discriminatory effect.
• Bill 169 jeopardizes the continued receipt in over$16,000,000 in federal funding to the County
for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Community Development Block Grants and HOME
Funds. The County must certify annually compliance with the Fair Housing Act as well as
demonstrate taking steps to remove barriers to affordable housing. In effect, Bill 169 creates a
new barrier to affordable housing by removing market forces and establishing a "Luxury" class
of residential property.
• Any revenue increase created by Bill 169 will be offset by a reduction in construction and
remodeling in the county as those effected seek to avoid tax liability of newly constructed homes
and also remodeling should their homes appreciate, harming untold contractors and
construction workers resulting in less revenue for our County.
• Bill 169 will have a larger impact on local residents who are the majority owners of 2nd homes in
this price range, not off-shore billionaires as some may perceive, harming local residents.
Finally, Bill 169 violates our civil rights and should be vehemently opposed.
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Sincerely,
Randy Ripley
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