Kauai County Council has not earned receiving a blank check

Bill 2274 to make major changes in the real property tax law is pending before the Kauai County Council. The bill offers to the council what it wants – the absolute power to set tax rates at whatever level they choose. We do not believe that the council has earned receiving that blank check. A public hearing has already been held and the Council has scheduled further consideration on September 3^rd.

The bill contains a proposed repeal of the 2% annual cap on the increase of tax for properties of resident owner-occupiers. This limit which has been law since 2005 has been of crucial importance as assessments of properties in the homestead class (the bulk of the resident owned and occupied properties) has risen from $1.385 billion in 2004 to $4.828 billion in 2007. If the cap had not been effect your property taxes  would have at least doubled!!

The bill has been presented to the council and taxpayers by the administration with deceitful information and assumptions. It is claimed that revenues from homeowners would decrease under the terms of the bill. That claim cannot be validly made as it would depend on decisions by the council which are not known. 

While some members of the council appear to favor retaining the cap it is probable that most do not.

For more information please call Monroe Richman 742-9204 or Walter Lewis at 826-9452.

Kauai Worldwide Communications, Inc.