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+--- Thread: Am I reading this right?? (/showthread.php?tid=6379)
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Am I reading this right?? - Kelena - 10-31-2009
Story in the HNL news about the Mayor over there wanting to raise taxes on non-occupant owners (apparently they did not have a two-tier tax system). There is a chart in the article. From the chart, it appears that Hawaii has the highest taxes of any island! More than Kauai. More than Mauai!
Do my eyes deceive me?
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091031/NEWS04/910310320?source=rss_localnews
RE: Am I reading this right?? - JerryCarr - 10-31-2009
It would have been even more enlightening to see comparisons for commercial, agricultural, and resort/hotel categories posted along with residential. From what is shown, one might reasonably conclude that we on Hawaii Island have the highest residential rates. A possible reason might be our lower overall property values. (I'm not making excuses for the politicians, County administrators, and financial waste that they tolerate, mind you.) With lower values, higher rates are required to produce the same amount of revenue. It's like they're telling us, "Your poorer than the others, so we have to tax you more as a percentage of your assets to provide basic services."
Of course if you live in Puna and/or one of the "substandard" subdivisions, it's questionable if you even get basic services. Don't start me on that today. Having just recently heard a speech from the County Planning Director suggesting that we in HPP establish a "Special Use Tax District" to pay for services that we are taxed for, but don't get from the County, I'm just in the mood . . .
Having said all that, property taxes here are among the lowest you will find anywhere in the USA, and I am grateful for at least that much.
RE: Am I reading this right?? - Seeb - 10-31-2009
a special tax district could be a good thing IF ( big if )it was set up right and could accept hppoa's roads
RE: Am I reading this right?? - JerryCarr - 10-31-2009
Seeb, the problem with a special tax district is the fact that we in HPP are already paying taxes that are used to maintain roads in front of other people's homes and to build and maintain parks in other people's neighborhoods. When the Planning Director had this pointed out to her, she backpedaled and suggested that we lobby the County Council and the Legislature to mandate that the portion of our taxes used to support services we do not receive be given back to us for our own efforts at self-improvement. Given whom we have representing us in those bodies, I have little hope of this happening.
One more point on the tax rates, Glen. Whether or not the other counties have the same exemptions and assessment increase limits that we have in Hawaii County might affect the actual rates and thus any comparative figures.
RE: Am I reading this right?? - mdd7000 - 10-31-2009
quote:After looking at numerous houses and the property taxes, I agree. We were paying just over $3400 per year on our former house in rural, Central Illinois. Two acres, 2000sf, zoned agricultural and valued around $150k. Add in 6.5% sales tax on goods (no tax on services though) 10% on restaurants, 1% on food and 3.5% income tax.
Originally posted by JerryCarr
...Having said all that, property taxes here are among the lowest you will find anywhere in the USA, and I am grateful for at least that much.
The problem here is the government's waste - way too many friends and family are employed - that push paperwork around and award bids to those same friends and relatives. The governor should have pushed for a 10% reduction in admin staff. At the least, a complete hiring freeze is in order.
RE: Am I reading this right?? - abirdog - 11-08-2009
Aloha,
Does everyone except me know which are the "substandard" subdivsions that are so often spoken about in this forum?
Can someone clue me in?
I know I've heard the mod. here speak of the County re-directing some revenues (taxes, fed $ and such), paid in general, directly to HPP residents (or agency); which seems to be what is defined as Puna in this forum.
Is HPP considered a "standard" subdivion as opposed to others?
Because if it is, someone will have to hold me so I don't wet my pants as I convulse with laughter.
RE: Am I reading this right?? - mella l - 11-09-2009
It's like they're telling us, "Your poorer than the others, so we have to tax you more as a percentage of your assets to provide basic services."
Of course if you live in Puna and/or one of the "substandard" subdivisions, it's questionable if you even get basic services. Don't start me on that today. Having just recently heard a speech from the County Planning Director suggesting that we in HPP establish a "Special Use Tax District" to pay for services that we are taxed for, but don't get from the County,
The Ready Mapbook of East Hawaii 5th Edition pages 83 and 84 list all the subdivisions of just the east part of the island. There are apx 560, yes five hundred and sixty listed. Of those I'd say less than one percent are standard but others might have a better estimate.
So lets estimate that about 500 subdivisions are substandard in some way, no electric, no phone, no mail delivery, no water supply, no sewers, no police protection, no roads, sidewalks LMAO, no utilities no services = substandard. A piece of land laid out with a grid and third world goat tracks, and a taxable property is created.
AMAZING isn't it like snake oil, a piece of land that has been subdivided and nothing else, like no one ever expected people to desire to live on it and hoped they wouldn't!
mella l
RE: Am I reading this right?? - mella l - 11-09-2009
Whoa here are the numbers! The differences are astounding and I would like to know why and how they compare to annual incomes, cost of living etc. Per 1000 dollars in assessed values
Honolulu Single Family $3.42 Apartment $3.42
Kauai 4.25 7.90
Maui 4.85 4.55
Hawai i 7.10 8.10
Don't build an apartment complex!
Something seems criminal about this, is it inattention, lack of understanding, or just criminal?
mella l
RE: Am I reading this right?? - mikewj - 11-09-2009
There is very little meaning in the rate per $1,000 dollars as a comparison. What matters is the cost per square foot which is derived by a multiple of the rate x assessed value divided by the habitable square footage. My reason for saying this is that on Maui, for example, tax assessment is made by taking the average value of properties in an area and dividing by the number of properties. If you own a very modest home in a million dollar area, your taxes are outrageous! In Puna it seems that the assessed values are considerably lower, maybe to compensate for the lack of services afforded by the County. In any event, significantly less than my California taxes, even though I am protected by Prop 13 and have owned the same home for more than 20 years.
RE: Am I reading this right?? - mella l - 11-09-2009
Mike Quote " In Puna it seems that the assessed values are considerably lower, maybe to compensate for the lack of services afforded by the County".
So if the assessed values are lower to compensate for the sub standardness of the Puna, why are the tax rates so high? To create an illusion, yet reap
If the compensation is for lack of services, then the assessed value and the TAX rate should be less wouldn't you think? Perhaps I'm confused here!
mella l