12-30-2014, 07:05 AM
Let me try to explain... The property values in Puna are high because the valuations were set during the boom when many properties changed hands. There were far fewer sales in the established neighborhoods in Hilo - few sales during the boom, no reset of property values. Those who had the misfortune/poor judgement of buying during the boom, get stuck paying higher property taxes than long-time owners in Hilo.
Is it a conspiracy by the evil power-brokers in Hilo - hardly. It's useful to remember the adage: "never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity (or incompetence, indifference, etc. as the case may be...)". Is the county tax office going to annually reset the property valuations on their own? No, they don't have the resources to do that - and for my money, I'm hoping that they never do have those resources...
If your valuations are higher than can be supported by sales data, then, rather than spending your time moaning about it on this forum, it's incumbent on you to provide documentation to the county that can justify a lower valuation. I encountered this situation during an earlier cycle - my neighborhood was valued during the peak of the cycle and the county maintained that valuation well after the peak had passed. I gathered comparable sales data and appealed the valuation - and they reduced my property to an appropriate value. No conspiracy, no muss, no fuss - do the work, and get it fixed.
And as for Kalakoa's one track attitude: yes, Virginia, the world is unfair - and the county and the state don't enforce all the laws on the books (and never have). Those of us who are paying attention are - or should be - very thankful for both those realities.
Is it a conspiracy by the evil power-brokers in Hilo - hardly. It's useful to remember the adage: "never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity (or incompetence, indifference, etc. as the case may be...)". Is the county tax office going to annually reset the property valuations on their own? No, they don't have the resources to do that - and for my money, I'm hoping that they never do have those resources...
If your valuations are higher than can be supported by sales data, then, rather than spending your time moaning about it on this forum, it's incumbent on you to provide documentation to the county that can justify a lower valuation. I encountered this situation during an earlier cycle - my neighborhood was valued during the peak of the cycle and the county maintained that valuation well after the peak had passed. I gathered comparable sales data and appealed the valuation - and they reduced my property to an appropriate value. No conspiracy, no muss, no fuss - do the work, and get it fixed.
And as for Kalakoa's one track attitude: yes, Virginia, the world is unfair - and the county and the state don't enforce all the laws on the books (and never have). Those of us who are paying attention are - or should be - very thankful for both those realities.