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Got a nasty surprise in the mail today from the Hawaii county real property tax division.
Assessed value on a property I own went up by 70%! How in the world can they think any property anywhere would go up in value that much??? Of course I can dispute it, but I have to get it in the mail by April 1 which is less than two weeks away. Plus, I have to send them $50 for the "privilege" of them hearing my case. I've been paying property taxes for 33 years and have never seen anything like this.
I will definitely remember this come the next election.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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Is it a home or undeveloped land? I don't think either could legitimately go up 70%, but vacant land in the right location might conceivably come closer in a tax assessors perverse universe. Having said that, I would do exactly what you are doing and appeal. I hope that the Kim administration isn't planning a spending spree based on exaggerated inflation of property values while smiling and saying they haven't raised tax rates. During Harry's last time in office the county budget and payroll went way, way up.
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Yes, it's vacant land. I'm going to have to shell out nearly $900 in additional tax on that property alone. Oh, the land is in Puna.
Another thing they conveniently excluded in the mailing are the tax RATES. You have to go their website for that.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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nearly $900 in additional tax
Mayor Kim did say the tax "rates" would not be going up...
Impossible to tell whether this assessment is anything resembling "fair" without some additional data: how big, what kind of road, is there County water, etc.
I can hardly wait to see mine...
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I got a notice, too; the assessment on my house went up $3000 or $4000, only a couple percent.
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Does anyone know if an appellant gets the $50 fee back in the even their assessment is rolled back? It would seem to be a travesty to charge someone for fixing the county's own mistake, but the way things go around here, I wouldn't put it past them.
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Is this land that Pele had in her sights 12 months ago, but not now? If so, 70% may make sense.
Leilani Estates, 2011 to Present
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Were valuations lowered due to the lava? Or ever? My mainland house valuation went up during the great recession of 2008, must have been my neighbors car on blocks that boosted the value.
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I own 2 separate parcels of vacant land in lower Puna and they both were assessed 30% lower this year!
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Our assessment is going up $7K, but "net taxable value" is going down $15K bc of reaching next level of age exemption. Don't forget to file for age exemption if you're over 60!
