Property Tax Increase for 2014

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

Maui County is far lower... 0.25% with a $250k(IIRC) exemption

You are correct - I read the wrong line in the table. I was looking at the residential rate versus the homeowner rate. $2.87 per $1,000 assessed value and a $200K exemption for Maui.

In our $4,000,000 house example - the Oahu resident would pay $13,720 versus $11,422 in Maui - enough savings for a decent party in the spacious home.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

You are correct - I read the wrong line in the table. I was looking at the residential rate versus the homeowner rate. $2.87 per $1,000 assessed value and a $200K exemption for Maui.

In our $4,000,000 house example - the Oahu resident would pay $13,720 versus $11,422 in Maui - enough savings for a decent party in the spacious home.

The big differences are for normal priced houses.

A $500k house would be taxed $861 on Maui, but $1470 on Oahu. But the same house is probably worth $1 mil on Oahu right? But still not that high compared to Texas with its 3% property taxes

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

But the same house is probably worth $1 mil on Oahu right?

Not very likely - but it all depends on location and the house. After looking at some listings - I'd say a $500K place in Kihei would cost about that around Kapolei (west side) - and maybe $700K on the east side. That same family would expect to earn more money on Oahu than Maui - and pay less for day to day items like groceries, gas, electric, etc - so it balances out.

[honobob]

I've only received a notice for one property. It's a 2/2 condo in Waikiki and it's up only 7.6%. Hopefully that will hold true for the Diamond Head condos. Assessment seems just slightly under a recent sale. Still wish there were a Prop 13 type protection for OWNER OCCUPIED properties.

[hotzcatz]

Hey! Why is our tax rate so high? You guys get a lot more "stuff" with your tax dollars! We don't even get sidewalks!

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by WaikikiBoy

...The big question in my mind is: How will the state spend all the new tax dollars? With these sort of increases, on top of the increases in tourism tax revenue the past 2 years (GET & Hotel Tax) you'd think all budgets should be running surpluses.

I suspect most will go to increases in salaries & benefits rather than improvements in infrastructure, but I'd like to see some infrastructure improvements and it would be nice to see some new, updated & modern schools built to replace many of the existing schools.

BINGO! The state has a huge surplus from 2013 and I guarantee you that the liberal democrats in Hawaii won't be dropping taxes as a result. SPEND, SPEND, SPEND, to those union government employees.

[PaliPatty]

Ours went up by about 13%. If they put it towards education, fine---no complaints.
But they won't. Public education will continue to suck here. As far as I'm concerned, a community's concern with public education is a very telling indication regarding its evolvement as a society. The investment in children, education, etc, is an investment in the future.
Hawaii is disgusting, in that respect. Rotten to the core. We love our keiki, yada yada, yeah sure.
As long as the "haves" remain complacent, satisfied that they can send their kids to superior private schools, nothing will change.
And with all the Polynesians, Micronesians,and all those on the lower socio-economic levels consistently being shuttled to inferior educational systems, resentment will fester and result in a very nasty environment for all involved.
JMHO, of course. YMMV.

[hawaiian by heart]

Originally Posted by PaliPatty

Ours went up by about 13%. If they put it towards education, fine---no complaints.
But they won't. Public education will continue to suck here. As far as I'm concerned, a community's concern with public education is a very telling indication regarding its evolvement as a society. The investment in children, education, etc, is an investment in the future.
Hawaii is disgusting, in that respect. Rotten to the core. We love our keiki, yada yada, yeah sure.
As long as the "haves" remain complacent, satisfied that they can send their kids to superior private schools, nothing will change.
And with all the Polynesians, Micronesians,and all those on the lower socio-economic levels consistently being shuttled to inferior educational systems, resentment will fester and result in a very nasty environment for all involved.
JMHO, of course. YMMV.

Very well said PaliPatty Mahalo.