The tragedy that has unfolded on Maui is not truly comprehensible and I feel for those who have lost everything. With that said, the situation for those of us who have not completely lost everything materially speaking is not significantly better.
As a unit owner at Lahaina Shores Beach Resort, I am ever so grateful that our building remains intact and standing to some unknown degree. Unfortunately, without access being granted even to professionals, the condition of said building remains an unknown, and without remediation deteriorates and degrades on a daily basis.
With that said, the Maui property tax assessor’s office has refused to grant me a waiver or even a reduction in my property taxes, given that the building was not destroyed, while acknowledging that neither I nor anyone else is permitted access to the premises, and that no utilities will be connected for the foreseeable future.
It further refuses to offer a change of use from short-term rental classification at the highest mill rate, to either an owner-occupancy or long-term rental reclassification on the basis that the property is not accessible and therefore no one can occupy on either of these bases.
Is it just me or is this completely nonsensical? We all have to deal with our financial losses, but it seems unreasonable for the county to choose to inflict additional financial hardship and suffering by way of full property taxes based on a use that is nonusable.
Harvey Dales
Lahaina
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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