Letter: Don’t hike tax rate for Residential A property

Mayor Kirk Caldwell said he supports the City Council’s $1 tax increase for hotels (“Increase tax on hotels, not residences,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, June 2).

What he failed to state is that the Council is poised to pass another Residential A property tax increase of $1.50 per $1,000 assessed value for Tier 2 residences valued greater than $1 million. Don’t they realize that this will increase rent for local tenants?

A Manoa or Kailua landlord who owns a modest $1 million house will have property taxes increased by $1,500 per year, which he will undoubtedly pass on to his tenants.

If Caldwell wants to keep property tax rates lower for Hawaii residents, then he should object to Council once again raising Residential A property taxes.

Not all Residential A owners are out of state. We are Hawaii residents who rent to local people, who keep our money in Hawaii. Shame on the City Council for trying to slide this tax increase through without our knowledge.

Peggy Taylor

Makiki

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