HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	362
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE COUNTIES TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING REAL PROPERTY TAX HARDSHIP EXEMPTIONS TO ASSIST RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXPAYERS.

     WHEREAS, the recent real estate boom has caused rising property values and increased real property tax rates in the State; and

     WHEREAS, the construction of luxury homes in some middle income neighborhoods has also caused an increase in property tax rates in those neighborhoods; and

     WHEREAS, these skyrocketing real property tax rates are beyond the means of some residential property owners who may be in jeopardy of losing their property because of the increasing property tax rates; and

     WHEREAS, the state of Idaho provides property tax relief to its residents in the form of homeowners, elderly and disabled, and hardship exemptions; and

     WHEREAS, Idaho's hardship exemption allows county commissions to forgive a resident's real property tax liability, or a portion thereof, in certain cases where property is damaged by an event causing casualty losses; and

     WHEREAS, the hardship exemption could be expanded to accommodate certain cases in Hawaii where homeowners, through no fault of their own, are in jeopardy of losing their property due to rising real property tax rates; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the counties are requested to consider establishing real property tax hardship exemptions to assist residential property taxpayers; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Mayor and the Chairperson of the Council of each county.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Real Property Taxes