STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1435-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.C.R. No. 362

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 362 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE COUNTIES TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING REAL PROPERTY TAX HARDSHIP EXEMPTIONS TO ASSIST RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXPAYERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to ease the burden of skyrocketing real property tax rates which have gone beyond the means of some residential property owners who may be in jeopardy of losing their property by requesting that the counties consider establishing real property tax hardship exemptions to assist residential property taxpayers.

     The City and County of Honolulu's Department of Budget and Fiscal Services opposed this concurrent resolution.

     Your Committees find that the rapid increase of property taxes has created financial difficulties for many people statewide.  These difficulties are exacerbated when natural or man-made disasters occur and cause damages to homes that are not fully covered by insurance or other financial aids.  In such situations, people already stretched to the limit by the current property tax rates may be in jeopardy of losing their homes when unable to pay for the necessary repairs and the taxes.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this concurrent resolution by amending its title to read:  REQUESTING THE COUNTIES TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING REAL PROPERTY TAX HARDSHIP EXEMPTIONS TO ASSIST RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXPAYERS IN JEOPARDY OF LOSING THEIR PROPERTY DUE TO COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RECOVERING FROM NATURAL OR MAN-MADE DISASTERS.

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Consumer Protection & Commerce that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 362, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 362, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair

____________________________ CINDY EVANS, Chair