The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Honolulu City Council on March 19, 2025.
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March 19, 2025, 10 a.m.
Honolulu Hale
To: Honolulu City Council
Tommy Waters, Chair
Matt Weyer, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: Bill 17 (2025), CD1 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION
Aloha Chair Waters, Vice-Chair Weyer and other members of the Council,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 17 (2025), CD1, which would increase the real property tax homeowner exemption by $20,000 for tax years beginning in fiscal 2028.
This would make the homeowner exemption $140,000 for homeowners age 64 and under and $180,000 for homeowners 65 or older.
Increasing the homeowner exemption by $20,000 would save each homeowner $70 at the current residential tax rate of $3.50 per $1,000 in assessed value.
The exemption was last increased in 2023, for tax years beginning with fiscal 2024.[1] Passing Bill 17 now would head off possible increases in property values that could occur in the next two years.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
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[1] Ordinance 23-33, Honolulu Records Collection, accessed Feb. 21, 2025.
