Property taxes

Empty homes tax proposal is vague, legally risky and could raise prices

July 9, 2026, 2 p.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu Charter Commission Dawn Szewczyk, Chair Sommerset Yamamoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: P170 CD1 — RELATING TO AN EMPTY HOMES TAX Aloha Chair Szewczyk, Vice Chair Yamamoto and other members of the

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Affordable housing buyers need immediate property tax exemption

July 8, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 40 (2026), CD1 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of

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Grassroot supports increasing homeowner property tax exemption

July 8, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 45 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the

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Allow affordable housing buyers to immediately claim property tax relief

June 23, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Budget Val Okimoto, Chair Scott Nishimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 40 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair Nishimoto and other

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Property tax rollback bill needs amendments to protect taxpayers

June 3, 2026, 8:30 a.m. Historic County Building To: Kaua'i County Council Mel Rapozo, Chair KipuKai Kuali'i, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst RE: Bill 2995 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAX Aloha Chair Rapozo, Vice Chair Kuali'i and other Council members, The Grassroot Institute

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Make condo buyers immediately eligible for homeowner exemption

June 3, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 40 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the

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Property tax exemption increases would provide needed relief

June 2, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development Yuki Lei Sugimura, Chair Kauanoe Batangan, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Re: Bill 181 (2025) — INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF THE HOME AND LONG-TERM

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Property tax rollback bill should protect against unjust penalties

May 27, 2026, 8:30 a.m. Historic County Building To: Kaua'i County Council Arryl Kaneshiro, Chair KipuKai Kuali'i, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst RE: Bill 2995 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAX Aloha Chair Kaneshiro, Vice Chair Kuali'i and other Committee members, The Grassroot Institute

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Empty homes tax proposal is vague, legally risky and could raise prices

July 9, 2026, 2 p.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu Charter Commission Dawn Szewczyk, Chair Sommerset Yamamoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: P170 CD1 — RELATING TO AN EMPTY HOMES TAX Aloha Chair Szewczyk, Vice Chair Yamamoto and other members of the

Read More →

Affordable housing buyers need immediate property tax exemption

July 8, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 40 (2026), CD1 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of

Read More →

Grassroot supports increasing homeowner property tax exemption

July 8, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 45 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the

Read More →

Allow affordable housing buyers to immediately claim property tax relief

June 23, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Budget Val Okimoto, Chair Scott Nishimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 40 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair Nishimoto and other

Read More →

Property tax rollback bill needs amendments to protect taxpayers

June 3, 2026, 8:30 a.m. Historic County Building To: Kaua'i County Council Mel Rapozo, Chair KipuKai Kuali'i, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst RE: Bill 2995 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAX Aloha Chair Rapozo, Vice Chair Kuali'i and other Council members, The Grassroot Institute

Read More →

Make condo buyers immediately eligible for homeowner exemption

June 3, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 40 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the

Read More →

Property tax exemption increases would provide needed relief

June 2, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development Yuki Lei Sugimura, Chair Kauanoe Batangan, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Re: Bill 181 (2025) — INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF THE HOME AND LONG-TERM

Read More →

Property tax rollback bill should protect against unjust penalties

May 27, 2026, 8:30 a.m. Historic County Building To: Kaua'i County Council Arryl Kaneshiro, Chair KipuKai Kuali'i, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst RE: Bill 2995 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAX Aloha Chair Kaneshiro, Vice Chair Kuali'i and other Committee members, The Grassroot Institute

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