...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST FRIDAY...
* WHAT...East winds 20 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 10 feet.
* WHERE...All surrounding coastal waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 AM HST Friday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
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Kristen joined KITV4 in March 2021 after working for the past two decades as a newspaper reporter. Kristen's goal is to produce meaningful journalism that educates, enlightens and inspires to affect positive change in society.
Hawaii officials know housing costs can be a strain, but they don't have plans for homeowner tax relief.
HONOLULU (KITV4) - Hawaii has some of the fastest-rising housing values in the nation.
That's good news on one hand -- but it also means more out-of-pocket expenses for many Oahu homeowners.
The Honolulu City Council won't be lowering the property tax rate to offset a significant spike in residential home values.
The Honolulu City Charter requires the Council, by law, to approve a balanced budget.
Council Chair Tommy Waters told KITV the decision ultimately came down to keeping the city funded.
"I do recognize it's really expensive to live in Honolulu and I would've really liked to lower that tax rate, but the fact of the matter is we want to make sure that your garbage gets picked up, there's an ambulance there when you need one, police and fire is taken care of," he said.
While the city relies on property taxes to pay for core services and its 10,000 employees, higher property tax bills have become a financial burden to many already struggling with rising inflation.
"The state needs money. We have a homeless problem, crime is on the rise, everything cost money, but as a homeowner values are going up and it does get a little tough to pay the bills sometimes," said Makakilo homeowner Joshua German. "I would hope they would find some way to give relief."
The Honolulu City Council, with a budget of more than $3 billion, is scheduled to vote tomorrow on setting the property rates for residential, hotel, commercial and other classifications.
Since lowering the rate is out of the question, Waters said he's introduced two bills to increase the homeowners' exemption from $100,000 to $120,000, and also the exemption for kupuna from $140,000 to $160,000.
The council is also considering giving homeowners renting out properties long term similar exemptions as if they lived there.
They are also debating capping what homeowners pay in property taxes at 3% of income, but only if you make 80% of the area medium income or below -- that's $73,000 for a single person or $104,000 for a family of four.
Kristen joined KITV4 in March 2021 after working for the past two decades as a newspaper reporter. Kristen's goal is to produce meaningful journalism that educates, enlightens and inspires to affect positive change in society.
