Council Holds Public Meetings on Agricultural Homesite Bill

Councilmember Mike White, file photo by Wendy Osher.

By Sonia Isotov

The Maui County Council’s Budget and Finance Committee will hold a series of district meetings on Molokai, Lanai and in five districts on Maui.

The meetings are being held to encourage discussion on proposed legislation that would value a homesite on agricultural land separately from the portion of the parcel used for agricultural purpose.

The proposed bill BF-70 was brought before the committee last month by Councilmember Mike White and included a presentation on the findings of the Temporary Investigative Group (TIG). The TIG that was convened by the committee to study inequities between valuations for agricultural and non-agricultural properties.

The purpose of the proposed bill is to amend Chapter 3.48, Maui County Code, as it relates to the real property tax valuation of the homesite portions of parcels receiving agricultural use assessments (discounted tax treatment for lands classified and used for agriculture).

Council Member Mike White used the above example to illustrate his claim that small residential lots are often valued the same as much larger agricultural lots. Image prepared by Council Member Mike White.

The proposed bill BF-70 states:

“Where a parcel in the agricultural district has lands that are used for agriculture, or where a parcel has lands that have been dedicated as provided in section 3.48.350, the homesite shall be assessed independently from the lands used for agriculture, as determined by the director. The fair market value of the homesite shall be determined and annually assessed by the market data and cost approaches to value using appropriate systematic methods suitable for mass valuation of properties for taxation purposes, so selected and applied to obtain, as far as possible, uniform and equalized assessments through the County.”

The bill in its entirety can be found at on the Maui County Council webpage.

The district meetings are scheduled during the month of January, 2012 as follows:

•  Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:00 p.m.:  West Maui District (Lahaina Civic Center Social Hall)
• Friday, Jan. 13, 5:00 p.m.:  Lanai District (Lanai Community Center Social Hall)
• Tuesday, Jan. 24, 6:00 p.m.:  East Maui District (Helene Hall Social Hall)
• Wednesday, Jan. 25, 6:00 p.m.:  South Maui District (Lokelani Inter. School Cafeteria)
• Thursday, Jan. 26, 5:00 p.m.:  Molokai District (Mitchell Pauole Center Main Hall)
• Monday, Jan. 30, 6:00 p.m.:  Upcountry & Makawao-Haiku-Paia Districts (Kalama Inter. School Cafeteria)
• Tuesday, Jan. 31, 6:00 p.m.:  Wailuku & Kahului Districts (Council Chamber)