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Transient tax rates hardship on owners

The difference in the property tax rates between short-term rentals and non-resident owners leave people like me in an unfair situation.

As a result of being classified as a short-term rental, I will now pay at even a higher rate than the big resort hotels on the island. I am retired, living on Social Security, and live here on Maui for over 6 months out of the year.

In order to make ends meet though, I have to rent my condo during the high season and travel to the Mainland to stay with family. Under the current rates, I pay twice the tax rate as a short-term rental compared to my non-resident owner neighbors. They stay in their units much less than half time, maybe only a few weeks a year, and leave their units vacant the rest of the year.

At least I am generating some income for the county/state through the TA/GE taxes I pay. On top of that, my income from rentals will undoubtedly be much less now that the virus has so disrupted tourism, making the impact of higher property taxes even more of a hardship. Us fixed-income retirees have to be taken into consideration.

Randall Urban

Maalaea

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