Letters to the Editor

Letter: Non-resident property tax increase wrong and unfair

This is regarding an article in The Maui News about Tax Relief for Maui Homeowners.

In that article, Pamela Tumpap, president of the Maui Chamber of Commerce, recommended raising the taxes of non-owner-occupied residents a whopping 41 percent while supporting a move to lower resident taxes.

In other words, she is recommending that non-owner-occupied get to subsidize the Maui residents tax bill.

Since Ms. Tumpap is a resident and most members of the Chamber of Commerce are also residents, she and they benefit from this self-serving recommendation.

I think this is a clear conflict of interest and shame on the Chamber of Commerce for putting it forward.

Does anyone think it is fair that one group gets to subsidize the property taxes of another group?

How would the locals feel if they were required to subsidize the taxes of non-owner-occupied property?

I used to have a great deal of respect for the Chamber of Commerce. but not anymore.

Of course, the residents of Maui will love this, Pamela will love it, the Chamber of Commerce members that live on Maui will love it and Mayor Richard Bissen will love it because it is in keeping with his policy to screw non-resident property owners with continuous onerous property taxes.

But it is wrong and unfair.

James Dorr

Wailea