In January 2025, I was sent a notice from Maui County Real Property Tax Division that my single-family home in an older Kihei subdivision was appraised at $1,350,000, an increase of $265,000 from the previous assessment.

Their justification was two homes in the vicinity sold for higher. I filed an appeal in March, and despite four calls and an email, did I get some response as to the process of an appeal?  

I finally got on the calendar for Dec. 17. Listening in on the others individuals contesting their tax assessments, it became apparent to me that this is a deliberate effort on the part of the County of Maui to recover maximum real property tax revenue by assessing current properties higher than the 20 percent Maui County Ordinance allows.

This tax assessment board seemed tone deaf as to the plea of property owners who are asking for some relief.

I believe that they are being directed to recover as much RPT revenues as possible to make up for loss of the Lahaina homes and businesses.

These are reasons why locals end up selling to the outsiders who have the money to buy into paradise. I live here, my parents, grandparents, great grandparents lived, worked and died here.

I believe that with some investigations, a class action law suit can be filed to show that this mayor and his administration is routinely in violation of county ordinance by assessing home owners more than the 20 percent maximum increase allowed. 

Cal Shinyama
Kihei