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HCR 88

URGING THE COUNTIES TO ELIMINATE REAL PROPERTY TAXES.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Elijah Pierick

Hawaii concurrent resolution urges counties to eliminate property taxes, lacking details on replacing hundreds of millions in county service funding.

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#counties #elimination #realpropertytaxes
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Bill Summary · HCR 88

Legislative bill overview

HCR 88 is a concurrent resolution urging Hawaii's counties to eliminate real property taxes entirely. Rather than establishing law, this resolution expresses the legislature's recommendation that local governments transition away from property taxation as a revenue source.

Why is this important

Property taxes fund critical county services including schools, infrastructure, emergency services, and local government operations. Any shift away from property taxation would require identifying alternative revenue sources to maintain these services, representing a fundamental restructuring of how counties finance operations. This touches every Hawaii resident through both taxes paid and services received.

Potential points of contention

  • Revenue replacement uncertainty – The resolution provides no mechanism for replacing the substantial revenue counties depend on; eliminating property taxes without alternatives could severely limit county services or require raising other taxes (sales tax, income tax, fees)
  • Implementation feasibility – Counties have limited revenue options and cannot unilaterally change state tax law; this resolution lacks detail on how elimination would actually occur or transition period
  • Disparate impact – Property tax elimination could benefit property owners significantly while potentially harming renters and low-income residents if replaced with regressive taxes like sales taxes
  • Service quality concerns – Schools and emergency services heavily depend on property tax revenue; elimination could force service cuts without clear alternatives identified

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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