THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018 WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM 75¢
Gov says he’s for Con-Am
IGE SUPPORTS STATE TAX ON PROPERTIES TO FUND EDUCATION
Mike Shine with his wife, Käri. Shine died in a single-vehicle crash near Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Sunday
morning. Several Good Samaritans attempted CPR to save his life. SPECIAL TO WEST HAWAII TODAY
KAILUA-KONA — Mike Shine lived up to his name,
as those who knew him described the Waikoloa man to
be larger than life, in more ways than one.
“He had a huge heart,” said Shine’s widow, Käri on
Wednesday. “He was opinionated and knew how to
stand firm on things that were right.”
Shine died after being involved in a single-vehicle
crash about 7 a.m. Sunday. Several Good Samaritans,
including celebrities Rose McGowan and partner
Rain Dove, stopped to render aid and administer
CPR. Shine was eventually taken to North Hawaii
Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead
at 8:38 a.m.
HONOLULU — Gov. David
Ige lent his political weight
Monday night to a proposed
constitutional amendment that
would allow the state to tax
investment properties to support
public education, while also
promising to veto any resulting
bill that might raise property
taxes for owner-occupied homes
or increase rents on affordable
housing.
The governor also pledged
to oppose using property taxes
to replace general funds for
education.
Ige’s statements during a
KHON gubernatorial debate
with his Republican opponent,
state Rep. Andria Tupola, might
help boost public support for
the ballot measure, but it still
faces stiff resistance from all
four counties, a well-funded
coalition of business interests
and four former Hawaii governors.
Tupola also opposes the
measure.
The issue will ultimately be
decided by voters in the Nov. 6
election.
“I support this amendment
because we’ve seen year after
year about the needs of our public
education system that cannot
Featuring: Unicorn Starker
TILE WAREHOUSE, INC.
STONE TILE, STONE SLABS, PORCELAIN TILE, POOL TILE, LATICRETE MATERIALS, GLASS TILE, MOSAICS, AND MORE
2865 Koapaka Street
Honolulu, HI
(808) 840-8855
73-4076 Hulikoa Drive
Kailua Kona, HI
(808) 329-8855
www.tilewarehousehawaii.com
be funded with the funds that
we have,” Ige said. “You know,
Hawaii is the only state in the
country where zero dollars —
not a single penny of property
taxes — goes to our public
schools.”
Most of the nation’s schools
are funded by local property
taxes. By contrast, Hawaii has a
statewide public education system
that is funded primarily by
state general funds. The Hawaii
State Teachers Association,
the biggest backer of the ballot
measure, has argued that past
attempts to raise revenue for
schools from other sources have
failed. The union is advocating
for a tax on second homes
valued at more than $1 million
to boost teachers’ salaries and
better fund classrooms.
Hawaii has the lowest property
tax rates in the country,
and the union has argued this
incentivizes outside investors to
purchase homes, driving up the
overall cost of housing for local
residents.
2865 Koapaka Street
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 840-8855 tel
(808) 840-8858 fax
73-4076 Hulikoa Drive
Kailua Kona, HI 96740
(808) 329-8855 tel
(808) 329-8858 fax
Featuring: Bisazza glass tile
www.tilewarehousehawaii.com
INDEX Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . .5B Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6B Nation & World . . . . . . . . .4A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B
What is NeuroTechnology? How will it work for you?
Call for a FREE Demonstration
Family Hearing Aid Center
Hilo: 935-2008 • Kailua-Kona: 329-8300
www.familyhearingaidcenter.com Freline Pajimola - Member IHS, CBHS
INSIDE
WELL, WELL,
WELL NOW
Tentative
schedule says
Honokohau deep
well online soon
PAGE 7A
▼
POWER OF
MUSIC
‘Hamilton’ star
concerts to
benefit Kamuela
Philharmonic
PAGE 8A
▼
HI 87 LO 74 WEATHER, PAGE 6A
VOL. 50, NO. 291 22 PAGES
BY SOPHIE COCKE
THE HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER
Tupola Ige
SEE AMENDMENT PAGE 7A
‘HE HAD A HUGE HEART’
FAMILY GRATEFUL FOR GOOD SAMARITANS WHO STAYED
WITH KONAWAENA TEACHER AFTER FATAL CRASH
BY TIFFANY DEMASTERS
WEST HAWAII TODAY
tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com
Konawaena Middle School students wrote cards for
condolences after the death of their science teacher, Mike
SEE SHINE PAGE 7A Shine. TIFFANY DEMASTERS/ WEST HAWAII TODAY
No tax relief for
Pahoa, Volcano,
Council decides
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES
GET NO TAX AMNESTY
BY TOM CALLIS
HAWAII TRIBUNE-HERALD
HILO — Puna Councilwoman Eileen
O’Hara was unable to muster support
Wednesday for a resolution seeking to
provide tax relief for commercial properties
in Pahoa and Volcano.
The County Council voted against
the property tax amnesty measure
a second time 7-1, with O’Hara voting
yes and Puna Councilwoman Jen
Ruggles absent. It would have requested
the county administration impose
the minimum tax rate on properties in
Pahoa and Volcano that host businesses
impacted by the Kilauea eruption.
Businesses in both villages were
severely impacted by the eruption,
which destroyed more than 700 homes
in lower Puna and caused a lengthy
closure of Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park.
Pahoa merchants told council members
that they are still struggling to
recover.
“Tenants are now reporting revenue
decreases up to 40 percent,” said
Suzanne Kruppa, owner of Pahoa
Marketplace. “Some are on the verge of
collapse.”
O’Hara said Pahoa is at risk of becoming
a ghost town.
“This is really needed now, and at
the rate the county is moving, we’re not
going to get any help in the short term,”
she said.
While sympathetic to their plight,
other council members said they had
the same issues with the measure as
when it was given a negative recommendation
in committee two weeks
before, mainly that it provides tax
breaks to some commercial properties
but not others. Several said businesses
around the island have been impacted
by the eruption.
Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy
credited O’Hara for “scrapping for her
SEE DENIED PAGE 7A
/www.tilewarehousehawaii.com
/www.tilewarehousehawaii.com
/www.familyhearingaidcenter.com
link