WAILUKU, Maui — Maui County Council’s Budget and Finance Committee chairman is proposing to cut property tax rates by 3.1 percent in the fiscal 2015 budget.
The Maui News reports that chairman Mike White also wants to cut county overtime pay, eliminate any new county positions and keep trash collection fees flat.
White discussed his proposed budget on Monday.
White’s proposal calls for a $594 million budget. That’s $29 million lower than Mayor Alan Arakawa’s proposed budget of $623 million.
The Maui County Council approved a $559.3 million budget last year.
White told committee members that property tax rates are currently rising, so rates should be lowered as well.
He also said there are many reasons for reducing the budget, noting that the county is not yet on “solid economic footing.”