Big Island mayor hopes to reduce property taxes

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth delivered his State of the County address last Friday. Some of his priorities include building more homes and reducing property taxes. He joined Wake Up 2day to talk about his plans.

Here’s more information about Mayor Roth, according to the county’s website:

Mitchell D. Roth was elected Mayor of the County of Hawaiʻi in November 2020 with a vision of fostering a sustainable island community where residents could thrive and succeed for generations. While prioritizing cultural and environmental protections, Mayor Roth has been a staunch advocate for sustainability, actively promoting a hydrogen partnership to achieve energy independence and realize a new resilience-based economy. Some of his initiatives include initiating the transformation of the County fleet to 100% renewable energy vehicles, introducing hydrogen buses for public transportation, exploring waste-to-energy possibilities within County landfills, and modernizing the County’s General Plan to ensure sustainable, climate-adverse development and sustainable growth.

Mayor Roth has also invested heavily in infrastructure repair and maintenance to ensure the longevity and safety of the community. In addition, recognizing the need for affordable housing, he has bolstered the affordable housing pipeline to over 6,000 units slated to be built within the decade, aiming to address the housing needs of Hawaiʻi Island’s residents. To achieve these goals, Mayor Roth actively encourages public-private partnerships and has prioritized national and international relations for the innovative advancement of the County of Hawaiʻi.

Before assuming the role of Mayor, Mitch dedicated 27 years of his career to the safety and health of Hawaiʻi Island residents. As the Prosecuting Attorney of Hawaiʻi County since 2012, he successfully prosecuted cold cases, pioneered implementing a restorative justice program within a prosecutor’s office nationwide, established a specialized sexual assault unit, and initiated community outreach and training efforts.