Kauai Council Passes Tax Break For Niihau, The 'Forbidden' Private Isle (2024)
What does it mean to be a nonprofit newsroom?
As a nonprofit, all of our news is free.We have no subscriber paywall and accept no advertising revenue from businesses, which gives us the freedom to remain independent.
If our journalism is free to access for everyone, you might ask,how do we produce the Civil Beat journalism you’ve come to know and trust? The most sustainable way we operate is through individual donations.
Become a member today and support our work all year-round with a $10 monthly gift. Because there’s so much more work to be done.
On Wednesday the Kauai County Council approved legislation to impose an annual flat tax rate of $40,000 for Niihau based on a series of factors, including the island's contributions to agriculture and Hawaiian culture and its sparse use of county services.
LIHU'E — The Kaua'i County Council unanimously approved a bill on Wednesday setting a flat property tax of $40,000 a year for the island of Ni'ihau. Since the owners of the island, the Robinson family, owed $130,000 in taxes on the property last year, this represents a year-over-year tax cut of about $90,000.
No one is allowed on Niihau Island because of the Robinson family's decision to preserve the island's traditional Hawaiian culture and language following their purchase from King Kamehameha in 1864. This policy, aimed at limiting exposure to the external world, supports the island's nickname, the “Forbidden Island.”
No one is allowed to land on Niihau unless you are a resident of the island, a member of the Robinson family, or an invited guest. The Robinson family permits helicopter tours, but contact between the visitors and natives is not allowed. Fishermen and sailors may visit the island by sea, but are not able to land.
Elizabeth Sinclair purchased Niʻihau in 1864 for US$10,000 (equivalent to about $190,000 in 2023) from the Kingdom of Hawaii. The island's private ownership passed on to her descendants, the Robinsons.
Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
