§249-13  Determination of rate.  (a) The council shall determine the rate and the minimum tax at which all vehiclesand motor vehicles in each respective county shall be taxed as provided bysection 249-2.  In making the determination, the rate and minimum tax on trucksor noncommercial motor vehicles shall be in accordance with subsection (b). The rate and minimum tax shall be established by ordinance, provided that priorto final action thereon a public hearing shall be held on the proposed rate. Public notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be given at least tendays prior to the hearing in the county.  After the public hearing the councilmay fix the rate and the minimum tax at any amount deemed necessary, but therate and the minimum shall not be higher than that originally proposed when thenotice of public hearing was given.  Any rate and minimum tax so establishedshall be effective as of January 1 of the year following the date of enactmentof the ordinance.

(b)  The rate and minimum tax for a truck ornoncommercial motor vehicle shall be the same as provided for a passengervehicle if:

(1)  The truck or noncommercial motor vehicle has anet weight of six thousand five hundred pounds or less; and

(2)  The owner submits proof to the director offinance that the truck or noncommercial motor vehicle is not being operated forcompensation or commercial purposes.

(c)  Any person who submits proof undersubsection (b) to the director of finance knowing that it is false shall beguilty of a petty misdemeanor. [L 1966, c 49, §4; HRS §249-13; am L 1978, c 69,§1; am L 1998, c 2, §72]