Kaua‘i County partners with five credit unions for automatic property tax payments

Kaua‘i County’s Finance Department has formed a partnership with five island credit unions so property owners will be able to set up automatic real property tax payments directly through their participating credit union beginning Feb. 9. The move is intended to reduce the risk of missed deadlines and help ensure payments are made on time while modernizing county services and improving customer convenience.

The county announcement names Gather Federal Credit Union and Kaua‘i Federal Credit Union among the five partners. Enrollment will occur directly through participating credit unions rather than through the county, and property owners should contact their local credit union for additional information about how to enroll in automatic property tax payments.

Gather Federal Credit Union Chief Executive Officer Tess Shimabukuro framed the collaboration as an extension of community banking values. “Our members trust us to simplify their financial lives,” Shimabukuro said in the announcement. “By working with the county, Kauai’s credit unions are delivering a convenient option that aligns with our commitment to community-focused banking.”

Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami said the partnership aims to meet residents where they are and to make essential services easier to access. “This partnership is about meeting residents where they are and making essential services easier to access,” Kawakami said. “By working with our local credit unions, we are offering a practical tool that supports financial stability and strengthens our community.”

For homeowners and other property owners on Kaua‘i, the change could simplify tax seasons that have in the past led to late fees or missed payments. By leveraging credit unions’ payment platforms, the county hopes to streamline the process and give taxpayers another reliable way to ensure their real property taxes are paid on time. The announcement emphasizes convenience and trust in local financial institutions as central benefits.

The county did not provide detailed enrollment mechanics in the announcement excerpted for this report, such as whether automatic payments will support installment schedules, require account numbers or specific authorization forms, or whether any fees apply. Property owners seeking specifics on membership requirements, payment schedules, how payments will post to county accounts, or how to cancel authorizations are advised to contact their credit union directly.

As the option rolls out, Kaua‘i residents who bank with Gather Federal, Kaua‘i Federal or other participating credit unions will have a new pathway to meet tax obligations with fewer reminders and fewer trips to the tax office. For many island families and small businesses, that could mean less worry during billing season and one more example of public services adapting to local banking habits.