Mayor Mufi Hannemann signed a bill at a ceremony at City Hall this afternoon that is expected to help homeowners who are owner-occupants

By a 5-3 vote on Tuesday, the City Council approved Bill 51 creating a new "homeowners" property tax category.

Hannemann asked for the bill as a means of shielding owner-occupants from anticipated higher taxes for other property owners, including those with commercial, hotel/resort and residential rentals.

Critics of the bill say if taxes are raised on other categories, the costs would be felt by all Oahu residents.