Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton owes $4,551.77 in overdue property taxes and fees for a property he owns in Hawaii that’s managed by a blind trust — and it appears that's not the first time it has happened.
Paxton’s blind trust, the Esther Blind Trust, is the fee owner of a parcel of land in Lahaina, Hawaii according to Maui County property records. County records show a current tax bill of $4,097 was due on August 20. The website also lists $409.70 in penalty fees and $45.07 in interest.
Maui County records show the $4,551.77 charge is unpaid. KERA contacted the Maui County real property tax collections office and was able to confirm the bill is overdue and still not paid as of this story's publication.
KERA has reached out to the Paxton campaign and the manager of the blind trust, Charles Loper III for comment but didn’t hear back before this story was published.
Maui County records show the land has a current value of about $1.2 million and was purchased in 2021 for $410,000. The property also incurred penalty and interest fees in 2022, 2024 and 2025 totaling $938.65 according to county records.
The Texas Newsroom previously reported that the Esther Blind Trust was created in 2015 to insulate Paxton from his business investments when he was first sworn into office as Texas Attorney General. Blind trusts require the creator to waive control of the financial assets placed in the trust.
The blind trust, Paxton and another family trust have purchased several properties in recent years, owning at least 15 properties worth around $9 million, recent reporting from The New York Times shows.
Paxton’s real estate interests have been a point of controversy during his tenure as Attorney General. The Texas Tribune recently reported that Paxton may have violated federal ethics law in recent disclosures of his assets and liabilities. The Tribune reported the Attorney General appears to have failed to disclose rental income he received from seven homes he reported owning but said he earned no income from.
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org
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