September 2008
2008 Candidates Sign No-New-Taxes Pledge
Commit to Oppose and Vote Against Tax Increases
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii applauds the pro-taxpayer position of Panos Prevedouros, Donavon Kambel and George Nitta, candidates running for Honolulu Mayor. All three candidates recently demonstrated their dedication to the taxpayers of Hawaii by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. By signing the pledge, they commit “to oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.” (more)
September 2008
What Comes After Akaka Bill Passage?
A Preview from Senator Inouye
Over the past several years there has been a fair amount of theorizing about what will follow if The Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2007, otherwise known as the Akaka Bill (S. 310 / H.R. 505), passes Congress and is signed into law. The bill has now passed in the U.S. House and is only a few votes short of the 60 votes needed to break a U.S. Senate filibuster. (more)
September 2008
Price Tag of the Hawaii Legislature
Putting the Cost of a Constitutional Convention in Perspective
This November, Hawaii's citizens will be asked to vote on whether to authorize a new constitutional convention (“Con-Con”) which could lead to changes to some or all of the existing 1978 State Constitution. While it certainly comes with risk, the Con-Con would provide a rare opportunity for citizens to inject transparency and accountability into Hawaii state government. Hawaii’s voters must decide if the benefits of a Con-Con outweigh the costs, and if they want to take advantage of this opportunity. (more)
September 2008
The Boat to Nowhere
TheBoat (Honolulu’s city-run subsidized $2 ferry service) is an expensive and time consuming commute option plagued by high fixed costs and low ridership. Yet, the City & County of Honolulu continues to run the moneylosing service despite the fact that its own existing bus service and commuting using personal vehicles are both less expensive and faster options. (more)
Blogs
The Mystery of Hawaiian History
Correcting historical revisionism and misconceptions promoted by the Akaka Bill.
Hawaii Spendometer
How Fast Does The State Government Spend Your Money?
$9,122,166,121.47
