by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Aug 12, 2018 | Budget, President's Column, Rail, Website
With budget shortfalls a continuing part of the conversation about the Honolulu rail, one question voters are asking is: “Are there more taxes in our future?” The answer is … maybe. Representatives of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) have said...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Aug 7, 2018 | Budget, Featured, President's Column, Website
You’ve often seen me sign off with the words “E hana kākou!” The premise behind that motto (which literally translates to “Let’s work together!”) is that, despite our differences, we must work together to make a better Hawaii. We may be from different islands,...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Jul 30, 2018 | Featured, Jones Act, President's Column, Regulation, Shared Economy, Socioeconomics, Transportation, Website
We talk a lot about the Jones Act and why it’s bad for Hawaii businesses and consumers. With so much evidence showing that the Jones Act is sorely in need of modernization, one can only wonder: What are the interests propping up this archaic legislation? To answer...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Jul 23, 2018 | Accountability, Featured, Jones Act, President's Column, Website
As the Trump administration continues its efforts to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses and the economy, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is working to remove one of the biggest economic burdens in Hawaii — the Jones Act. Last week, the Grassroot Institute...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Jul 8, 2018 | Accountability, Budget, Featured, Government Waste, President's Column, Rail, Taxes
The Honolulu rail project is attracting new adjectives. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser recently dubbed it “troubled,” Honolulu Civil Beat called it “beleaguered,” and one of its own overseers, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) board member John Henry...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Jun 29, 2018 | President's Column, Unions, Website
In a month that has seen several controversial Supreme Court decisions, the Justices may have saved the biggest one for last. On Wednesday, the Court handed down its decision in Janus v. AFSCME, which challenged the constitutionality of requiring government employees...
