by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Apr 27, 2018 | Accountability, Government Waste, Legislature, President's Column, Website
In theory, the legislative session is a time when complex issues can be hashed out in full view of the public. Citizens are free to testify and offer feedback to legislators about proposed bills. Legislators can research and debate the possible impact. Hearings are...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Apr 20, 2018 | Legislature, President's Column, Taxes, Website
Many people got their first taste this week of the tax cuts passed by Congress at the end of 2017. The merits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act were hotly debated in Congress along partisan lines, but it was clear that the intent of the cuts was to increase the nation’s...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Apr 13, 2018 | Education, President's Column, Website
At a time when many advocates of education reform are promoting greater local involvement in schools, Hawaii appears to be moving in the opposite direction. The Aloha State is already unusual in the way it manages education. Generally throughout the country, state...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Apr 6, 2018 | President's Column, Regulation, Website
The Hawaii Legislature may have shelved an increase in the minimum wage this year, but that doesn’t mean it is done creating new regulations for local businesses. One proposal currently moving through the halls of the state Capitol poses many of the same issues as a...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Apr 3, 2018 | Accountability, Legislature, President's Column, Website
Transparency is a difficult area for politicians and policymakers. Typically they profess to understand the value of open government, but it’s astounding how quickly they can carve out exceptions to withhold information from the public. Consider HB1768, a bill...
by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. | Mar 23, 2018 | Featured, Legislature, President's Column, Taxes, Website
When you live in a state dominated by a single party and known for its high taxes, you take your reprieves where you can. But it’s beginning to look like the last bulwark against yearly tax hikes is eroding. For years, it was conventional wisdom that as tax-happy as...
