Native Issues

December 2009

Akaka Bill Poll Findings Released

December 15, 2009--A new poll of registered Hawaii voters, conducted by Zogby International, has found that a majority of those surveyed oppose the Akaka Bill, while 76 percent oppose higher taxes to pay for the nation-tribe proposed in the bill. The poll was sponsored by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and conducted from November 18 to 23, 2009. (more)

see comments

Native Issues

September 2009

Civil Rights Activist and Attorney Dies

Remembering kama’aina John Goemans

John Goemans, a revolutionary attorney well known for his initiation of the Rice v. Cayetano case, passed away on Monday June 15th in a California hospice. He had spent the past few years in California with his sister. Mr. Goemans was passionately involved in various civil rights cases in the state of Hawaii and will be remembered as a kama’aina with a vision of racial equality for Hawaii. (more)

see comments

Native Issues

January 2009

The Economic Impact of the Akaka Bill

Unintended Consequences for Hawaii

The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2007, S.310 and H.R..505 in the 110th Congress, also known as the Akaka Bill, after sponsor Senator Daniel Akaka, proposes to creates a sovereign Native Hawaiian Governing Entity (NHGE) within the state of Hawaii. While the terms of the bill are vague, the most likely effect would be to vest this new Native Hawaiian government with the right to land now owned by the state, to the detriment of non-Native Hawaiian taxpayers and, correspondingly, the state economy. (more)

see comments