Editor’s note: This is part one of a multi-part series on the Hawaii Convention Center. The Hawaii Convention Center has cost state taxpayers $140 million in operating losses alone since 2012, turning a profit in just one of the past 13 years. Considering the center’s other financial woes and worsening
Oct. 7, 2026, 5 p.m. Velma Santos Community Center To: Maui Department of Management Josiah Nishita, Managing Director Erin Wade, Deputy Managing Director From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: PROPOSED GRANT RULES Aloha Managing Director Nishita, Deputy Managing Director Wade and department staff, The
Oct. 7, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 76 (2025) — RELATING TO GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council,
Sept. 15, 2026, 3 p.m. Hawai`i County Building To: Hawai`i County Council Committee on Finance Matt Kaneali`I-Kleinfelder, Chair James E. Hustace, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Re: Bill 171 (2026) — RELATING TO FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS Aloha Chair Kaneali`I-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair Hustace and other
Honolulu officials recently received a national innovation award for the safety and technology of the city’s Skyline rail — the country's first driverless rail system — but the recognition coincides with more bad news about the project’s ever-ballooning budget. A Honolulu Civil Beat article last week revealed that a new risk
July 24, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other
July 22, 2026, 10 a.m. Hawai`i County Building To: Hawaii County Council Committee on Finance Matt Kaneali`I-Kleinfelder, Chair James E. Hustace, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Re: Bill 171 (2026) — RELATING TO FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS Aloha Chair Kaneali`I-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair Hustace and other
Grassroot staffers Joe Kent and Ted Kefalas joined KHVH radio host Rick Hamada earlier this week to discuss Grassroot’s legal challenge to a new Hawaii law that stifles free speech, as well as its recent legislative wins and a favorable profile of Grassroot in local media. Kent said that Act
July 7, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other
July 7, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 96 (2026) — ON CARRYOVER SAVINGS AND COUNCIL-INITIATED APPROPRIATIONS Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other members
Editor’s note: This is part one of a multi-part series on the Hawaii Convention Center. The Hawaii Convention Center has cost state taxpayers $140 million in operating losses alone since 2012, turning a profit in just one of the past 13 years. Considering the center’s other financial woes and worsening
Oct. 7, 2026, 5 p.m. Velma Santos Community Center To: Maui Department of Management Josiah Nishita, Managing Director Erin Wade, Deputy Managing Director From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: PROPOSED GRANT RULES Aloha Managing Director Nishita, Deputy Managing Director Wade and department staff, The
Oct. 7, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 76 (2025) — RELATING TO GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council,
Sept. 15, 2026, 3 p.m. Hawai`i County Building To: Hawai`i County Council Committee on Finance Matt Kaneali`I-Kleinfelder, Chair James E. Hustace, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Re: Bill 171 (2026) — RELATING TO FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS Aloha Chair Kaneali`I-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair Hustace and other
Honolulu officials recently received a national innovation award for the safety and technology of the city’s Skyline rail — the country's first driverless rail system — but the recognition coincides with more bad news about the project’s ever-ballooning budget. A Honolulu Civil Beat article last week revealed that a new risk
July 24, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other
July 22, 2026, 10 a.m. Hawai`i County Building To: Hawaii County Council Committee on Finance Matt Kaneali`I-Kleinfelder, Chair James E. Hustace, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Re: Bill 171 (2026) — RELATING TO FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS Aloha Chair Kaneali`I-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair Hustace and other
Grassroot staffers Joe Kent and Ted Kefalas joined KHVH radio host Rick Hamada earlier this week to discuss Grassroot’s legal challenge to a new Hawaii law that stifles free speech, as well as its recent legislative wins and a favorable profile of Grassroot in local media. Kent said that Act
July 7, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other
July 7, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 96 (2026) — ON CARRYOVER SAVINGS AND COUNCIL-INITIATED APPROPRIATIONS Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other members
