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Maui GET increase guaranteed to hurt poorer residents

The following commentary was published originally in The Maui News on July 7, 2023. ___________ If the Maui County Council wants to increase the tax burden, risk losing nearly 300 jobs for residents and lower economic output in the county by $49 million a year, Bill 49 (2023) would be

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Why are there so many mansions on Hawaii Island?

Ever wonder why so many mansions are being built on Hawaii Island? It’s because they don’t involve a lot of red tape or public opposition. The catch is they are being built on agricultural lands, where regulations allow one house per acre. This is why so many agricultural parcels are

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Why is Hawaii so expensive?

The following is the transcript for the video above, narrated by Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii executive vice president, which was posted Sept. 14, 2022, on the Institute’s “Hawaii Matters” YouTube channel. ___________ Why is Hawaii’s cost of living so high? Hawaii has the highest cost of living in

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Are outsiders buying up Hawaii?

The following is the transcript for the video above, narrated by Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii executive vice president, which was posted Sept. 14, 2022, on the Institute’s “Hawaii Matters” YouTube channel.  ___________ Are outsiders buying up Hawaii? Hawaii has the most expensive home prices in the nation, and

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Why housing in Hawaii is expensive

The following is the transcript for the video above, narrated by Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii executive vice president, which was posted Sept. 14, 2022, on the Institute’s  “Hawaii Matters” YouTube channel.  ___________ Why are Hawaii’s housing prices so high? Hawaii has the highest median home prices in the nation,

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Restrictions hurt Hawaii’s stake in cryptocurrency market

Photos by Charley Myers The following commentary was published originally on Jan. 17, 2022, in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. _______________ Hawaii has the highest barriers in the nation for companies that exchange cryptocurrency, and those restrictions could worsen if lawmakers don’t hurry and open the door for this potentially prosperous new

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State budget windfall should be shared with taxpayers

The following commentary was published originally on Jan. 8, 2022, in Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. _______________ Hawaii lawmakers are wracking their brains about how to balance the state budget, only this time, the problem isn’t too little money, it’s too much. And maybe some of it should go back to Hawaii

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‘Tourist tax’ surcharges threaten Hawaii recovery

Photo by Charley Myers The following article was published originally in the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle on Dec. 18, 2021. ______________ In their zeal to “save” the state budget, Hawaii’s lawmakers created new monsters — the county TAT surcharges — which threaten to drag down Hawaii’s economy Are more taxes on

Read More →

Maui GET increase guaranteed to hurt poorer residents

The following commentary was published originally in The Maui News on July 7, 2023. ___________ If the Maui County Council wants to increase the tax burden, risk losing nearly 300 jobs for residents and lower economic output in the county by $49 million a year, Bill 49 (2023) would be

Read More →

Why are there so many mansions on Hawaii Island?

Ever wonder why so many mansions are being built on Hawaii Island? It’s because they don’t involve a lot of red tape or public opposition. The catch is they are being built on agricultural lands, where regulations allow one house per acre. This is why so many agricultural parcels are

Read More →

Why is Hawaii so expensive?

The following is the transcript for the video above, narrated by Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii executive vice president, which was posted Sept. 14, 2022, on the Institute’s “Hawaii Matters” YouTube channel. ___________ Why is Hawaii’s cost of living so high? Hawaii has the highest cost of living in

Read More →

Are outsiders buying up Hawaii?

The following is the transcript for the video above, narrated by Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii executive vice president, which was posted Sept. 14, 2022, on the Institute’s “Hawaii Matters” YouTube channel.  ___________ Are outsiders buying up Hawaii? Hawaii has the most expensive home prices in the nation, and

Read More →

Why housing in Hawaii is expensive

The following is the transcript for the video above, narrated by Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii executive vice president, which was posted Sept. 14, 2022, on the Institute’s  “Hawaii Matters” YouTube channel.  ___________ Why are Hawaii’s housing prices so high? Hawaii has the highest median home prices in the nation,

Read More →

Restrictions hurt Hawaii’s stake in cryptocurrency market

Photos by Charley Myers The following commentary was published originally on Jan. 17, 2022, in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. _______________ Hawaii has the highest barriers in the nation for companies that exchange cryptocurrency, and those restrictions could worsen if lawmakers don’t hurry and open the door for this potentially prosperous new

Read More →

State budget windfall should be shared with taxpayers

The following commentary was published originally on Jan. 8, 2022, in Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. _______________ Hawaii lawmakers are wracking their brains about how to balance the state budget, only this time, the problem isn’t too little money, it’s too much. And maybe some of it should go back to Hawaii

Read More →

‘Tourist tax’ surcharges threaten Hawaii recovery

Photo by Charley Myers The following article was published originally in the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle on Dec. 18, 2021. ______________ In their zeal to “save” the state budget, Hawaii’s lawmakers created new monsters — the county TAT surcharges — which threaten to drag down Hawaii’s economy Are more taxes on

Read More →