by Josh Mason | Jun 20, 2019 | Privatization, Research & Commentary
Hawaii’s state and county governments aren’t known for delivering high-quality public services in a cost-efficient manner. Nationwide, Hawaii has the second highest per capita tax burden, yet its taxpayers have the worst “return on investment” in terms of how...
by Josh Mason | Jun 1, 2019 | In the News, Rail, Research & Commentary
Self-driving cars are just around the corner for America, but as we begin to embrace the future, Honolulu’s over-budget and behind-schedule rail project is firmly stuck in the past. Automated vehicles are expected to become the norm in the United States within the...
by Josh Mason | Feb 8, 2019 | In the News, Research & Commentary, Transportation & Traffic
In the wake of the state announcing that ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft can now pick up customers at Kahului and Kapalua airports, Maui airport taxi drivers are expressing frustration that such companies will essentially be operating as taxis while not having to...
by Josh Mason | Feb 8, 2019 | Accountability, In the News, Research & Commentary
As the Hawaii Legislature and county councils work into the new year, Hawaii residents should keep pressuring them to be more transparent. And it’s not like we’re asking them to do anything that isn’t already part of Hawaii law. Yet still there are state and county...
by Josh Mason | Dec 21, 2018 | In the News, Rail
This is a letter to the editor that was published Thursday, Dec. 20, in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. We commend the Honolulu Star-Advertiser for putting the spotlight on the failed public relations efforts of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (“Loss on...
by Josh Mason | Dec 4, 2018 | In the News, Pension & Debt
This is a letter to the editor that was published Monday, Dec. 3, in The Garden Island, which headlined it, “Pension problem needs solving.” Your recent guest column, “Don’t begrudge pensions for public employees,” (TGI, Nov. 27) misrepresented the...
by Josh Mason | Nov 5, 2018 | In the News, Rail
This was originally published as a Letter to the Editor in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Sunday, Nov. 4. The Honolulu City Council’s decision to approve Bill 42 violates the promise made to Honolulu taxpayers in 2006 that city funds would not be used for the rail...