This commentary was originally published in Honolulu Civil Beat on April 9, 2021. ___________ But that could change if the government changed. If the government is supposed to be of, by and for the people, it’s doing a pretty terrible job. That’s one conclusion to draw from the 2020 National Community
Bitcoin has been surging in value ever since it was introduced more than a decade ago; its price has tripled in the past three months alone. The digital currency is hovering just under $58,000 per coin as of March 29, 2021, up approximately 64,444,444% from its price of 9 cents
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 well their public services are delivered. But what if, in order
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 next decade. The market research firm RethinX estimates that
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 meet the same legal constraints. The frustration
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 officials who seem to
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 a rail charter question prompts concerns about community outreach,” Star- Advertiser,
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 position of groups like the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii as an
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 project (“Council commits city funds
This commentary was originally published in Honolulu Civil Beat on April 9, 2021. ___________ But that could change if the government changed. If the government is supposed to be of, by and for the people, it’s doing a pretty terrible job. That’s one conclusion to draw from the 2020 National Community
Bitcoin has been surging in value ever since it was introduced more than a decade ago; its price has tripled in the past three months alone. The digital currency is hovering just under $58,000 per coin as of March 29, 2021, up approximately 64,444,444% from its price of 9 cents
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 well their public services are delivered. But what if, in order
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 next decade. The market research firm RethinX estimates that
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 meet the same legal constraints. The frustration
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 officials who seem to
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 a rail charter question prompts concerns about community outreach,” Star- Advertiser,
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 position of groups like the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii as an
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 project (“Council commits city funds
