Testimony: Bill 80 could hurt Oahu’s hotels and employees more than help
This testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii on Oct. 19, 2020, to the Honolulu City Council's Committee on Executive Matters and Legal Affairs. _______________ To: Ron Menor, Chair, and Carol Fukunaga, Vice Chair From: Joe Kent, Grassroot...
How to diversify Hawaii’s economy
We’ve heard the mantra for many decades: Hawaii’s economy needs to diversify. But lately we’re hearing it even more, thanks to the collapse of our state’s biggest industry, tourism, due to the coronavirus lockdowns implemented in March that continue to this day. The...
Hawaii debt increases $9 billion over past 8 months, to $97 billion
The following is a news release that was sent to all Hawaii media on Oct. 15, 2020. ______________ HONOLULU, Oct. 15, 2020 >> Hawaii’s unfunded liabilities for infrastructure and public health benefits have increased so far this year to $97 billion, according to...
Best plan for more housing on Maui is to scale back county housing plans
This article was originally published in The Maui News on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. _______________ It’s no secret that Maui is suffering from a housing crisis. Lack of housing is one of the most common complaints of those who leave the state, and the high price of...
Great Lockdown Crash of 2020 is wake-up call for Hawaii lawmakers
This commentary was originally published, without the footnotes, in The Garden Island on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. _____________ Warren Buffett once said, "You only learn who has been swimming naked when the tide goes out.”[1] That includes states, and now that the tide...
Rein in this red-tape rascal to encourage more housing
Photo by Charley Myers When your state lacks sufficient housing, the last thing you should do is make building a difficult, risky and lengthy process. But that’s exactly what Hawaii has done by creating levels of bureaucracy that strangle development. On this week’s...
LUC reform isn’t glamorous, but it’s important
Keli'i Akina's "Hawaii Together" program on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, on ThinkTech Hawaii was all about the state Land Use Commission, which both he and his guest acknowledged isn't typically the most captivating of topics. "You know all there is to know about the Land...
An arcane federal law puts Young Brothers on the ropes
This commentary originally was published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Sept. 28, 2020. _____________ Transporting freight between Hawaii ports just became significantly more expensive, thanks to a 46% rate increase granted in August to Hawaii’s monopoly tug and...
Pollyanna approach to Hawaii’s economic woes not working
At the beginning of the year, our governor boasted about his efforts to put the state on a “sound financial footing.” What a difference a few months can make. That quote from Gov. David Ige’s State of the State address in January was a reference to the plan to pay...
Reform state LUC to encourage more housing, new report says
The following is a news release issued by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii on Sept. 22, 2020. ______________ The state Land Use Commission has strayed from its core mission, leading to fewer homes and higher home prices for Hawaii residents HONOLULU, Sept. 22,...
Keeping watch in Hawaii
This article was originally published in the "Proof Positive" section of Midweek on Sept. 16, 2020. _______________ Few things demonstrate the need for government watchdog groups like a statewide emergency. At the nonpartisan Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, our small...
Ige’s EUTF funding dodge will come back to haunt us
This article was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat on Sept. 21, 2020. ______________ Faced with a $2.3 billion budget shortfall caused by Hawaii’s coronavirus lockdowns, Gov. David Ige on July 17 suspended the state’s required fiscal 2021 payment of $388...