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
Anticipating that federal funding cuts could force the state to cover more of its own costs, Gov. Josh Green and some lawmakers earlier this year considered walking back the historic income tax cuts they approved in 2024. The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii challenged the narrative that the state could no
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
July 14, 2026, 9 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Budget Val A. Okimoto, Chair Scott Y. Nishimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 50 (2026) — RELATING TO FUNDS Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair Nishimoto and other
The following “Island Voices” commentary was first published on July 8, 2026, in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser under the headline “State ‘millionaire tax’ might backfire.”_____________ Lawmakers sometimes forget that tax policy does not play out in a vacuum. Tax hikes, for example, can nudge people to reduce discretionary spending, cut back on charitable
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
June 16, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee Yuki Lei K. Sugimura, Chair Kauanoe Batangan, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha
June 3, 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 22 (2026), CD2 — RELATING TO THE EXECUTIVE OPERATING BUDGET AND PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2026,
Do not let it be said that I only criticize government officials. I also like to give credit where credit is due. This week, a substantial amount of credit and praise is owed to the Honolulu Budget Committee, which made the fiscally responsible decision to ax most of the funding
Joe Kent, executive president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, and Ted Kefalas, Grassroot’s director of strategic campaigns, joined Rick Hamada on KHVH radio May 4 to discuss the state Legislature’s final days and reflect on a challenging session dominated by defensive battles against tax increases and budget concerns. Kent
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
Anticipating that federal funding cuts could force the state to cover more of its own costs, Gov. Josh Green and some lawmakers earlier this year considered walking back the historic income tax cuts they approved in 2024. The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii challenged the narrative that the state could no
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
July 14, 2026, 9 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Budget Val A. Okimoto, Chair Scott Y. Nishimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 50 (2026) — RELATING TO FUNDS Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair Nishimoto and other
The following “Island Voices” commentary was first published on July 8, 2026, in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser under the headline “State ‘millionaire tax’ might backfire.”_____________ Lawmakers sometimes forget that tax policy does not play out in a vacuum. Tax hikes, for example, can nudge people to reduce discretionary spending, cut back on charitable
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
June 16, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee Yuki Lei K. Sugimura, Chair Kauanoe Batangan, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha
June 3, 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 22 (2026), CD2 — RELATING TO THE EXECUTIVE OPERATING BUDGET AND PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2026,
Do not let it be said that I only criticize government officials. I also like to give credit where credit is due. This week, a substantial amount of credit and praise is owed to the Honolulu Budget Committee, which made the fiscally responsible decision to ax most of the funding
Joe Kent, executive president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, and Ted Kefalas, Grassroot’s director of strategic campaigns, joined Rick Hamada on KHVH radio May 4 to discuss the state Legislature’s final days and reflect on a challenging session dominated by defensive battles against tax increases and budget concerns. Kent
