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Kent, Akina discuss ‘How to balance Hawaii’s budget’
“How to balance Hawaii’s budget” was the topic of Keli’i Akina’s “Hawaii Together” episode, Monday, June 22, 2020, on the ThinkTech Hawaii network. The special guest was Joe Kent, executive vice president of the Grassroot...
Akina discusses state budget on KITV4 Island News
Keli’i Akina was interviewed Monday, June 22, 2020, by reporter Paul Drewes of KITV4 Island News about the Legislature’s options for balancing the state budget. Drewes also mentioned the new online tool from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii that lets...
Akina discuses tourism, diversification on MauiNow
Keli’i Akina, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, chatted earlier this month with Pacific Media Group COO and MauiNow director Jack Dugan to answer questions about the state of Hawai’i’s economy. MauiNow’s summary of the...
‘New normal’ requires long-term budget thinking
Hawaii lawmakers are facing a “new normal” of significantly reduced tax revenues. In response, they should reduce long-term expenses, such as payroll expenses and department budgets, instead of only short-term expenses, such as one-time projects or more borrowing, if...
Start working now to adopt a meaningful spending cap
Hawaii’s existing cap is too easily ignored by lawmakers Now is the perfect time for fundamental policy changes in Hawaii, and a perfect place to start would be imposing a government spending cap with teeth. It would take a state constitutional amendment to do...