Working for a better economy, better government and a better society
Council should be more cautious when considering bills
The Honolulu City Council may be on the verge of learning a difficult lesson about the consequences of hasty legislation. In just a few short months, the Council has considered three bills that could have a significant impact on the local economy. Two of those bills...
Why we have a housing crisis in Hawaii
It’s as true for housing as it is for designer jeans: When supply can’t keep up with demand, prices go up and people get angry. The big difference, of course, is that a shortage of denim doesn’t generally create a crisis. A shortage of housing does. No one contests...
Honolulu City Council’s PLA proposal is pilau
What happens when a government tries to fix a system that isn’t broken? Usually, the taxpayers pay the price. That is what might happen if Honolulu’s mayor approves a measure that would restrict the use of nonunion labor on city contracts worth over $2 million....
How Hawaii can avoid ‘Troubled Waters’
This probably won’t surprise regular readers of my “President’s Corner” columns, but a task force of eminent Hawaii business and other community leaders has just issued a warning that Hawaii’s current rate of government spending is not sustainable. In a new report...
‘Rebel’ Ed Case urges Jones Act reform
There haven’t been many prominent Hawaii politicians willing to openly criticize the federal maritime law known as the Jones Act. Fortunately, there are a few notable exceptions, and it was my pleasure to interview one of those “rebels” on this week’s episode of my...