Happy New Year, Hawaii, now pay up!
It doesn’t rank up there with trees, gifts and turkey dinners, but New Year’s Day does mark an annual tradition: increases in our taxes. Perhaps most notable are the increases in the general excise tax on Kauai and Hawaii Island. These took effect after the state...
Why are residents leaving Hawaii?
It’s too expensive. That’s why most people move away from their beloved Hawaii. Consider the story of Christopher Peralta, who left Honolulu in 2009 and now lives in Portland. He told the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii: “I was working three jobs and had nothing to show...
Our Santa wish list for Hawaii
Well, it’s Christmas season again, so here is what I drafted recently for Santa to consider: Dear Santa, We at the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii were very good this past year about defending the free market. We helped educate policymakers, stood for transparency and...
Ige can count us to help Hawaii ‘move forward’
I heard something strangely familiar in Gov. David Ige’s inauguration address last week. As the governor began speaking of the challenges facing our state, he issued a plea that we all work together to make things better. He even unveiled the theme of his speech: ʻOni...
Washington hears our message on Jones Act
Aloha, from Washington, D.C. Or as the locals say, “Get out of my way! That light has been green for two nanoseconds now!” I traveled here to the nation’s capital to participate Thursday in a conference about the Jones Act. Hosted by the Cato Institute, the event...
Aaron Lief is a writer and researcher for the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.