Working for a better economy, better government and a better society
Giving rail credit where it isn’t due
It’s not hard to understand why public opinion about Honolulu’s rail project has been souring. The official talk may be all about promised construction and unfortunate funding gaps, but we’ve all seen this situation before on a smaller scale: It looks like...
No taxation without legalization
Hawaii’s home-sharing economy is under threat by some Hawaii lawmakers who want to ban it, and others who want to tax it. But our lawmakers should stick to a simple principle: no taxation without legalization. For years, Hawaii counties have been eager to ban...
If the state doesn’t raise your taxes, your county will!
This year, we’ve noticed an interesting change in the ordinary tax-and-spend governing philosophy of state policymakers. The spending proposals remain, while the accompanying tax hikes often stalled before making it through the legislature. But this isn’t...
Derailing the Legislature
Even the Legislature can’t seem to figure out what to do about ballooning Rail costs. In previous columns, I’ve criticized the lack of dissent that allows tax-and-spend policies to move smoothly through the Hawaii Legislature. But as the session came to a...
Government Stealing from the Rich to Give to the Poor
Any aficionado of the Robin Hood legends would be quick to point out that those in government are more accurately in the role of the Sheriff of Nottingham than the legendary outlaw … and that’s probably part of the problem. Because while many policymakers...