County Testimony

Standardizing county grant process could help prevent favoritism

July 24, 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 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other

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All county bills should come with fiscal impact statements

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

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Curbside teller rules are obsolete, should be repealed

July 15, 2026, 9 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation & Technology Radiant Cordero, Chair Val A. Okimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 35 (2026) — RELATING TO STREETS, SIDEWALKS, MALLS, AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES

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Tax exemption should be immediate for affordable home buyers

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 40 (2026), CD1 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair

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Help Honolulu drivers by reducing city’s vehicle weight tax

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 47 (2026) — RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE WEIGHT TAX Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice

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Disband Honolulu’s redundant land conservation fund

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

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Council should raise property tax exemption for older homeowners

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 46 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair Nishimoto

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Increase homeowner property tax exemption to boost affordability

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 45 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair Nishimoto

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Empty homes tax proposal is vague, legally risky and could raise prices

July 9, 2026, 2 p.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu Charter Commission Dawn Szewczyk, Chair Sommerset Yamamoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: P170 CD1 — RELATING TO AN EMPTY HOMES TAX Aloha Chair Szewczyk, Vice Chair Yamamoto and other members of the

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Standardizing county grant process could help prevent favoritism

July 24, 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 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other

Read More →

All county bills should come with fiscal impact statements

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

Read More →

Curbside teller rules are obsolete, should be repealed

July 15, 2026, 9 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation & Technology Radiant Cordero, Chair Val A. Okimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 35 (2026) — RELATING TO STREETS, SIDEWALKS, MALLS, AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES

Read More →

Tax exemption should be immediate for affordable home buyers

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 40 (2026), CD1 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair

Read More →

Help Honolulu drivers by reducing city’s vehicle weight tax

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 47 (2026) — RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE WEIGHT TAX Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice

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Disband Honolulu’s redundant land conservation fund

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

Read More →

Council should raise property tax exemption for older homeowners

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 46 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair Nishimoto

Read More →

Increase homeowner property tax exemption to boost affordability

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 45 (2026) — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION Aloha Chair Okimoto, Vice Chair Nishimoto

Read More →

Empty homes tax proposal is vague, legally risky and could raise prices

July 9, 2026, 2 p.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu Charter Commission Dawn Szewczyk, Chair Sommerset Yamamoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: P170 CD1 — RELATING TO AN EMPTY HOMES TAX Aloha Chair Szewczyk, Vice Chair Yamamoto and other members of the

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