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Issues

Resolution 2023-33: Adjusting property tax rates could help renters

The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Honolulu City and County Council  on June 7, 2023. _____________ June 7, 2023 9 a.m. Honolulu City Council Chambers To: Honolulu City and County Council       Councilmember Tommy Waters, Chair      

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Bill 14 (2023): Property tax credit could be higher

The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Honolulu City and County Council  on June 7, 2023. _____________ June 7, 2023 9 a.m. Honolulu City Council Chambers To: Honolulu City and County Council       Councilmember Tommy Waters, Chair      

Read More →

Hill finds some gems amid Legislature’s overspending

Talking about Hawaii’s high cost of living was how Malia Hill, policy director of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, and radio host Rick Hamada eased into a conversation earlier this month about the Hawaii Legislature’s “distressing” 2023 legislative session. Appearing June 1 on the Rick Hamada Program on News Radio

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Do you want distractions or solutions?

At its core, the high cost of homes in Hawaii is a supply problem. We simply don’t have enough homes to keep up with demand, which drives up the prices of existing homes. The bottom line is there is no other solution than to build more homes. To do that,

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State needs to rein in wild spending

The following “Island Voices” commentary was published originally in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on May 28, 2023. _________ By Joe Kent and Jonathan Helton Government transparency in Hawaii took a hit this year when state lawmakers approved a state budget that burned through the state’s budget surplus and wildly exceeded the

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Governor is last hope to rein in state spending spree

The following commentary was published originally in the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle on May 20, 2023, ___________ The chaos that typically characterizes the final days of a Hawaii legislative session this year produced a state budget that exceeds the constitutionally mandated spending limit by 10%. Gov. Josh Green’s proposed budget would

Read More →

‘Empty homes’ tax won’t fix supply-side housing crisis

The idea of taxing so-called empty homes has gained currency in recent years among state and county lawmakers. But what is the evidence that such a tax can really work?  On the latest episode of “Hawaii Together,” guest Jensen Ahokovi told host Keli‘i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of

Read More →

Aloha, Sam Slom, Hawaii will miss you

Photo by Anita Hofschneider, Associated Press It’s a rare man who enters politics and leaves this world mourned as much by his political adversaries as his friends and allies. Sam Slom was a rare man. A former chief economist at Bank of Hawaii, president of Small Business Hawaii, member of

Read More →

Resolution 2023-33: Adjusting property tax rates could help renters

The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Honolulu City and County Council  on June 7, 2023. _____________ June 7, 2023 9 a.m. Honolulu City Council Chambers To: Honolulu City and County Council       Councilmember Tommy Waters, Chair      

Read More →

Bill 14 (2023): Property tax credit could be higher

The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Honolulu City and County Council  on June 7, 2023. _____________ June 7, 2023 9 a.m. Honolulu City Council Chambers To: Honolulu City and County Council       Councilmember Tommy Waters, Chair      

Read More →

Hill finds some gems amid Legislature’s overspending

Talking about Hawaii’s high cost of living was how Malia Hill, policy director of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, and radio host Rick Hamada eased into a conversation earlier this month about the Hawaii Legislature’s “distressing” 2023 legislative session. Appearing June 1 on the Rick Hamada Program on News Radio

Read More →

Do you want distractions or solutions?

At its core, the high cost of homes in Hawaii is a supply problem. We simply don’t have enough homes to keep up with demand, which drives up the prices of existing homes. The bottom line is there is no other solution than to build more homes. To do that,

Read More →

State needs to rein in wild spending

The following “Island Voices” commentary was published originally in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on May 28, 2023. _________ By Joe Kent and Jonathan Helton Government transparency in Hawaii took a hit this year when state lawmakers approved a state budget that burned through the state’s budget surplus and wildly exceeded the

Read More →

Governor is last hope to rein in state spending spree

The following commentary was published originally in the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle on May 20, 2023, ___________ The chaos that typically characterizes the final days of a Hawaii legislative session this year produced a state budget that exceeds the constitutionally mandated spending limit by 10%. Gov. Josh Green’s proposed budget would

Read More →

‘Empty homes’ tax won’t fix supply-side housing crisis

The idea of taxing so-called empty homes has gained currency in recent years among state and county lawmakers. But what is the evidence that such a tax can really work?  On the latest episode of “Hawaii Together,” guest Jensen Ahokovi told host Keli‘i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of

Read More →

Aloha, Sam Slom, Hawaii will miss you

Photo by Anita Hofschneider, Associated Press It’s a rare man who enters politics and leaves this world mourned as much by his political adversaries as his friends and allies. Sam Slom was a rare man. A former chief economist at Bank of Hawaii, president of Small Business Hawaii, member of

Read More →