Budget & Spending

Kent urges GASB to maintain strict accounting standards for governments

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii April 14, 2021

The Grassroot Institute submitted testimony in February to the private Government Accounting Standards Board, which is considering some rule changes that would make it easier for governments to ignore their long-term liabilities when crafting short-term budgets. This past Monday, April 12, 2021, Institute Executive Vice President Joe Kent met with the

Lawmakers should follow the ‘golden rule’ of budgeting

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. April 14, 2021

This commentary was originally published in The Maui News on April 14, 2021. ______________ If state leaders ever hope to revitalize Hawaii’s economy, they need to follow the “golden rule” of budgeting: Make sure government does not grow faster than the economy. That would leave more money for Hawaii residents

Fiscal notes could help Hawaii avoid fiscal calamity

Jonathan Helton April 4, 2021

Above, Hawaii former state Rep. Cynthia Thielen, in a 2018 video pleading for fiscal notes Fiscal notes by themselves would not solve Hawaii’s financial crisis, but they could help rein it in Hawaii is experiencing its worst economic depression ever, yet state lawmakers seem determined to drive the state

Legislators flub chance to put Hawaii budget house in order

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. March 28, 2021

The commentary below was Keli’i Akina’s weekly “President’s Corner” column for March 26, 2021. If you would like to have his columns emailed to you on a regular basis, please call 808-846-1776 or email info@grassrootinstitute.org. ____________ Imagine you have a cousin who is having problems with debt. He keeps telling

Grassroot Institute CEO denounces House budget plan as ‘irresponsible’

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii March 24, 2021

The following is a news release issued by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii on March 24, 2021, regarding the state House voting unanimously to approve HB200, HD1. _____________ Institute President Keli’i Akina says House members should have aimed to pay off more debt instead of go on a record-breaking spending spree HONOLULU, March 24, 2021 >>

Testimony, HB200, relating to the state budget

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii March 16, 2021

The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii on March 17, 2021, for consideration by the Hawaii House Committee on Finance. ______________ To: House Committee on Finance Rep. Sylvia Luke, Chair Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Joe Kent, Executive Vice President RE:

Testimony — SB1087, SD1 on suspending payments to the EUTF

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii March 2, 2021

The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii on March 3, 2021, for consideration by the Hawaii Senate committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means. ______________ To: Senate Committee on Judiciary Sen. Karl Rhoads, Chair Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole., Vice Chair Senate Committee on Ways and Means Sen Donovan

Misleading budgeting undermines accountable government

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. February 19, 2021

The commentary below was Keli’i Akina’s weekly “President’s Corner” column for Feb. 19, 2021. If you would like to have his columns emailed to you on a regular basis, please call 808-846-1776 or email info@grassrootinstitute.org. ______________ If you had $1,000 in the bank and $10,000 in credit card debt, would you

Akina, Weinberg tackle Hawaii’s flawed accounting practices

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii February 16, 2021

Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of the one of the nation’s most important government watchdog groups, Truth in Accounting, was the special guest Feb. 15, 2021, on Keli’i Akina’ “Hawaii Together” program on ThinkTech Hawaii. The show took place on the heels of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii submitting a

GASB urged to reject proposals that would normalize misleading government accounting practices

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii February 10, 2021

The following was submitted by the Joe Kent, executive vice president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, to the Governmental Accounting Standards Board on Feb. 10, 2021, regarding two proposals that would interfere with public oversight and understanding of a state’s true financial situation. Established in 1984, the GASB is the independent, private-sector