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Budget & Spending

Grassroot Budget Report Highlights Missing Element In Governor’s Address

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATELINE: January 26, 2016, Honolulu, Hawai`i CONTACT: Kelsey Meehan, (808) 591-9193, kmeehan@grassrootinstitute.org Grassroot Budget Report Highlights Missing Element In Governor’s Address “State of the State Budget 2016” report shows need for more transparency and accountability in government spending HONOLULU, HAWAII–January 26, 2016–Following Governor Ige’s State of the State Address,

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State of the State Budget 2016

There is still a long way to go when it comes to creating true fiscal accountability in the Aloha state. Though the Governor has pledged to make the government more efficient, we lack the information to determine whether there is any weight behind the promises or whether we are looking

Read More →

‘Twas the Week Before Christmas

A poem about Congress’ festive omnibus bill ‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the House, All the liberals were stirring, while conservatives groused. The wish lists were hung on the approps bill with care, In hopes that Obama would bless it with flair. The Members were nestled all

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Relativity Media: E + MC = 0

The formula in today’s title is not related to Einstein’s famous theory. Rather, it’s the story of an Existing business, always needing more cash (or more tax credits) and it now finds itself with zero and it’s in bankruptcy. You may remember Relativity Media from its efforts at the Hawaii

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Grassroot Institute on Overtime Expenditures in Maui Watch

Joselyn Olinares, an HPU student and Grassroot Institute intern, recently appeared in Maui Watch with an article about the impact of overtime expenditures. Check out an excerpt of Joselyn’s article below, or click here to read it in full. Overtime Expenditures Out of Taxpayers’ Pockets by Joselyn Olinares Lack of transparency

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A troubling excess of optimism: Examining the Hawaii state budget

Ever wonder why think tanks that endorse fiscal restraint inevitably also promote government transparency? The Hawaii state budget–especially its projected expenditures–provide a perfect example. The Senate Minority Research Office recently completed an analysis of the state budget based on appropriations approved by the Legislature during the 2015 session. Almost immediately,

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I Can’t Believe He Said That!

For several years, the Tax Foundation has been beating up on “special funds.” These are hundreds of little (and in some cases, not so little) pots of money sprinkled throughout Hawaii’s departments, agencies, and other governmental units. Each fund has a stated purpose, and the agency to which it is

Read More →

How Sustainable is the State General Fund – FY 2014-21?

by Paul Harleman On September 17th, 2014, the Senate Minority Research Office published an article[1] that raised serious questions regarding the financial sustainability of the state’s general fund. The article projected that the state would have depleted its general fund cash reserves as early as FY 2016, if no major

Read More →

Your Ballot Explained: Issuing New Bonds

by Kelsey Winther When Election Day comes, voters never seem to get a chance to reduce government spending. Yet, there are always many options to increase it. One of the most common ways to increase expenditures is through authorizing the selling of bonds. This election is no exception. Two of

Read More →

Grassroot Budget Report Highlights Missing Element In Governor’s Address

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATELINE: January 26, 2016, Honolulu, Hawai`i CONTACT: Kelsey Meehan, (808) 591-9193, kmeehan@grassrootinstitute.org Grassroot Budget Report Highlights Missing Element In Governor’s Address “State of the State Budget 2016” report shows need for more transparency and accountability in government spending HONOLULU, HAWAII–January 26, 2016–Following Governor Ige’s State of the State Address,

Read More →

State of the State Budget 2016

There is still a long way to go when it comes to creating true fiscal accountability in the Aloha state. Though the Governor has pledged to make the government more efficient, we lack the information to determine whether there is any weight behind the promises or whether we are looking

Read More →

‘Twas the Week Before Christmas

A poem about Congress’ festive omnibus bill ‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the House, All the liberals were stirring, while conservatives groused. The wish lists were hung on the approps bill with care, In hopes that Obama would bless it with flair. The Members were nestled all

Read More →

Relativity Media: E + MC = 0

The formula in today’s title is not related to Einstein’s famous theory. Rather, it’s the story of an Existing business, always needing more cash (or more tax credits) and it now finds itself with zero and it’s in bankruptcy. You may remember Relativity Media from its efforts at the Hawaii

Read More →

Grassroot Institute on Overtime Expenditures in Maui Watch

Joselyn Olinares, an HPU student and Grassroot Institute intern, recently appeared in Maui Watch with an article about the impact of overtime expenditures. Check out an excerpt of Joselyn’s article below, or click here to read it in full. Overtime Expenditures Out of Taxpayers’ Pockets by Joselyn Olinares Lack of transparency

Read More →

A troubling excess of optimism: Examining the Hawaii state budget

Ever wonder why think tanks that endorse fiscal restraint inevitably also promote government transparency? The Hawaii state budget–especially its projected expenditures–provide a perfect example. The Senate Minority Research Office recently completed an analysis of the state budget based on appropriations approved by the Legislature during the 2015 session. Almost immediately,

Read More →

I Can’t Believe He Said That!

For several years, the Tax Foundation has been beating up on “special funds.” These are hundreds of little (and in some cases, not so little) pots of money sprinkled throughout Hawaii’s departments, agencies, and other governmental units. Each fund has a stated purpose, and the agency to which it is

Read More →

How Sustainable is the State General Fund – FY 2014-21?

by Paul Harleman On September 17th, 2014, the Senate Minority Research Office published an article[1] that raised serious questions regarding the financial sustainability of the state’s general fund. The article projected that the state would have depleted its general fund cash reserves as early as FY 2016, if no major

Read More →

Your Ballot Explained: Issuing New Bonds

by Kelsey Winther When Election Day comes, voters never seem to get a chance to reduce government spending. Yet, there are always many options to increase it. One of the most common ways to increase expenditures is through authorizing the selling of bonds. This election is no exception. Two of

Read More →