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Budget & Spending

Include medical services in GET exemption

The following was originally published Dec. 15, 2022, by Honolulu Civil Beat. _____________ It could lower healthcare costs in Hawaii while also addressing the state’s acute doctor shortage. Tax cuts are trendy all of a sudden. In a very welcome turn of events, Hawaii’s leaders have become increasingly vocal about

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Tax cuts would be the ideal holiday gift this year

The following was originally published Dec. 3, 2022, by Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. ____________ Christmas and New Year’s are right around the corner. But not everything is brimming with holiday cheer. Hawaii’s high cost of living, the nation’s record inflation and fears of a recession threaten to not only alter holiday

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Does anyone really believe stadium project will pan out?

Hawaii’s record with major public facility projects is so poor it’s a wonder lawmakers have allowed this idea to get as far as it has Hawaii’s policymaking elites and their construction industry buddies are getting all excited about moving forward on redevelopment of the old Aloha Stadium. Grandiose plans involving multiple possible

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Hawaii counties squander opportunity to lower taxes

Editor’s note: Some of the figures cited in the transcript for the proposed Maui budget were underestimated. The correct figures appear in brackets. ___________ It’s the perfect time to lower taxes. That’s what Joe Kent, executive vice president of Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, said Sunday morning, June 5, 2022, when

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Auē! All four counties are planning spending sprees

Hawaii might be recovering from the COVID-19 recession more quickly than anticipated, but that does not mean we are out of the woods. Inflation, economic setbacks and a possible recession are reason enough for policymakers to tread carefully when it comes to the budget. Fortunately, there is a simple guideline

Read More →

Questions persist about viability of Honolulu rail

Photo by Charley Myers At this point, the one thing we can rely on concerning the Honolulu rail project is the long list of unanswered questions. Among them: >> How much will it really cost? >> How will we pay for its future operations and maintenance? >> Will it ever

Read More →

Hawaii taxpayers deserve a rebate — a big one

Imagine your brother was facing a bad financial situation.  Things looked bleak for a while, and the family came together to help him out. Eventually, he got through it, thanks in part to generosity from his siblings. Now, not only is he out of trouble, but he has money to

Read More →

Include medical services in GET exemption

The following was originally published Dec. 15, 2022, by Honolulu Civil Beat. _____________ It could lower healthcare costs in Hawaii while also addressing the state’s acute doctor shortage. Tax cuts are trendy all of a sudden. In a very welcome turn of events, Hawaii’s leaders have become increasingly vocal about

Read More →

Tax cuts would be the ideal holiday gift this year

The following was originally published Dec. 3, 2022, by Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. ____________ Christmas and New Year’s are right around the corner. But not everything is brimming with holiday cheer. Hawaii’s high cost of living, the nation’s record inflation and fears of a recession threaten to not only alter holiday

Read More →

Does anyone really believe stadium project will pan out?

Hawaii’s record with major public facility projects is so poor it’s a wonder lawmakers have allowed this idea to get as far as it has Hawaii’s policymaking elites and their construction industry buddies are getting all excited about moving forward on redevelopment of the old Aloha Stadium. Grandiose plans involving multiple possible

Read More →

Hawaii counties squander opportunity to lower taxes

Editor’s note: Some of the figures cited in the transcript for the proposed Maui budget were underestimated. The correct figures appear in brackets. ___________ It’s the perfect time to lower taxes. That’s what Joe Kent, executive vice president of Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, said Sunday morning, June 5, 2022, when

Read More →

Auē! All four counties are planning spending sprees

Hawaii might be recovering from the COVID-19 recession more quickly than anticipated, but that does not mean we are out of the woods. Inflation, economic setbacks and a possible recession are reason enough for policymakers to tread carefully when it comes to the budget. Fortunately, there is a simple guideline

Read More →

Questions persist about viability of Honolulu rail

Photo by Charley Myers At this point, the one thing we can rely on concerning the Honolulu rail project is the long list of unanswered questions. Among them: >> How much will it really cost? >> How will we pay for its future operations and maintenance? >> Will it ever

Read More →

Hawaii taxpayers deserve a rebate — a big one

Imagine your brother was facing a bad financial situation.  Things looked bleak for a while, and the family came together to help him out. Eventually, he got through it, thanks in part to generosity from his siblings. Now, not only is he out of trouble, but he has money to

Read More →