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Legislature & Politics

Legislature’s turn to act on housing

The following commentary was originally published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Aug. 8 2023. __________ Gov. Josh Green has accomplished what housing advocates have wanted for years: He reduced red tape that has frustrated the growth of affordable housing. Now the pressure is on the Legislature to enact permanent reform.

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Kent, Kefalas recap wins, losses at Legislature on ‘Capitol Convo’

Joe Kent and Ted Kefalas of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii covered a lot of ground during a recent appearance on state Rep. Lauren Matsumoto’s thrice-weekly “Capitol Convo” radio program on AM 690 and FM 94.3 The Answer. Recorded July 19, the topics included Gov. Josh Green’s recent housing emergency

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How the Grassroot Institute is working for a better Hawaii

From property taxes to permitting backlogs, Ted Kefalas, director of strategic campaigns for the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, covered a wide range of topics during his first-ever visit to the “Rick Hamada Program” on KHVH-AM.  During the morning radio show on June 8, Kefalas offered insights on issues that are

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Foley hails Legislature’s inroads on corruption

The recently concluded 2023 legislative session might have been disappointing on many fronts. But not all was doom and gloom. According to retired Judge Dan Foley, meaningful progress was made in the fight to improve transparency and accountability in our government.  On the latest episode of “Hawaii Together” on ThinkTech

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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 →

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 →

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

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Kent says deleting slush fund is ‘the responsible thing to do’

It’s bad enough that Hawaii lawmakers have proposed exceeding the state’s legal spending by almost 25%, but they also appropriated $200 million to Gov. Josh Green for him to spend however he likes, and that’s not right, according to Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii executive vice president. Interviewed by

Read More →

Legislature’s turn to act on housing

The following commentary was originally published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Aug. 8 2023. __________ Gov. Josh Green has accomplished what housing advocates have wanted for years: He reduced red tape that has frustrated the growth of affordable housing. Now the pressure is on the Legislature to enact permanent reform.

Read More →

Kent, Kefalas recap wins, losses at Legislature on ‘Capitol Convo’

Joe Kent and Ted Kefalas of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii covered a lot of ground during a recent appearance on state Rep. Lauren Matsumoto’s thrice-weekly “Capitol Convo” radio program on AM 690 and FM 94.3 The Answer. Recorded July 19, the topics included Gov. Josh Green’s recent housing emergency

Read More →

How the Grassroot Institute is working for a better Hawaii

From property taxes to permitting backlogs, Ted Kefalas, director of strategic campaigns for the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, covered a wide range of topics during his first-ever visit to the “Rick Hamada Program” on KHVH-AM.  During the morning radio show on June 8, Kefalas offered insights on issues that are

Read More →

Foley hails Legislature’s inroads on corruption

The recently concluded 2023 legislative session might have been disappointing on many fronts. But not all was doom and gloom. According to retired Judge Dan Foley, meaningful progress was made in the fight to improve transparency and accountability in our government.  On the latest episode of “Hawaii Together” on ThinkTech

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 →

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 →

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 →

Kent says deleting slush fund is ‘the responsible thing to do’

It’s bad enough that Hawaii lawmakers have proposed exceeding the state’s legal spending by almost 25%, but they also appropriated $200 million to Gov. Josh Green for him to spend however he likes, and that’s not right, according to Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii executive vice president. Interviewed by

Read More →