The following commentary was published originally on Jan. 7, 2022, in The Maui News. ____________ Maui County is set to see a fresh set of housing regulations, if the County Council approves additional pieces of a new plan. The proposed “Maui County Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan” contains sweeping reforms to
The founder of ThinkTech Hawaii hosts the institute’s executive vice president to talk about the new county taxes on tourism, and much more besides The rush by Hawaii’s counties to add 3% surcharges to the state’s 10.25% transient accommodations tax has raised red flags about the future of Hawaii’s tourism industry,
Photo by Ted Kefalas In his weekly column and on KHON2, the institute CEO explained why shipping delays are tied to excess government intervention The email subject line for the Oct. 2, 2021, “President’s Corner” column by Institute President Keli’i Akina said, “Why the toilet paper shortage?” The commentary itself generated positive reader
The following article published by Maui Now was based on a news release issued Sept. 28, 2021 by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. _____________ Maui County has earned a “D” grade from the national government accounting watchdog group Truth in Accounting, for leaving its taxpayers with bills of about $15,300 each to pay
Midweek photo by Anthony Consillio The following article was published originally in MidWeek on Sept. 29, 2021. It was written by Bill Mossman, MidWeek executive editor. _____________ By holding leadership positions at Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Keli‘i Akina has been able to use his
The following is a letter to the editor that was published Aug. 20, 2021 by The Garden Island newspaper on Kauai. Written by Mark Coleman, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii communications director, it was a response to a letter in the same paper three days earlier, “Jones Act ensures US jobs,” which in turn
Over the past four years, Hawaii’s population has declined by more than 22,000 people, equaling the the third-fastest population decline per capita in the entire nation. Why are people leaving Hawaii? Keli’i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, discussed some of the reasons on Sunday, July 11, 2021,
The 1920 Jones Act and its “cousin,” the 1886 Passenger Vessel Services Act, were the topics of Keli’i Akina’s latest conversation with radio host Johnny Miro. It was broadcast this past Sunday, June 6, 2021 over the H. Hawaii Media family of radio stations on Oahu at 101.1 FM, 107.5
Another year, another interview about Honolulu’s seriously troubled rail system — the problem that won’t go away! But for a change, we seem to be at a moment when hitting the “pause” button on the most expensive megaproject per capita in the world makes a lot of sense. Hawaii’s most
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii in late April obtained a previously secret document from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation showing the city agency has analyzed 27 alternatives to its current plan for its troubled rail project. Now the document is being discussed community-wide, with veteran journalist Catherine Cruz of Hawaii
The following commentary was published originally on Jan. 7, 2022, in The Maui News. ____________ Maui County is set to see a fresh set of housing regulations, if the County Council approves additional pieces of a new plan. The proposed “Maui County Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan” contains sweeping reforms to
The founder of ThinkTech Hawaii hosts the institute’s executive vice president to talk about the new county taxes on tourism, and much more besides The rush by Hawaii’s counties to add 3% surcharges to the state’s 10.25% transient accommodations tax has raised red flags about the future of Hawaii’s tourism industry,
Photo by Ted Kefalas In his weekly column and on KHON2, the institute CEO explained why shipping delays are tied to excess government intervention The email subject line for the Oct. 2, 2021, “President’s Corner” column by Institute President Keli’i Akina said, “Why the toilet paper shortage?” The commentary itself generated positive reader
The following article published by Maui Now was based on a news release issued Sept. 28, 2021 by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. _____________ Maui County has earned a “D” grade from the national government accounting watchdog group Truth in Accounting, for leaving its taxpayers with bills of about $15,300 each to pay
Midweek photo by Anthony Consillio The following article was published originally in MidWeek on Sept. 29, 2021. It was written by Bill Mossman, MidWeek executive editor. _____________ By holding leadership positions at Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Keli‘i Akina has been able to use his
The following is a letter to the editor that was published Aug. 20, 2021 by The Garden Island newspaper on Kauai. Written by Mark Coleman, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii communications director, it was a response to a letter in the same paper three days earlier, “Jones Act ensures US jobs,” which in turn
Over the past four years, Hawaii’s population has declined by more than 22,000 people, equaling the the third-fastest population decline per capita in the entire nation. Why are people leaving Hawaii? Keli’i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, discussed some of the reasons on Sunday, July 11, 2021,
The 1920 Jones Act and its “cousin,” the 1886 Passenger Vessel Services Act, were the topics of Keli’i Akina’s latest conversation with radio host Johnny Miro. It was broadcast this past Sunday, June 6, 2021 over the H. Hawaii Media family of radio stations on Oahu at 101.1 FM, 107.5
Another year, another interview about Honolulu’s seriously troubled rail system — the problem that won’t go away! But for a change, we seem to be at a moment when hitting the “pause” button on the most expensive megaproject per capita in the world makes a lot of sense. Hawaii’s most
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii in late April obtained a previously secret document from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation showing the city agency has analyzed 27 alternatives to its current plan for its troubled rail project. Now the document is being discussed community-wide, with veteran journalist Catherine Cruz of Hawaii
To the Hawaii Legislature:
Hawaii families face skyrocketing healthcare costs and a shortage of doctors. Exempting medical services from Hawaii’s general excise tax would result in millions of dollars in savings for residents and help bring doctors back.
