Regulation
Why is it so difficult to get a job in Hawaii?
Hawaii has the most burdensome licensing requirements in the nation.
Rail: From Expensive to Really Expensive
New estimates from the Federal Transit Administration peg the potential cost of the Hawaii rail project at nearly $11 billion, more than double the $4.6 billion cost which voters approved in the 2008 rail referendum. To get the full story behind these cost overruns,...
Watching TV Through Apps
As I write this, I’m watching TV. Or am I? I’m not so sure anymore. I’m watching a philosophy lecture (sorry) on a Sony smart TV that I bought last year. But I’m not watching the Philosophy Channel—no, even in our age of hundreds of TV channels, there isn’t one of...
Bitcoin and Hawaii’s Failure to Support Business
Kaloa Robinson and Chay Shioi are entrepreneurs who struggled to launch their business in the face of steep regulation. Joe Kent interviewed them as a part of The Grassroot Institute with Keli’i Akina, a radio show on KAOI 1110AM Maui. Bitcoin, an entirely digital...
New Federal Rules May Hurt Small Farmers
Simon Russell, a small farmer and member of the board of agriculture, sat down with Joe Kent as a part of The Grassroot Institute with Keli’i Akina, a radio show on KAOI 1110AM Maui. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was introduced in 2014, and it gives the FDA...
Back to the Drawing Board on Bank Regulations
Senator Bernie Sanders has built a national campaign on the idea that we have to “reign in the banks.” I like Bernie’s sincerity, but what most of his followers probably don’t know is that even before the Dodd-Frank reform, the banking industry was already the most...
Policy to Support Hawaii’s Agriculture
Dr. Keli'i Akina and Joe Kent sit down with ThinkTechHawaii to discuss the past, present, and future of agriculture in Hawaii. Farming in Hawaii has declined over the past several decades, and farmers need policies that protect them from government...
New Federal Regulations Threaten Farming in Hawaii
In 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law. Previously, the USDA was the primary agency regulating agriculture. Today, both the FDA and the USDA regulate farmers, doubling the mound of paperwork farmers must navigate to maintain a legal...
New Report Measures Impact of Federal Regulations on Hawaii
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATELINE: May 16, 2016, Honolulu, Hawai`i CONTACT: Kelsey Meehan, 808-591-9193, kmeehan@grassrootinstitute.org New Report Measures Impact of Federal Regulations on Hawaii Grassroot Institute says that state must consider economic impact of...
Challenges to Opening a New Business in Hawaii
Hideo Simon, co-owner of Square Barrels restaurant spoke with Joe Kent on E Hana Kakou, a TV Show on the Think Tech Hawaii Broadcasting Network. Mr. Simon explained the challenges to opening a business. Hideo Simon said that the time it takes to get a permit through...
Maui’s Dancing Laws
Jiva Jive (pronounced Jeeva Jeeveh) of the Maui Dance Advocates spoke with Joe Kent to discuss the dancing laws on Maui. The interview was recorded as part of the Grassroot Institute with Dr. Keli’i Akina, a radio show on KAOI 1110AM Maui and KKNE 940AM Oahu....
The Future of Farming
On Tuesday, April 12th, at the Maui Country Club, the Grassroot Institute held a forum on the agricultural crisis in Hawaii, with opening talks from Mayor Alan Arakawa and Councilwoman Elle Cochran, featuring Dr. Keli'i Akina as the key speaker. With the imminent...
Privatization May Drive Down Costs on Maui
Dr. Keli'i Akina sat down with Leonard Gilroy of the Reason Foundation to discuss healthcare privatization. The interview was recorded as part of the Grassroot Institute with Dr. Keli’i Akina, a radio show on KAOI 1110AM Maui and KKNE 940AM Oahu. Until recently,...
What is Hurting Hawaii’s Investment Climate?
Steve Petranik, editor at Hawaii Business magazine, spoke with Dr. Keli'i Akina about the poor business climate in Hawaii. This interview was recorded as part of the Grassroot Institute with Dr. Keli’i Akina, a radio show on KAOI 1110AM Maui and KKNE 940AM Oahu. Steve...
Hawaii Supreme Court Refuses to Create A Moratorium While “Important Ag Lands” Process Completes
In a ruling that no one who was paying attention could claim to be surprised by, the Hawaii Supreme Court yesterday issued a 4-1 memorandum opinion holding that the "agricultural lands" section of the Hawaii Constitution isn't self-executing, and which approved the...
Grassroot Institute Event Highlights Need to Support Maui Agriculture
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATELINE: April 12, 2016, Honolulu, Hawai`i CONTACT: Joe Kent, 808-987-7322, jkent@grassrootinstitute.org Grassroot Institute Event Highlights Need to Support Maui Agriculture Think tank cites need for tax reform in reversing decline HONOLULU,...
Does Airbnb help Hawaii’s Economy?
Jared Meyer, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, sat down with Joe Kent to discuss the positive impacts of Airbnb as part of the Grassroot Institute with Dr. Keli’i Akina, a radio show on KAOI 1110AM Maui and KKNE 940AM Oahu. "Airbnb is an online platform that allows...
Grassroot Institute Releases New Report on How to Fix Hawaii’s Housing Crisis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATELINE: March 16, 2016, Honolulu, Hawai`i CONTACT: Kelsey Meehan, (808) 591-9193, kmeehan@grassrootinstitute.org Grassroot Institute Releases New Report on How to Fix Hawaii's Housing Crisis The solution may be found in a recent Supreme Court...