The following commentary was originally published Sept. 21, 2026, in Maui Now under the headline “New rules for awarding county grants could boost transparency, but more action needed.”____________ Maui County appropriates tens of millions of dollars in grants to businesses and nonprofits every year, but the protocols for awarding and monitoring
Sept. 9, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 50 (2026) — RELATING TO FUNDS Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council, The
Aug. 12, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 50 (2026) — RELATING TO FUNDS Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council, The
July 24, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other
For the first time in the 20 years that national news outlet CNBC has been ranking America’s top states for business, Hawaii came in dead last. In particular, the Aloha State finished 50th in terms of infrastructure and the cost-of-doing-business, and landed among the worst for its workforce, business friendliness,
July 8, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 50 (2026) — RELATING TO FUNDS Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council, The
July 7, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other
Do not let it be said that I only criticize government officials. I also like to give credit where credit is due. This week, a substantial amount of credit and praise is owed to the Honolulu Budget Committee, which made the fiscally responsible decision to ax most of the funding
May 20, 2026, 9 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation & Technology Radiant Cordero, Chair Val A. Okimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 35 (2026) — RELATING TO STREETS, SIDEWALKS, MALLS, AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES
May 13, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 36 (2026) — RELATING TO ORDINANCE REVISION Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other Council
The following commentary was originally published Sept. 21, 2026, in Maui Now under the headline “New rules for awarding county grants could boost transparency, but more action needed.”____________ Maui County appropriates tens of millions of dollars in grants to businesses and nonprofits every year, but the protocols for awarding and monitoring
Sept. 9, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 50 (2026) — RELATING TO FUNDS Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council, The
Aug. 12, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 50 (2026) — RELATING TO FUNDS Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council, The
July 24, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other
For the first time in the 20 years that national news outlet CNBC has been ranking America’s top states for business, Hawaii came in dead last. In particular, the Aloha State finished 50th in terms of infrastructure and the cost-of-doing-business, and landed among the worst for its workforce, business friendliness,
July 8, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 50 (2026) — RELATING TO FUNDS Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council, The
July 7, 2026, 9 a.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Alice Lee, Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: Bill 73 (2026) — ON REVIEWING THE MAUI COUNTY GRANTS PROGRAM Aloha Chair Lee, Vice Chair Sugimura and other
Do not let it be said that I only criticize government officials. I also like to give credit where credit is due. This week, a substantial amount of credit and praise is owed to the Honolulu Budget Committee, which made the fiscally responsible decision to ax most of the funding
May 20, 2026, 9 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation & Technology Radiant Cordero, Chair Val A. Okimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 35 (2026) — RELATING TO STREETS, SIDEWALKS, MALLS, AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES
May 13, 2026, 10 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Tommy Waters, Chair Andria Tupola, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 36 (2026) — RELATING TO ORDINANCE REVISION Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other Council
