from Grassroot Institute
The 2023 legislative session is just about over, so testimonies submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii have slowed to just a trickle. Those submitted during the past week include:
>> SCR112: Yes, let’s study whether to adopt national Nurse Licensure Compact
>> SCR145 SD1: Resolution about vehicle inspections deserves to be adopted
Meanwhile, at the Honolulu City Council …
>> Bill 31 (2023): Property tax credit good but eligibility too complex
>> Bill 9 (2023): Give budget director more leeway to settle tax claims
>> Bill 22 (2023): Mandatory public hearings for assessment hikes could fend off ‘marginal’ spending
>> Bill 61 (2022) and Bills 24, 25, 27 and 29 (2023): Tax long-term rentals same as homeowners
>> Bill 14, 26 and 31 (2023): Property tax credits provide only temporary relief
>> Resolution 2023-33: Honolulu could cut property tax rates or freeze revenue to provide relief
Have your say on these issues too!
It is important for your elected officials to hear from you so they can make informed decisions. If you want to speak up on one or more of these issues, please take a few moments to contact your state lawmaker or local councilmember.
To identify your state legislator, please click here. To find your local councilmember, please click the correct link below.
Add these events to your calendar!
Want to learn more about the Grassroot Institute’s work, meet up with folks from the Institute and socialize with other like-minded individuals? Consider attending these luncheon events in the months ahead.
>> Three forums in May that will recap the highs and lows of the 2023 legislative session. Featured speakers from the Institute will be Joe Kent, executive vice president; Malia Hill, policy director; and Ted Kefalas, director of strategic campaigns. The dates and locations are May 9 on Maui, May 10 on Hawaii Island and May 11 on Oahu.
>> Two events in September that will feature Connor Boyack, president of the Libertas Institute in Utah and author of the popular "Tuttle Twins" books and videos that teach children the values of liberty. He will talk about how Hawaii can unlock its economic potential through smart regulatory reform. The dates and locations are Sept. 19 on Oahu at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii in Moiliili, and Sept. 20 on Maui at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului.
Stay tuned for more information.
Quick hits …
>> The Honolulu Star-Advertiser editorial staff wrote kindly yesterday about U.S. Rep. Ed Case's request for a Jones Act waiver to carry out defueling of the U.S. Navy's problem-plagued Red Hill underground tank facility on Oahu. "Driving this argument," the staff said, "is that there may not be the appropriate ships available to accomplish the task — which everyone wants done ASAP." Read more about Case's request here and here.
>> Should we be surprised? KITV Island News reported Tuesday that the Hawaii Government Employees Association is pushing back against a Honolulu City Council bill that would authorize hiring third-party reviewers on a temporary basis to help ease the county's building permit backlog. The union's director, Randy Perreira, said he does not oppose hiring outsiders completely, but the proposal is "nothing but a Band-Aid approach to try to fix a bigger problem." Of course, he's absolutely right about that. See or read the KITV story here. Read the Institute's testimony on the bill here.
>> Pacific Business News Editor-in-Chief Kam Napier urged readers of his April 14 "Pupu Platter" column to check out the Grassroot Institute's recent policy paper on how licensing reform could help ease Hawaii's critical shortage of healthcare workers, Read Napier's column here; the Institute's report here.