Entries for 'Grassroot Institute'

...Hawaii and Vermont are the only states without some kind of law on the books mandating that so-called fiscal notes accompany any proposed bill that could impact the budget....

... $140 million in operating losses alone since 2012 ....

... rising living expenses and population loss ....

...As of Sept. 17, 200 ships have used the waiver to complete 259 voyages delivering gas, oil and other commodities within the U.S. — trips that would not have happened without it....

... the protocols for awarding and monitoring funding are subjective and opaque ....

... Are you ready to rumble? ....

... Maui residents pay the most in property taxes per capita, at $4,139 ....

... many homeowners do not know these programs exist ....

... Grassroot’s proposed Charter amendment would have given the Zoning Board of Appeals more flexibility in determining whether to approve a variance request, with the goal of reducing barriers to new housing ....

... the state expects to receive about 19% of its roughly $20 billion budget — or $3.9 billion — from the federal government in the fiscal year that began July 1, 2026 ....

“...Overspending leads to tax hikes that increase cost of living — something no one in Hawaii needs....”

“...We need computers now to help us through our own laws,” Kent said. “Another solution… is to just make the laws simpler....” 

... recovery for commercial and multifamily structures remains bleak ....

... and permit delays are largely to blame .... 

... updating the City’s rules for repairing older, nonconforming homes that conflict with current zoning codes ....

... More than 2,200 structures were destroyed.  So far, only 220 houses have been rebuilt ....

... a nearly identical tax approved by San Francisco voters has been ruled unconstitutional in court and is still being held up by appeals, which means Honolulu could be walking into a similar costly legal battle ....

... Act 11 unconstitutionally silences nonprofit organizations on ballot initiatives and other election-related topics in the name of campaign finance reform ....

... the boards do not have clear missions, have too few volunteers to meet quorums or duplicate the efforts of other county programs and boards ....

... Grassroot produced 16 model bills, five of which were adopted ....

... it is too early say whether sea gliders will be be financially viable ....

... three bills that could help ....

... The Institute for Free Speech has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Grassroot Institute to challenge Act 11, which stands to block the nonprofit’s civic advocacy efforts ....

... Grassroot supports proposals at county councils aimed at reducing tax burden for property owners ....

...increasing income taxes on higher earners could drive away “business owners, entrepreneurs, doctors, people that we really need in our state.”....

... projects stall out because of inflexible rules ....

... the latest waiver quickly resulted in new shipping routes that "you never see” ....

... this year’s state legislative session felt a lot like playing goalie in soccer with “a million balls headed our way” ....

... The 2026 Hawai‘i Legislature is in its final days ....

“there has not been a single commercial rebuild permit approved in almost two and a half years since the fires.”

... the government’s role in economic recovery and more ....

... damage estimates aren’t reflective of actual losses to the state  ....

Bill 2987 would reduce the risk of farmers and ranchers paying more in property taxes than they should for having certain commercial structures on their lands, including food processing facilities or slaughterhouses.... 

... The state doesn’t have a budget crisis. It has a spending crisis ....

... The bills together generated more than 300 testimonies from both individuals and organizations opposing the bills ....

... going through the budget with a fine-toothed comb is long overdue, and it would likely net more than enough savings to preserve our tax cuts ....

... the Jones Act “has been identified as a central factor in Hawaii’s reliance on foreign oil" ....

...Maui Cultural Resources Commission could need to sign off on more than 100 rebuilding plans for properties in the Lahaina National Historic Landmark District or one of the county’s historic zoning districts, yet it has approved only six since the fires....

... The Hawaiʻi Legislature passed sweeping income tax cuts in 2024 to help prevent residents from moving away in search of a lower cost of living ....

... state and county testimonies submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii in the first half of March 2026 ....

... state and county testimonies submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii in the latter half of February 2026 ....

“A lot of people in Hawaii were counting on this money, and we need it to survive the cost of living.”

...Grassroot’s priorities this session include defending the state’s income tax cuts passed in 2024, opposing all other tax hikes and fees, supporting occupational licensing reform and advocating housing policies that could boost homebuilding....

... the state’s high cost of living, fueled by high taxes and too many regulations, are continuing to drive residents to more affordable places on the mainland ....

... California’s Paid Family Leave Act did not help narrow the pay gap, and was instead associated with reduced employment and earnings for first-time mothers ....  

... The “housing policy playbook” is intended to help state and county lawmakers remove or reform the many regulatory barriers that stifle Hawaii homebuilding ....

... three important recommendations that would enable farmers and ranchers to build more housing on their land ....

... P065 proposes setting up a volunteer Cost of Government Commission to help identify inefficiencies and waste in city operations. Honolulu is the only county in the state without such a commission ....

...Allow more small homes to be built on agricultural lands....

... 30 commentaries during 2025 that were first featured by local and national media ....