Cost of Living

... Hawaii Public Radio considered the question, with Jensen Ahokovi of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii contending such an increase would likely cause more harm than good.  Also on the program was Nate Hix, director of Living Wage Hawaii; HPR’s Catherine Cruz was host and moderator ....

... the regressive general excise tax is one of the reasons for Hawaii’s high cost of living ....

... In 1961, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to pass a growth-management law. ...

... auto-loan balances have grown ....

... the ALOHA homes program as currently envisioned in this bill would result in an expensive, nonsustainable government project that would fail to effectively assist those it is intended to help ....

... New pilot program to offer lower rate as incentive for businesses, building owners to host EV chargers ....

... The legislature appears to be dead set on ignoring the entire impact of short term solutions and catchy soundbites ....

... In Hawaii, an estimated 6,458 people are experiencing homelessness - or about 45.6 for every 10,000 people, the second highest homeless rate among states ....

... the Senate has tried to avoid any real debate on the issue ....

... 21% of the chamber’s businesses said the proposed minimum wage increase would put them out of business ....

... businesses cut hours, turn to technology or even cut jobs in order to mitigate the higher costs ....

... In a 2019 poll by Pacific Resource Partnership, 45% of the island residents surveyed said they were leaving the state or considering a move. Of those contemplating leaving, 47% named the cost of living as the most important reason ....  

... “Hawaiʻi is the ʻmost hostile health environment to practice in," physician says ....

... Goods and services in the state are 19.3% more expensive than they are on average nationwide, and the average 65 year old should plan on spending $1,481,336 throughout retirement, nearly $361,000 more than the national average .... 

... 2021’s Neediest Cities ....

... ACP provides up to $30 a month off internet service bills ....

... Honolulu travelers spend a minimum of $754 for a rental car Christmas week ....

... big fat property tax bills coming next ....

... The minimum income to be in the top 5% in Hawaii is $150,863; that is second only to California among West Coast states ....

... Honolulu Walmart prices were on average 14% higher than in LA ....

... a Maui County Council proposal that aspires to create more housing on Maui by phasing out about 7,000 vacation rentals ....

... The cost of moving up in Hawaii is 84.9% higher than the national average ....

... Hawaiian Electric sets goal of 70% carbon reduction by 2030, envisions zero emissions by 2045 ....

... charge being reduced to $100/kilowatts (kW) per year for the full 208 MW, as compared to $164.35/kW per year for the first 180 MW ....

“Currently, about 5% of all land in Hawaii is allocated for urban and residential use. Would you support increasing that amount by maybe 1 or 2 percentage points to 6% or 7%?”

... DPP will hold two public hearings to gather community input on the newly proposed measures ....

... Monthly fees for A+ programming will be increasing from $120 to $200 ....

... How to build affordable housing?  Impose a $1.169 billion tax on housing.  Clue: 'Boondoggle' ....

... In just 13 seconds, Joe Kent of the Grassroot Institute explains why relatively modest homes in Hawaii are so darn expensive ....

... A professional poll of almost 1,000 people throughout the islands suggests lawmakers are ignoring what their constituents really want ....

... cargo freight rates, Eastbound and Trans-Pacific, have gone from around $2,000-$2,500 up to $4,500 for a 40-foot dry standard box ....

... Earlier in 2021, teachers in many schools across the U.S. had to provide online-only instruction to students...a massive number of students experienced significant learning loss ....

... Who's who and What with Hu Honua ....

... Saltchuk and Foss transferring expenses to YBs books makes YB seem less profitable, thereby fraudulently ‘justifying’ PUC rate hikes ....

... In Hawaii, the average auto insurance premium comes in at just $1,096 ....

... Parents in Hawaii may spend the most on bringing up their children with an estimated total cost of $281,597 to support a kid’s basic needs for 18 years ....

... Hawaiʻi college graduates are among the least likely to leave school with debt. And for those who do graduate with debt, they owe among the least in the country ....

... Hawaii Households spend the most dollars on food according to a LendingTree study ....

... veterinary care costs highest in USA ....

... We hear almost every day from Hawaii residents who are thinking of leaving, or from former Hawaii residents who already have left ....

... up to 5 percent of the home purchase price, not to exceed $30,000 ....

... “This is exciting,” said Rocky Mould, executive director of the Hawaii Solar Energy Association ....

... On July 9, 2021, President Biden issued the “Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy.”  There wasn’t much media coverage ....

... Over the past four years, Hawaii’s population has declined by more than 22,000 people, equaling the third-fastest population decline per capita in the entire nation ....

... 2021’s Most & Least Energy-Expensive States ....

... Honolulu ranks 269th out of 300 ....

... I’ve watched my children leave for the mainland to start college or their careers. And I know there’s a good chance they won’t be coming back, except for short visits ....

... First installment appears in July bills ....

... The median price of a home on Oʻahu has just reached $950,000 ....

... the income limit for a household of four at the median level (100 percent) in 2021 is $120,800, down from last year’s $125,850. The maximum monthly rent for this household is $2,720 for a two-bedroom unit, according to DPP calculations, down from last year’s maximum rent of $2,975 ....