Economist Dan Mitchell gave two outstanding presentations via teleconference technology this past week, on Wednesday, Feb. 12, to an audience on Maui and the other on Friday, Feb. 14, on Oahu. Both events were sponsored by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Communicating with us from Washington, D.C., Mitchell explained the strengths and weaknesses of various types of government spending caps, and outlined which ones likely would work best for Hawaii, where the state’s unfunded liabilities over the next 30 years have reliably been estimated at $88 billion.

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Tailspin! How to defuse Hawaii's $88 billion debt bomb

From Grassroot Institute, January 23, 2020

It's no secret that Hawaii's state government has been spending beyond it's means. Amazingly, this has been occurring despite a state constitutional spending limit, which Hawaii's governor and Legislature basically ignore.

Meanwhile, the state is staring at a looming major debt crisis, projected at the moment to total $88 billion over the next 30 years.

Is there a spending cap we could implement that has some teeth?

Popular economist Dan Mitchell of the Washington, D.C-based Center for Freedom and Prosperity will be featured at two Grassroot Institute of Hawaii luncheon events in February to tell us how our state could achieve that goal — the first on Maui on Wednesday, Feb. 12, and the second on Oahu on Friday, Dec. 14.

Readers of his daily blog, International Liberty, already know the breadth of Mitchell's knowledge and his ability to provide jargon-free, common-sense explanations of key economic principles. His talks should be highly entertaining and informative, and we hope some of our legislators will be there taking notes.

For Hawaii, Mitchell recommends foremost a stronger legal spending cap that would be harder for our legislators to disregard, akin to Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights. He will have other suggestions as well on how Hawaii can improve its economy and avoid financial ruin.

Grassroot Institute President Keli'i Akina will moderate.

For more information or to make your reservation, please choose the button of your choice below, or choose both!

MAUI EVENT: REGISTER HERE

OAHU EVENT: REGISTER HERE