New Report Shines Light of Transparency on State Spending

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii’s Annual Pork Report Highlights Government Waste

Honolulu, HI—Today, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii announced the publication of the 2011 Pork Report, an examination of state spending that reveals the depth of government waste and inefficiency that has contributed so much to the State’s economic woes.

“This year’s Pork Report is a real eye-opener,” stated Richard Rowland, President of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, a non-profit, nonpartisan research institute dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, the free market, and limited, accountable government. “From Department of Education embezzlement that went unnoticed for years to the endless millions sunk (and lost) in Aloha Stadium, this year’s Pork Report is a wake-up call for Hawaii’s citizens.”

The Pork Report is published annually by the Grassroot Institute, and works to educate Hawaii’s taxpayers and legislators about the prevalence of wasteful spending and the importance of fiscal accountability. The 2011 Pork Report examines spending and waste in a number of areas, from marketing subsidies for Kona coffee to Honolulu City Councilman Rod Tam’s unethical practice of dining out on tax dollars. The Pork Report is currently available on the Grassroot Institute website at www.grassrootinstitute.org.

“We want Hawaii’s People to remember that this is their money being spent so carelessly,” continued Mr. Rowland. “Most of the time, abuses like those highlighted in the Pork Report go unnoticed. But when Hawaii’s voters see how their tax dollars are being used—and wasted—they will demand greater accountability from their elected representatives. And that is what the Pork Report—and the Grassroot Institute—are all about.”

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Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, the free market, and limited, accountable government. Through research papers, policy briefings, commentaries and conferences, the Institute seeks to educate and inform Hawaii's policy makers, news media, and general public. Committed to its independence, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii neither seeks nor accepts government funding. The institute is a 501(c)(3) organization supported by all those who share a concern for Hawaii's future and an appreciation of the role of sound ideas and more informed choices.