Taxes

... Hawaii's new 13 percent tax bracket is likely to affect around 3,000 taxpayers ....

...Senate Bill 3125, Our Big Tax Bill (which is still a lot smaller than the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act) was signed into law on May 21 and became Act 24, what I am calling the One Big Tax Bill Act or OBTBA....

... Hawaii becomes the 4th blue state this year to raise their highest income tax rate ....

...This approach has been adopted in Hawaii....

... 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.”....

"...give credit where credit is due...."

"...an emergency appropriation to the Department of Human Services...."

... More tax news that’s fit to print (and maybe some that isn’t) ....

... Here are some of the more significant ones ....

... under the measure approved by the Legislature yesterday, most Hawaii residents will get to keep all of their tax cuts ....

... SB3125 touted--but House Dems didn’t mention HB1875, sex change surgery for children.  Its on the Governor’s desk now ....

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

“Since January 2018, we have verified approximately $3.0 billion in invoices and withheld approximately $23.5 million”

... the bill is not for the faint of heart .... 

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

The bill will now be up for final reading in both chambers before heading to the Governor's desk for his signature.

... SB3125:  “Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-28-26 2:45PM; Conference Room 309.” ....

... Most of the action happens in back rooms ....

... another tax-hike bill still alive that has been quietly making its way through the legislative process: SB3028 ....

... WAM adopted our redraft ....

... several of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii’s priority measures are still in play ....

... Hawaii has the highest sales and excise tax burden ....

...Charges were filed in Hawaiʻi County by the Department of the Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Division March 25, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the Third Circuit....

... the report authors praised Democratic Hawaii lawmakers for reducing some taxes he said would ease the cost of living.  Too bad the Legislature is about to reverse this ....

“Applies a cost-of-living adjustment to conveyance tax rates.” 

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

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

"... the real decisions will likely come during conference committee between April 16 and May 1 ...."

... tax hikes starting at $175K annual income ....

... It might get resurrected this session if it, in Frankenstein fashion, is grafted onto another live bill ....

...All of Hawaii’s county mayors have released their proposed budgets for the next fiscal year, and most appear to be fiscally responsible....

... Somebody needs to rewrite this bill or put it out of its misery ....

... taxpayers seem to be the only ones expected to make a sacrifice ....

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

... and 2nd-highest taxes per capita ....

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

... We reviewed 76 House and Senate bills introduced during the 2026 legislative session, proposing 52 special and revolving funds. None of the proposed funds satisfied the criteria set forth in Section 23-11, HRS, for special and revolving funds ....

... What will likely follow will be a bit of negotiating, most of which will occur behind closed doors ....

... Rideshare drivers — also referred to as transportation network company (TNC) drivers — are required to file tax returns and pay GET on their gross income or gross proceeds, including any discretionary tips they receive. ....

... is it really a loophole? ....

...Lawmakers on the committees considering the proposed pause were inundated this past week with testimony against the bills....

...CLUE:  This is one of the 'justifications' for Green's $1.8B tax hike....

... there are bills that would undo the TAT extension to cruise lines and, instead, impose a per-passenger charge on cruise ship docking ....

... The University of Hawaii has a $429M special fund for tuition and fees ....

... In anticipation of the high court’s ruling, big-name companies like Costco, Revlon and Bumble Bee Foods filed lawsuits in the U.S. Court of International Trade to secure tariff refunds for billions of dollars ....

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

... House Bill 2306 and Senate Bill 3125 don’t delay the scheduled cuts by three years or five years.  They propose to repeal the cuts, as in get rid of them for good....