Cost of Living

...Vicious Circle: Cost of Living Jumps--So 'Affordable' Rents Jump Too....

...According to March data, the state with the lowest Affordability Score was Hawaii (0.52)....

...Over the past 15 years, the people of Hawaii have paid 260% more for electricity than the US average, while gasoline prices consistently hover close to $1-per-gallon higher.  (But we can go even higher)....

...and these figures are not adjusted for cost of living....

... Place Where You Need the Highest Salary to Afford the Average Home  --  Hawaii: $153,520 for a house worth $610,000 ....

Politicians' hyperbolic campaign promises don't seem to be making life much better....

...but has the 5th-least punative Medical Board....

...Hawaii is only building half of the units necessary to keep up with demand....

...Hawaii has 35 affordable and available units for every 100 ELI renter households....

...will they believe us if we blame Trump?...

... stop Trump from "provid(ing) new, more affordable options to Americans in the individual market who are getting hammered by skyrocketing premiums” ....

... the proportion of renters in Honolulu rose from 44.6% in 2006 to 56.1% in 2016 ....

...Nine towns in Hawaii rank in lowest quintile....

...Hawaii ranks as 4th most expensive state for aging parents, study finds....

...Residents of Hawaii spend, on average, 36.2% of their monthly paychecks on credit card, student loan, and housing payments—the highest percentage in the nation....

...Electricity prices are highest in Hawaii but due to low consumption, expenditures are 'only' 4th highest in the USA....

“...By signaling the importance of financial flows we have highlighted a potential leverage point for implementing sustainable policies….”

...The bill impact of the interim rate is expected to be reduced by the application of anticipated corporate tax savings that are the result of the new federal tax law that took effect on Jan. 1, 2018....

...Gov. Ige has informed the Authority that he would be open to considering a 10-year restriction on re-sales....

...the cost only adds more stress, with the average couple shelling out over $35,000 for their big day....

...Connecticut and New York share the highest tax rate with $4.35 per pack, trailed by Rhode Island ($4.25), Massachusetts ($3.51), and Hawaii ($3.20)....

...Live at the Legislature with Rep. Gene Ward....

... Auto Repair Shops per Capita – 49th ....

...Residents of Hawaii spend, on average, 36.2% of their monthly paychecks on credit card, student loan, and housing payments—the highest percentage in the nation....

...adds e-liquid to the definition of “tobacco products”, which would make all provisions of the cigarette tax and tobacco tax law that relate to tobacco products applicable to e-liquid....

...award-winning cartoonist and illustrator David Swann....

...highest cost of living in USA....

...Smoking doesn’t just ruin your health. It can also burn a nasty hole through your wallet....

...and the most unaffordable housing....

...Hawai'i has the longest average wait time for a building or construction permit - 17 months....

...The current average annual cost of driving a typical new gasoline vehicle in the United States is $1,117, with a maximum of $1,509 in Hawaii and a minimum of $993 in Alabama....

...Hawaii Insurance Division Releases Annual Premium Comparison Guides to Help Consumers Compare Insurance Premiums....

...State and federal taxes are included in the base electric rate and with a lower federal tax, the tax rate imbedded in the bill will be reduced....

...not high enough to afford a basic household budget that includes housing, child care, food, transportation and health care....

...would expansion of Medicare be good for America?....

...and the least affordable housing....

...this study defines economic self-sufficiency as the amount of money that individuals and families require to meet their basic needs without government and/or other subsidies....

...Currently, median rents in Honolulu stand at $1,550 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,060 for a two-bedroom....

...comparind more than 180 U.S. cities across 26 key indicators of job-market strength....

...Caldwell is calling upon the Honolulu City Council to pass legislation that places a moratorium on their construction....

...More than half of renters in Honolulu are spending more than a third of their income on rent each month, and 29 percent are spending more than 50 percent of their monthly income....

...Cost of Care Report Shows No State Has Affordable Care Massachusetts, Utah, Oregon, Minnesota, New York, Washington, and Hawaii Top Nation's Unaffordability List for Infants and Toddlers....

...government’s real job is to out of the way, not create more costly programs that don’t work....

...global warming is just an excuse for tax hikes and rate hikes....

...Hawaii still leads nation in homeless count per capita....

...regulations have also tended to reduce the supply of housing, including multifamily and low-income housing....

...care for only one child in Hawai‘i consumes approximately 13 percent of the typical Hawai‘i family’s income....

...Honolulu cost of living is 86 percent above national average .... 

...the annual median cost of long term care services in Hawaii increased an average of 5.51 percent from 2016 to 2017....

...Last year biodiesel represented 2 percent of HECO’s oil and diesel consumption. (Translation: Its an expensive fig leaf for diesel plants.)....