Continuing research into poverty and housing with Hawaiʻi Community Foundation grant
The grant continues generous support from Hawaiʻi Community Foundation for fact-based research into budget, tax and housing policy issues that affect the wellbeing of Hawaiʻi’s people.
Honolulu minimum wage is lowest among 15 most expensive U.S. cities
While residents of metropolitan areas with high prices also tend to have higher incomes, that’s not the case in Honolulu—and especially not true for minimum wage workers.
We need a visitor recreation fee to benefit Hawaiʻi
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted our dependency on tourism, and the need to create a more sustainable and less exploitative version of the industry.
Counties may need to fill gaps left in state coronavirus response
Some 35,000 additional households could fall into poverty or financial insecurity by the end of the year unless these gaps in state funding are addressed.
Setting the stage for a crucial June special session
CARES Act funds must be spent by the end of December, and careful decisions need to be made to address critical needs in our community.
Disaggregating data helps replace racist policies with anti-racist ones
One often overlooked way in which racism manifests itself in our policies is through our use of data. Disaggregating data can help end racist policies.
Hawaiʻi’s household income loss is the highest in the nation
6 in 10 Hawaiʻi adults now live in a household in which at least one person has lost income
Here’s how the CARES Act funding will be spent in Hawaiʻi
Most of the $1.8 billion in grants are awarded to the state, but some goes to the counties, nonprofit organizations, and individual healthcare providers as well.
Eight progressive options to close Hawaiʻi’s billion dollar budget gap
Hawaiʻi lawmakers should use all available progressive options to close the state’s budget deficit without slashing critical government spending.
Who are Hawaiʻi’s frontline workers?
The pandemic has shown us how crucial frontline industry workers are to Hawaiʻi’s economy. Sadly, many of these workers are underpaid and under-protected.
Stimulus strategies: which policies can best kickstart the economy
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Hawaiʻi can learn a lot from evaluating various initiatives the federal government used to pull the United States out of the Great Recession.
Keeping families afloat will keep our economy alive
Hawaiʻi is stronger when we invest in our people so they can better contribute to our economy and community.
Using Hawaiʻi emergency funds to weather COVID-19
Now is the time to use Hawaiʻi’s emergency funds to stabilize the economy and the working families that power it.
COVID-19: what policymakers can do now to buoy Hawaiʻi’s economy
By learning the lessons for the Great Recession, policymakers can save both lives and economies in communities across the state.
Appleseed COVID-19 response will focus on assisting state in managing social safety net programs
During this crisis, Appleseed’s concern lies with the working families and children of Hawaiʻi.
State research confirms economic benefit of minimum wage hikes
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s latest report demonstrates that a living wage is not only possible, it is economically desirable.
Making the Earned Income Tax Credit a cornerstone of Hawaiʻi antipoverty policy
Lawmakers should strengthen the signature working families tax credit to better help those who need it most.
Trump’s Public Charge rule could cost Hawaiʻi tens of millions in revenue
The financial cost of the rule change is in addition to the harm done to the health and resilience of immigrant families through the “chilling” effect on benefits-use that has already been documented in Hawaiʻi.
Automatic voter registration boosts participation, especially among minorities
States that have adopted automatic voter registration have seen their voter rolls increase dramatically, as well as become more diverse.
No cause for panic: Hawaiʻi’s economy is OK
A quarter of slow growth is no reason for lawmakers to forgo important economic justice measures like raising the minimum wage.