State tax collections soared back to pre-pandemic levels in the past year

Beth Giesting, director of the Hawaiʻi Budget & Policy Center, said she is pleased the state is no longer talking about layoffs, furloughs and other cutbacks, and hopes state policy makers will think hard about the best uses for the extra revenue.

Top-of-list for the Budget & Policy Center is providing money for affordable housing for working people as well as much more in subsidies for preschool to ease that burden on low- and moderate-income families.

Increasing funding for UH and other post-high school training and education is also important, she said.

“We have a lot of big investments that need to be made for the long run, and I would hope that the legislature can take the long view and figure out ways that we can invest in things that will make life better for everybody in Hawaiʻi,” Giesting said.