Hawaiʻi lawmakers plan special sessions to address federal funding cuts
State lawmakers are blocking off three dates in the coming months for a special legislative session to address federal funding cuts.
Raise sales tax on costly homes, build more rentals
When hard-working locals—from teachers and nurses to waitresses—are struggling to stay housed, it means we have a serious problem.
Rethinking Hawaiʻi’s conveyance tax
Hawaiʻi stands at the critical decision point in investing in our housing needs: The enactment of HB2364 holds the promise of a brighter, more inclusive future for all residents.
Rebalance Hawaiʻi’s upside-down tax code to achieve prosperity for all
We are the third-worst state when it comes to taxing struggling working families.
Tax to fund affordable housing advances in state legislature
Senate Bill 362, Draft 2, which raises the conveyance tax on property sales over $2 million, has survived committee (a feat that only one in 10 bills achieve) and is set for a final floor vote in the Senate this week.
While a tax hike to fund homeless services may not pass, housing advocates have a plan
When it comes to Hawaiʻi's conveyance tax rates, advocates say the state is low compared to other high-cost areas in the U.S.
Proposed tax increase to fund homeless services not likely to advance in legislature
SB678 received nearly 100 pages of written testimony, with only two testifiers opposing it.
Property sale tax could create $2.1 million for Kauaʻi homeless
Based on 2018 data, Hawaiʻi Appleseed estimated the tax would generate $174 million for affordable housing and $34.8 million for homeless services statewide, including $2.1 million for Kauaʻi.
Biden’s spending bill could be a ‘game changer’ for housing in Hawaiʻi
The Build Back Better bill that the U.S. Senate is debating has the potential to make a huge dent in Hawaiʻi’s affordable housing needs, according to advocates.
How the ‘Build Back Better’ plan saves money and lives
The answer lies in an expansion of the strategy that held the line against poverty in 2020 and that helped America out of the Great Depression.
Here’s how tax increases are shaking out in the Hawaiʻi legislature
Senators moved to raise income taxes on high earners, and the House passed capital gains and inheritance tax increases.