The push for a fare-free bus system gains local support
A free bus fare system could be more accessible than some think, according to the newest report from the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice.
Free bus rides for Waikīkī visitors could end $500 parking bills
A new proposal would eliminate fares for everyone, including tourists, offering another reason to reconsider expensive rental cars and hotel parking.
Report calls for statewide fare-free bus system
A new report from the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice estimates that making bus transit free for all riders statewide would cost roughly $62.4 million a year and recommends using existing transportation-related revenues to fund the program.
Tax fairness promoted in bills would implement major changes
The Hawaii Tax Fairness Coalition is advocating for bills that would make major changes to the state’s income tax, capital gains tax, real estate sales tax and a tax on income for real estate investment trusts.
Free bus rides for keiki? So much for that
One supporter said she hopes the effort will come up again in a future year.
Creating a Hawaiʻi we can afford
For decades, we’ve lived with the highest cost of living in the country, in a service oriented economy where wage growth lags far behind rising prices. What can we do about it? We come together and find solutions.
Transportation: a cost-of-living burden but also an opportunity
Reframe the conversation by investing in multimodal services and infrastructure.
Free buses for keiki? Supporters hopeful after statewide bill axed
A proposal for statewide free transit died last week at the Legislature, but supporters still have hope for a proposal to make transit free for youth.
Keiki Ride Free measure on buses and rail advances
A proposal moving through the state Legislature would make riding the bus free for Hawaiʻi’s children, aiming to ease family transportation costs while helping the state meet its ambitious climate goals.
Hawaiʻi coalition calls for tax fairness for local needs
As Hawaiʻi struggles to meet growing needs in housing, education, health care and climate resilience, a broad coalition of community groups, labor unions and nonprofit advocates is pushing lawmakers to confront a long-standing question: how to pay for it.
New online tool shows disparities between communities on basic needs
Annalisa Burgos asks Hawaiʻi Appleseed how its Economic Justice Data Dashboard can help focus government spending.
Bill 53 would increase Oʻahu housing costs
Reinstating parking mandates for developers in Honolulu means choosing cars over people and asphalt over affordability.
Economic prosperity rises from the bottom up
The Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice looks at the recent legislative session's hits and misses in this Community Voice column for Aloha State Daily.
Hawaiʻi Appleseed has a new executive director
Will White aims to build from the organization’s solid foundation to advance its mission of advocating for economic justice for Hawaiʻi's people.
Lawmakers consider delivery fees to support pedestrian and biking infrastructure
The fee would tack on $0.50 to businesses for non-food deliveries, and the fees collected would go into the state's Safe Routes to School special fund to pay for safety projects.
Judge torn on fate of nuke victims’ care
A group of 7,700 Pacific island migrants in Hawaiʻi who suffer from the long-term effects of U.S. nuclear testing await a federal judge’s ruling on a request to dismiss a class-action lawsuit that seeks to restore their medical benefits.
Suit seeks restored health benefits for Pacific migrants
A class-action federal lawsuit was filed yesterday in an attempt to restore health benefits to Sound and about 7,500 Pacific island migrants in Hawaiʻi.
Lawsuit: state discriminates in care for Micronesians
New cuts to medical benefits for low-income residents based on nationality amount to discrimination, according to a federal class action lawsuit filed Monday against the state of Hawaiʻi on behalf of disabled Micronesians.
Federal judge has granted TRO to Micronesians over health care plan
A federal judge has blocked cutbacks to state-funded medical care for about 7,500 adult Micronesians from taking effect today.
Health plan faces legal challenge
Lawyers for Equal Justice is considering legal action to delay implementation Tuesday of a new state health plan key legislators say “could be a death sentence” for some residents.