No income tax for working class? Unions float radical proposal
A better approach would be to expand an existing state tax credit that was created to offset some of the impact of the excise tax on food, or to create a new child tax credit to support working families.
Hawaiʻi is over-dependent on cars. Can the state spend more on alternative transportation?
Between 2019-2024, the Hawaiʻi DOT spent almost two-thirds of its capital improvement budget on projects that increase vehicle transportation, a pattern of spending that leads to more traffic, higher emissions, and fewer options for people who don’t drive.
Current state of wealth taxes in America
This article explores the various kinds of wealth taxes, the history of wealth taxes in the United States, the most notable positions in the current wealth tax debate, recent proposals for wealth taxes at the federal level and the prospects of those proposals being implemented, and a state-by-state breakdown of current and proposed state wealth tax measures.
Raise your awareness with the Hawaiʻi Budget Primer 2024
The pamphlet’s cover page says that it is written for “Candidates, Elected Officials and Concerned Members of the Public.” Lots of us in the public should be concerned. It’s your money, after all. The work is easy to understand and is a worthwhile reference.
Lawmakers, nonprofit holding virtual forum to educate, engage public in crafting Hawaiʻi’s People’s Budget
On Sunday, state lawmakers will host a virtual forum in partnership with Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice to discuss crafting of a “People’s Budget” for the 2025 legislative session.
A Hawaiʻi state budget for dummies
In case you haven’t noticed, Hawaiʻi’s state budget is a very difficult thing to make sense of unless you’re trained as a forensic accountant. Thankfully, the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center has released a Budget Primer to make things simpler.
Governor Green enacts historic tax relief for working class
Taxpayers could see higher paychecks starting next year. However, the tax cuts raise concerns about how the state will manage to balance the budget in the years ahead.
Concerns rise for low-income families over legislature's recent tax cut measure
The cost of the tax cuts concerns some advocates. An analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated an initial annual revenue loss of $656 million, that balloons to close to $1.5 billion by 2030. That's about 10 percent of the state's total budget.
Lawmakers give final approval to a ‘historic’ income tax cut in long day of voting
The tax bill along with nearly 200 other measures now go to Gov. Josh Green for his consideration.
What do estate tax cuts for the wealthy say about Hawaiʻi’s priorities?
Should the tax cut become law, it will speak volumes about our state’s priorities.
With cloudy state finances, Hawaiʻi’s ‘rainy day’ fund held for future rainy day
“You have a rainy day fund, and it’s supposed to be used for emergencies,” said Tom Yamachika, president of the nonprofit Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi. “You’ve got an emergency.”
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.
The long struggle over taxing the rich
States’ taxes lean most heavily on poorer residents. These states are trying to change that.
‘Audacious’ tax relief plan advances at Hawaiʻi Legislature
The biggest proposed savings are in a bill from Gov. Josh Green that would boost all Hawaiʻi income tax bracket thresholds and increase the standard deduction along with the personal exemption.
Move ahead with care on tax relief
Legislators must ensure that the relief package makes the most of state resources, finding the right balance of lower taxes and the services that Hawaiʻi’s people need most.
Hawaiʻi legislature 2022: smart spending could help big problems
The legislature has money available for almost any policy initiative imaginable, and every member of the house and senate is up for reelection.
A cautious legislature, locked in the capitol, played it safe
Critics hoped the pandemic would be the catalyst for significant changes to address longterm problems facing Hawaiʻi. But the budget shortfall dominated the 2021 session.
Hawaiʻi lawmakers finish session after huge federal aid boost
The pandemic wouldn’t have hurt nearly as much if Hawaiʻi residents were making wages that paid enough to cover their basic needs.
Economic recovery should focus on working families
And Hawaiʻi’s lawmakers should pass legislation that supports workers’ well-being.
Should I stay or should I go? The lack of affordable housing in Hawaiʻi
The cost of living in Hawaiʻi continues to rise, most notably due to the lack of affordable housing. How do we find a feasible solution?