Furloughs: Legislative leadership is sorely lacking
With a little bit of courage and a touch of creativity, legislative leaders could rally their majorities and find the funds needed to protect these workers and the valuable services they provide.
Hawaiʻi landlords rejecting $8M in overdue rent
Some island landlords have rejected about $8 million in direct payments to cover the rents they’re owed because they do not have general excise tax licenses and are not paying taxes on their rental income.
One year later: The effects of Hawaiʻi’s illegal short-term rental ban
Illegal vacation rentals have worsened Hawaiʻi’s affordable housing shortage while contributing to an overrun of high-impact, low-spending visitors.
Sowing seeds of service
“Our work is to bring all these different sectors together and create lasting solutions and changes.”
Not politics as usual
To address socioeconomic inequality, Hawaiʻi’s decision-makers need to come up with an effective problem-solving process so stakeholders can come together to achieve concrete solutions.
States raid fund meant for needy families to pay for other programs
TANF has devolved into a kind of candy store that many states are raiding to plug budget holes.
How new, agile networks of people are helping Hawaiʻi
Uplift Hawaiʻi describes itself as an economic recovery platform bringing together organizations, individuals, coalitions and other COVID-19 recovery initiatives.
Gov. David Ige and Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s Gavin Thorton join the COVID-19 Care Conversation
Gov. David Ige and Hawaiʻi Appleseed Executive Director Gavin Thorton joined us today for a Q&A video on the COVID-19 Care Conversation.
We have a chance to build a more equitable, resilient Hawaiʻi
Together, we can bring about a more equitable and resilient future that honors the people, land, culture, and values of Hawaiʻi.
COVID-19 budget moves out for passage, but not without controversy
The allocations of the federal aid money drew criticism from social service agencies while the process of adopting the budget measure, using a method called gut-and-replace, riled others.
Social service workers rally at state Capitol
Lawmakers say they will use $635 million in CARES Act funds to assist the unemployed and local businesses, but advocates say it’s still not enough.
Nonprofits urge lawmakers to quickly commit federal funds to cope with social needs
The Working Families Coalition released a plan to distribute $362 million including CARES Act funds to help families with rent, food, healthcare and more.
Why the state doesn’t consistently track data on native Hawaiians
Lack of data about how many Native Hawaiians have coronavirus is indicative of a broader problem, advocates say.
Whatever politics are in play, politicians must get money to those hurting most in Hawaiʻi
Nearly one-third of adults in Hawaiʻi either missed last month’s rent or mortgage payment, or have “slight or no confidence that their household can pay next month’s rent or mortgage on time.”
This federal bailout is bringing a lot more money to Hawaiʻi than the last one in 2008
The Great Recession’s federal stimulus program focused on building projects while CARES is putting more money directly into the pockets of residents and business owners.
As lawmakers grapple with $1B shortfall, advocates urge them to preserve social safety net
Policy experts say the homeless crisis the state is dealing with today can be blamed—at least in part—on the decisions that were made a little more than a decade ago during the Great Recession.
Want the economy to recover? Don’t cut the public sector
Doing so would prolong unemployment and lead to poorer health, lost productivity and a drop in economic security.
Q&A: Beth Giesting on Hawaiʻi’s economy and Gov. Ige’s proposed 20 percent cut to public employee salaries
Giesting describes the potential impacts of Gov. Ige’s proposal and the actions she recommends to better support the state economy.
Hawaiʻi nonprofits want more say in how state spends federal virus aid
More than 60 nonprofits want the state to expand its safety net to help immigrants and other marginalized groups.
5 questions with retired head of the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center, Victor Geminiani
Our state and county leaders have critical work ahead to deliver on those values. Let’s hope we put ones in who are ready to chart the future we all want.