Thousands of houses are empty on Maui. Would higher taxes change that?
An estimated 15,000 housing units—about 1 in 5 throughout all of Maui County—are vacant, according to 2020 census estimates.
Working class tax credit still alive
After taking a long, winding path through the Legislature, a bill making the Earned Income Tax Credit permanent and refundable has made it through both the House and the Senate, though disagreements over amendments mean that the bill will now go before a conference committee.
Inflation is forcing some Hawaiʻi families to change the way they shop for groceries
Economists agree this rising trend won’t go away anytime soon—that’s concerning for food banks and nonprofit organizations that help low-income and working class families.
Give low-income workers tax break
After years of putting it off, the legislature finally approved an important measure to help Hawaiʻi’s working poor—a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), based on the federal credit.
Hawaiʻi debates progressive taxes, Oʻahu ferry, green fuel
A tax bill aimed at helping the islands' most economically vulnerable would raise taxes for wealthier families while giving tax credits to those with lower incomes.
Will this be the year for tax breaks for the poor?
Bills that have sailed through the Legislature so far would boost taxes on the wealthy to pay for tax breaks for low-income families.
Town Square: debt and taxes
With Hawaiʻi’s cost of living and many families and low-income individuals living paycheck to paycheck can policies be restructured to provide fairness to all?
Bills to raise Hawaiʻi’s minimum wage are non-starters
A measure to establish a $15 per hour wage by 2021 did not get a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
Working Family Tax Credit rewards hard work for low pay
We all agree self-sufficiency is better than merely depending on handouts. We all agree that a willingness to work should be encouraged. Let’s further both by passing, this legislative session, the Working Family Tax Credit.