Entries for 'Keli'i Akina PhD'

... Hawaii’s gross domestic product is down by 4.43% since 2019, yet even as the economy suffers, all four counties seem determined to spend like crazy ....

... efforts to reform the state’s emergency powers law; reduce barriers to housing; bring taxes, debt and state spending under control ....

... the one thing we can rely on concerning the Honolulu rail project is the long list of unanswered questions ....

... Iwasa has valuable insights into the operations of the rail project because she also is a non-voting member of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation ....

... bills to sign or veto ....

... There are many success stories of Native Hawaiians benefiting from financial capital through the NHRLF ....

... the state Hawaii Tourism Authority might receive no funding at all ....

... Oahu tightened the screws in 2019. Yet, housing prices still went up. Even when vacation rental usage declined during the lockdowns, it didn’t result in a significant drop in housing costs....

... Delays, zoning rules and a long pathway to approval make homebuilding difficult and expensive ....

... A bill to limit the governor’s emergency power is nearing the legislative finish line ....

... Simply allowing the market to operate helped create a windfall in state revenues ....

... there had been serious concerns over the integrity of the program, including concerns over favoritism ....

... evidence on the effect of minimum wages on employment, skills, wage and income distributions, and longer-term labor market outcomes ....

... it is not possible to turn an economy on and off like a light switch ....

... Hawaii had robust housing construction up until about 1972 or 1973, but then it collapsed and it has never recovered ....

... how Tokyo’s deregulation of its housing market resulted in more housing availability and affordable housing prices ....

... with the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine, the 101-year-old federal maritime law is even being recognized as a danger to Hawaii’s energy security ....

... The practice of gut-and-replace allowed state lawmakers to pass laws without a full set of public hearings ....

... for years, Hawaii has been getting about one-third of its crude oil from Russia ....

... Watching proposed tax hikes make their way through the Legislature has become an annual tradition ....

... At times, it’s nearly impossible to know exactly why a bill was killed or who was for or against it. Such things happen behind the scenes ....

... the first evening tour of the ʻIolani Palace held in over a year ....

... the Senate has tried to avoid any real debate on the issue ....

... Based on how short-term vacation rentals are so often portrayed, I wouldn’t blame you if you thought their owners were all terrible people ....

... Honolulu Council Bill 41, that would limit "short-term” rentals on Oahu to no less than 180 days at a time ....

...Just like they were a year ago at this time, the businesses that provide jobs to the state’s civilian workforce are in danger of having their annual unemployment taxes skyrocket....

... Will Hawaii be able to benefit from the cryptocurrency boom? ....

... the result of years of indulgence and bad habits ....

... “Hawaiʻi is the ʻmost hostile health environment to practice in," physician says ....

... these are majority opinions in our state ....

... Residents on Hawaii island are voicing their concerns about the shortage of healthcare, according to Lisa Rantz, executive director of the Hilo Medical Center Foundation ....

... Zip codes with a high concentration of Native Hawaiian residents became “hot zones” ....

...  Since 2006, state officials have rejected over $200 million worth of certificate-of-need requests, which would have added more than 200 hospital beds to meet Hawaii’s medical needs ....

... ignoring the full cost is tantamount to malpractice ....

... Grassroot Institute submitted an amicus curiae brief in support of the plaintiffs, arguing that the practice was eroding public trust in government and short-circuiting the democratic process ....

... “Who speaks for Native Hawaiians?” and how disagreements are resolved when Native Hawaiians disagree ....

... the federal funds made it unnecessary for our legislators to take all of the TAT funds. But they did it anyway ....

... These are suggestions that are broadly supported and would require little if any taxpayer investment ....

... Why are some businesses treated differently than others? When will we be able to return to normal? Are any of these restrictions really saving lives? ....

... If there is one thing more powerful than COVID-19, apparently it’s a winning football team ....

... We all need to make sure that our personal health choices do not harm others ....

... how could we be in this situation again? .... 

... the Jones Act helps China dominate international trade ....

... a closer look at the government policies that have contributed to the problem ....

... When we got our first look at the tier system that outlined how our lives would be restricted by COVID-19 orders, we didn’t realize that eventually we, the people, would be divided into tiers ....

... we must come together when the government overreaches and threatens fundamental rights ....

... How effective were our reform efforts? Well, I am pleased to say that one of the first report cards has just arrived ....

... Everywhere you look, there are indications that people are losing patience with the current style of governance and the uncertainty of living under executive orders .... 

... It’s been about 525 days since the first lockdown began ....

... Hawaii is more than happy to tax the golden goose of tourism. But when it comes to feeding, caring for and cleaning up after it, we can’t seem to get on the same page ....