Entries for 'Keli'i Akina PhD'

... Will this be the year that we finally start to see positive big changes — or are we going to see more taxes, more spending, more regulations? ....

... $500 million plan is fine but could be improved to more quickly help displaced fire victims ....

... If you spent part of this week sitting in the dark without any electricity, you probably have some questions about the state’s energy plan ....

... Small, focused policies could free up homebuilders and generate a wave of new housing construction ....

... it’s taken almost half a year to see anything come from the governor’s emergency proclamation ....

... reflecting upon some exciting accomplishments ....

... 2023 featured “challenges galore,” but ....

... Until someone brings up politics ....

... Green has acknowledged that an STR ban would probably result in legal challenges, but he shouldn’t ignore the fact that a back-door ban through a tax hike also could result in legal and political headaches ....

... a roadmap that can help make it happen ....

...there are a few state rules holding them back....

... the state had a huge surplus and many of our lawmakers were going hog-wild trying to spend it ....

... This partnership between OHA and DHHL is a positive start, but there are other possibilities worth exploring such as ....

... looking for a “win-win” result ....

... how many years will depend on which path is taken ....

... even the slimmed down plan is worrisome ....

... Hawaii’s churches want to help solve the state’s housing crisis. Why are we making it so difficult for them? ....

... The Actors Guild, a local acting group, produced a play based on their five-year ordeal of trying to get a permit to renovate their theater at Dole Cannery ....

... Could broader use of telehealth improve the quality of healthcare in Hawaii? ....

“My family is getting very desperate and deciding whether to leave Hawaiʻi.”

... meet the monster’s creators ....

... The families and individuals who owned homes and businesses in Lahaina should not have their property rights arbitrarily stripped away from them to satisfy the grand plans of some bureaucracy ....

... All permit applications are equal, but some are more equal than others ....

... now in a locked room at the Honolulu airport, waiting for state officials ....

... Hawaii’s hospitals, walk-in clinics and other healthcare providers have been held back for decades by arcane regulations known as 'certificate of need' laws ....

... Should the government have the last word in creating a tourism timeline? ....

... A Path to Empower Native Hawaiians ....

... the 'Yes in God’s Backyard' law — makes it easier for churches and other religious institutions to build housing on their properties ....

... He asked his mother if she would help him reach out to the media ....

... Natalie Iwasa, who was appointed by state Speaker of the House Scott Saiki, has been barred from participating in executive sessions ....

... Hawaii’s income tax rates are among the highest in the country, and its business climate is consistently ranked poorly. Meanwhile, residents continue to flee the state for less expensive mainland locales ....

... peoples’ homes and businesses are at stake, and their right to those properties must be defended ....

... we cannot afford to further burden our economy with our usual high-tax and high-spending habits ....

... “Nani ka noho mehameha ʻana o ke kūlanakauhale i piha i kanaka! Ua like hoʻi me ka wahine kāne make!” How lonely sits the city that was once full of people! (Lam. 1:1) ....

... a family of four earning Hawaii’s median income of $88,005 a year would have a state income tax bill of $5,086. At that income level, only Oregon families face a higher tax burden ....

... among the heartbreaking losses earlier this month in fire-ravaged Lahaina were three healthcare clinics that served approximately 30,000 patients ....

... most cities in the U.S. have required arbitrary amounts of parking to be built with every new building or new business ....

• waiving property taxes for the affected property owners
• clearing the way for out-of-state medical professionals to attend to the needs of those affected by the tragedy

... the outpouring of compassion that we are witnessing from the people of Hawai‘i is the silver lining through the dark cloud of despair ....

... how regulations and building codes have made constructing small apartment buildings more expensive and less efficient ....

... Imagine an island with no doctors permanently living there, where patients must travel by air to access specialized medical care ....

... How long should Oahu residents have to wait for a permit to repair or renovate their homes? A few days? Weeks? Months? ....

... especially the many “whereas” justifications for why the emergency order was issued — which states many of the points I’ve been making for years regarding the bad policy and inaction that have characterized Hawaii’s approach to homebuilding ....

... Multiple bills have already passed, and many council members have asked for more information about how to reform the property tax systems in their counties ....

... the final rail cost now is estimated at about $12.4 billion, making it the most expensive light rail project in the world ....

... the Declaration of Independence set our nation on its course to become the leading light for freedom throughout the world ....

... concerns raised by OHA’s administration in response to the directive to end telework ....

... physicians from around the country will enjoy an expedited path to licensure in our state ....

... Green plans to trim approximately $1 billion from the Legislature’s proposed biennial budget via 22 separate line item vetoes ....

... Legal reforms can go a long way. But when it comes to putting a stop to longstanding corruption in Hawaii, the biggest impact of all will ....