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Entries for 'Grassroot Institute'
| Friday, January 2, 2026 |
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Gov. Green’s proposed budget calls for $1.8B election-year tax increase
By Grassroot Institute @ 8:26 PM :: 1183 Views :: Hawaii State Government, Taxes
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... The state budget department confirms that the increase would come from a ‘pause’ of the remaining historic 2024 income tax reductions ....
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| Tuesday, December 23, 2025 |
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‘CON laws hurt our community more than they might help’
By Grassroot Institute @ 1:51 PM :: 703 Views :: Health Care, Small Business
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... Hawaii has one of the most restrictive CON environments in the country ....
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| Tuesday, December 23, 2025 |
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Height limits another barrier to rebuilding Lahaina as it was
By Grassroot Institute @ 1:45 PM :: 757 Views :: Maui County, Development
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... height limits have emerged as a barrier to rebuilding historic structures, apartments and businesses ....
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| Sunday, December 21, 2025 |
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Bill 9 Creates Legal and Economic Crisis
By Grassroot Institute @ 2:24 PM :: 1114 Views :: Maui County, Development, Land Use, Small Business, Tourism
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... Bill 9 will cause job losses for Maui residents, impede entrepreneurship, reduce county tax revenues and result in expensive litigation against the county ....
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| Wednesday, December 17, 2025 |
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End or reduce capital gains tax on housing to incentivize home sales
By Grassroot Institute @ 2:19 PM :: 827 Views :: National News, Taxes, Cost of Living
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... the More Homes on the Market Act would double exclusions for home sales and adjust them annually for inflation going forward ....
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| Monday, December 15, 2025 |
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Honolulu Charter Amendment to Streamline Housing Approvals
By Grassroot Institute @ 3:35 PM :: 711 Views :: Honolulu County, Development, Land Use
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... Proposal 064: Streamline housing approvals via reform of zoning variance hearing and notice rules ....
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| Monday, December 15, 2025 |
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Charter Amendment: Exempt DPP from Civil Service
By Grassroot Institute @ 3:28 PM :: 702 Views :: Honolulu County, Ethics, Development, Labor
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... Civil Service often results in rigid and time-consuming recruitment processes that make it difficult for the City to attract and retain qualified professionals ....
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| Friday, December 12, 2025 |
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Hawaii ‘certificate of need’ laws have ‘chilling effect’ on healthcare access
By Grassroot Institute @ 2:04 AM :: 715 Views :: Health Care, Small Business
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... new Grassroot Institute of Hawaii white paper highlights the need for state lawmakers to reform or repeal the state’s CON regulations ....
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| Friday, December 12, 2025 |
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Honolulu Charter Amendment: Require 'Fiscal Notes' for Council Bills
By Grassroot Institute @ 1:55 AM :: 548 Views :: Honolulu County
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... This proposal would amend the Honolulu City Charter to require the city auditor to prepare a fiscal impact assessment for all proposed Charter amendments and Council legislation ....
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| Wednesday, December 10, 2025 |
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Children’s Entrepreneur Market Expands to Hawaii
By Grassroot Institute @ 12:37 AM :: 601 Views :: Honolulu County, Education K-12, Small Business
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"...Kids rise to the challenge of deciding what to sell, creating a booth, talking to customers, and handling money...."
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| Monday, December 8, 2025 |
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Hawai‘i and Honolulu county councils pass bills supported by Grassroot
By Grassroot Institute @ 2:49 AM :: 797 Views :: Hawaii County , Honolulu County, Agriculture, Small Business
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... Honolulu Bill 42 allows taxicabs to set their own prices -- Hawai'i County Bill 52 allows backyard chickens ....
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| Monday, December 8, 2025 |
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Grassroot submits proposals to Honolulu Charter Commission
By Grassroot Institute @ 2:38 AM :: 875 Views :: Honolulu County, Development, First Amendment
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... Grassroot, Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters, and city Managing Director Mike Formby all submitted proposals regarding fiscal notes ....
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| Monday, December 8, 2025 |
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‘Parking requirements are closer to sorcery than to science’
By Grassroot Institute @ 2:14 AM :: 695 Views :: Maui County, Development
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... More than 60 parking-reduction waivers have been approved since the year 2000 ....
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| Sunday, November 23, 2025 |
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Property tax relief could be extended for Lahaina homeowners and businesses
By Grassroot Institute @ 7:48 PM :: 866 Views :: Maui County, Taxes
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... A Maui County Council committee last week approved amendments to Bill 171 (2025), which would extend property tax relief to Lahaina property owners who lost their homes and businesses ....
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| Sunday, November 16, 2025 |
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‘We need to grow those voices’ that support building more homes
By Grassroot Institute @ 12:19 AM :: 1146 Views :: Development, Land Use, Cost of Living
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... housing is at the center of every crisis we face ....
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| Saturday, November 8, 2025 |
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'Building common ground' housing event travels to Kauai on Wednesday, Nov. 12
By Grassroot Institute @ 2:33 PM :: 1515 Views :: Kauai County, Development, Land Use
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...Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice have teamed up with the Rice Street Business Association....
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| Thursday, November 6, 2025 |
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AI Tool Helps You Keep Track of Hawaii Government Actions
By Grassroot Institute @ 12:24 AM :: 966 Views :: First Amendment, Hawaii State Government
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... keeping up with myriad government actions is challenging ....
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| Monday, October 27, 2025 |
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Grassroot: Lahaina, Jones Act, and Rail
By Grassroot Institute @ 12:01 AM :: 1527 Views :: Maui County, Development, Jones Act, Rail
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... upward of 500 building permits have been issued for Lahaina residents and businesses whose homes and storefronts were destroyed ....
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| Thursday, October 23, 2025 |
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VIDEO: Building common ground: Expanding housing in Hawaii
By Grassroot Institute @ 3:06 PM :: 1750 Views :: Development, Land Use, Cost of Living
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... Speaking to an audience of more than 70, including state and county lawmakers and department executives, the four presenters touched on myriad possible reforms, including those related to land-use laws, inclusionary zoning, density regulations, parking and amenities requirements, and farm-worker housing ....
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| Sunday, October 19, 2025 |
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Harnessing AI for Government Transparency
By Grassroot Institute @ 3:20 AM :: 1105 Views :: First Amendment, Hawaii State Government
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... Grassroot’s “Open Hearings” project can monitor and summarize government hearings and produce transcripts and summaries of those hearings almost immediately ....
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| Friday, October 17, 2025 |
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Hawaii on Verge of Affordable Housing Breakthrough?
By Grassroot Institute @ 2:29 AM :: 2093 Views :: Development, Cost of Living
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... Legislative action in all four of Hawaii’s counties could soon help ease the state’s acute housing shortage ....
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| Sunday, October 12, 2025 |
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Building Common Ground: Grassroot, Appleseed housing forum
By Grassroot Institute @ 9:00 AM :: 3063 Views :: Congressional Delegation, Development, Land Use, Cost of Living
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... The Oct. 15 event will focus on research and practical reforms aimed at addressing Hawaii's acute need for more housing ....
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| Sunday, October 12, 2025 |
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Delays spell doom for Lahaina as we knew it
By Grassroot Institute @ 8:48 AM :: 1707 Views :: Maui County, Development, Tourism
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"How much longer is it going to take for Lahaina to get back on its feet — five, 10, 15 years?"
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| Sunday, September 28, 2025 |
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Bill 60: “Have we not learned our lesson over the many years of Rail?”
By Grassroot Institute @ 4:31 PM :: 3165 Views :: Honolulu County, Higher Education, Rail
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... extensions to the estimated $10-billion rail project are being explored by the Honolulu City Council and the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation ....
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| Sunday, September 28, 2025 |
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Housing, Taxes, Rail: On the Agenda before County Councils
By Grassroot Institute @ 4:16 PM :: 2333 Views :: Honolulu County, Maui County, Development, Rail
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... focus includes property tax relief and speeding up permitting, rail and rate freedom for taxis ....
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| Saturday, September 13, 2025 |
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Aloha Stadium Subject of Secret Deal
By Grassroot Institute @ 5:50 PM :: 7015 Views :: Honolulu County, Ethics, Development, Rail
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... “I just tried to file an open records request for the final deal, and they denied it, saying that the deal’s not done yet,” ....
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| Monday, September 8, 2025 |
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Infrastructure-improvement rules will make Lahaina recovery more costly
By Grassroot Institute @ 4:50 AM :: 5148 Views :: Maui County, Development
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... The rebuilding of Lahaina could be a lot more expensive than anyone is expecting if Maui County officials do not waive an obscure infrastructure rule ....
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| Friday, August 29, 2025 |
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Is the Jones Act invincible?
By Grassroot Institute @ 12:00 PM :: 5049 Views :: Jones Act
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... glimmer of hope ....
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| Wednesday, August 6, 2025 |
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Lahaina: Four Ways to Speed Recovery
By Grassroot Institute @ 4:42 AM :: 3072 Views :: Maui County, Development
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...It’s been two years since wildfires devastated the West Maui town, yet few structures have been rebuilt and many residents are in limbo....
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| Friday, August 1, 2025 |
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Interstate telehealth could be lifesaver for Hawaii
By Grassroot Institute @ 10:08 PM :: 2602 Views :: Health Care
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... If you need to see a medical specialist, you have to hope there is one on-island with an open appointment before it’s too late ....
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| Saturday, July 26, 2025 |
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Affordable: Green Signs 'Shot Clock', other homebuilding bills
By Grassroot Institute @ 7:31 PM :: 3361 Views :: Development, Hawaii State Government, Cost of Living
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... Green altered course when he signed a handful of bills that had been on his intent-to-veto list ....
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| Friday, July 18, 2025 |
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Student Jones Act Essay Contest
By Grassroot Institute @ 7:29 PM :: 1733 Views :: Jones Act
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... High school, college students can earn $10,000, $5,000 or $1,000 from Jones Act essay contest ....
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| Friday, July 18, 2025 |
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Maui lawmakers give green light to food trucks and kitchenettes
By Grassroot Institute @ 7:14 PM :: 2812 Views :: Honolulu County, Maui County, Development, Small Business
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... the Planning Commission backs a bill that would make it easier for B&Bs destroyed in the 2023 fires to rebuild ....
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| Tuesday, July 8, 2025 |
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Maui Bill 76: Restore Farmers' Food Truck Rights
By Grassroot Institute @ 10:22 PM :: 2424 Views :: Maui County, Agriculture, Small Business
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... Before the Planning Department’s rule change, Maui County residents could operate food trucks “by right” on their own properties in agricultural districts ....
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| Friday, July 4, 2025 |
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The 1840 Hawaiian Constitution and the Fourth of July
By Grassroot Institute @ 4:02 AM :: 23521 Views :: Hawaii History
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In 1840 the Kingdom of Hawaii adopted a constitution with strong parallels to the Constitution of the United States....
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| Saturday, June 28, 2025 |
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Interstate telehealth to boost local medical care
By Grassroot Institute @ 9:42 PM :: 1846 Views :: Health Care, Small Business
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... easy, virtually cost-free way to improve healthcare access and quality in Hawaii would be to remove the state’s regulations on interstate telehealth ....
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| Saturday, June 28, 2025 |
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Japan buys Gulf Coast oil, Hawaii doesn’t, thanks to 1920 Jones Act
By Grassroot Institute @ 9:32 PM :: 2752 Views :: Energy, Jones Act
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...last year Japan imported over 9.5 million barrels of crude from Texas....
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| Thursday, June 26, 2025 |
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Inflexible policies continue to hinder Lahaina wildfire recovery
By Grassroot Institute @ 3:38 PM :: 2138 Views :: Maui County, Development
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... almost two years after the fires, fewer than two dozen homes have been rebuilt ....
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| Tuesday, June 17, 2025 |
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Why Hawaii lawmakers should adopt interstate telehealth
By Grassroot Institute @ 11:19 PM :: 1819 Views :: Health Care, COVID-19
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... The practice worked well and safely during the COVID-19 crisis and could do so again, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii says ....
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| Sunday, June 8, 2025 |
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Maui Council approves tax-rate hikes
By Grassroot Institute @ 6:00 PM :: 2337 Views :: Maui County, Taxes
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... overall, Maui taxpayers will still see their tax bills go up in 2026 because of a combination of higher tax rates and assessments ....
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| Sunday, June 8, 2025 |
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Grassroot: Democratic Congressional Staffers focus on Jones Act
By Grassroot Institute @ 5:46 PM :: 1843 Views :: Congressional Delegation, Jones Act
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... Truth about Jones Act makes big leap forward ....
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| Friday, June 6, 2025 |
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Hawaii’s energy future: Red tape is in the way
By Grassroot Institute @ 6:47 PM :: 2219 Views :: Energy, Development
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... regulations that allow community groups to essentially kill projects after they’ve been approved are the biggest hurdles to clear ....
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| Saturday, May 24, 2025 |
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VIDEO: Honolulu Rail--We're not going to do THAT Again
By Grassroot Institute @ 4:20 PM :: 2516 Views :: Honolulu County, Development, Rail
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... promises are not guarantees, and that big government projects tend to come with unexpected costs and delays ....
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| Saturday, May 24, 2025 |
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VIDEO: Grassroot legislative wrap-up tour
By Grassroot Institute @ 12:00 PM :: 1985 Views :: Hawaii State Government, Taxes
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... the defeat of nearly all attempts to add more taxes and the passing of five Grassroot model bills and other Grassroot-supported measures ....
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| Friday, May 23, 2025 |
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Grassroot Council Testimony: Cutting Red Tape to Build Housing
By Grassroot Institute @ 10:55 PM :: 2925 Views :: Hawaii County , Kauai County, Maui County, Development, Small Business
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... testimony before Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Kaua‘i and Maui county councils or planning commissions ....
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| Friday, May 23, 2025 |
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Bill 2591 Changes Kauai Zoning to Allow Farmers' Markets
By Grassroot Institute @ 10:49 PM :: 1950 Views :: Kauai County, Agriculture, Small Business
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... Bill 2951, was proposed in response to a January zoning complaint that shut down the popular Princeville Farmers and Artists Market ....
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| Friday, May 23, 2025 |
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Audit: How to Speed up Building Permits
By Grassroot Institute @ 10:43 PM :: 1871 Views :: Hawaii County , Development
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... a new report from the county’s Office of the County Auditor suggests more than two dozen ways to help speed up the process ....
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| Friday, May 23, 2025 |
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Hawaii: Where Clean Energy Projects Go to Die
By Grassroot Institute @ 10:31 PM :: 3096 Views :: Energy, Development, Land Use
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... Over the past five years, 15 energy projects in the state have been cancelled — more than half of the power projects being considered ....
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| Tuesday, May 13, 2025 |
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Legislature Delivers Progress for Housing
By Grassroot Institute @ 4:35 PM :: 2150 Views :: Maui County, Development, Taxes
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“I want him to sign the historic review bills, the impact fee bill, the permit bill.”
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| Sunday, May 11, 2025 |
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Peeling away regulations that hinder homebuilding
By Grassroot Institute @ 5:06 PM :: 2007 Views :: Maui County, Development
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... rebuilding Lahaina ....
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