Small Business

"...legislative package of bills to reduce income inequality...."

...the reasons for an ever-increasing “living wage” have been a second tier topic of discussion....

"...We found that the Department of Planning and Permitting does not effectively manage the permitting process for timeliness...."

...On Saturday the 28th of December, a museum closed its doors for the final time....

...Hawaii has seen 18 civilian helicopter crashes in the last five years....

...On O‘ahu, the vacation rental supply in November was 252,000 unit nights. This is a decrease of 4.4 percent from a year ago....

...State tax hikes taking effect January 1, 2020....

...First they came for the owners of million-dollar homes, but I didn’t speak against it because I didn’t have a million-dollar home....

...Well-designed UI tax systems emphasize greater stability and predictability....

..."Failing States" do not meet even basic standards of online spending transparency for economic development subsidies....

...the museum did quite a bit more work at Kaleloa Airport than just display airplanes....

...The bill would classify bed and breakfast homes and other transient vacation rental units as “hotel and resort” for property tax purposes....

...the property tax component of the 2020 State Business Tax Climate Index....

...a civil fine of $20,000 plus $10,000 per day for each day the unlawful operation persists....

... The proposed amendment removes the limitation on the amount of time the department has to take action on a complete application for an Underground Storage Tank (UST) system permit and removes the automatic approval of a permit when that time limit is exceeded ....

...spurred by the announced plans of Democratic presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to enact a tax on wealth....

...the fee is collected only on shipments by water....

...Some states require an analysis of the potential economic impact of certain legislative proposals — an “economic impact statement,” if you will. Hawaii does not....

... which horse do you think finished pulling the wagon first? ....

...Office of Inspector General has selected the NOAA’s Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund grants awarded to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council for an audit....

...In the period between now and when Bill 37 becomes effective, the mayor will work with interested parties to rectify the issues concerning this bill....

...Steve Petranik, editor of Hawaii Business Magazine, and Kam Napier, editor-in-chief of the Pacific Business News, share their insights about Hawaii's business climate....

...In the news recently was a story about business and licensing fees actually going down....

... What happens when a government tries to fix a system that isn’t broken? ....

...Bill 37 amounts to a sweetheart deal for big union labor and will guarantee that the county will have to spend more on future infrastructure projects....

...Washington State’s 20 percent rate is the highest estate tax rate in the nation, although Hawaii is set to increase its top rate to 20 percent effective January 1, 2020....

...Currently, the minimum age to purchase nicotine vapor products in Hawaii is 21....

...a proposed policy in Honolulu may prevent nonunion employers from bidding on government projects....

...Hawaii had the lowest percentage of Millennial-owned businesses -- 3.65%....

...After a public hearing, the Council approved the bill, 7-2, It now goes to the mayor....

...OHA stands to potentially receive a 20% cut of revenues generated from development of so-called ‘ceded lands’-- such as the Ala Wai harbor....

...Oahu Weds Oct 23 -- Maui Fri Oct 25....

...We, among many others, have long warned that if government squeezes our population too hard with taxes, regulations, and other impediments, people will vote. Not necessarily at the ballot box, but with their feet.... 

...user-friendly tool to assist Hawai‘i’s business community, rule-drafting agencies, business chambers and trade organizations in providing current information on the status of state and county new and proposed HARs....

...“A recent enhancement that allowed new applications to be submitted online has cut Guard Employee (GDE) processing time from 15 days to two!”....

...Their only "survival" option is to downsize by a factor of at least 10....

...more NOVs are anticipated in the coming weeks....

...The Small Business Caucus is hosting the first-ever panel of speakers at the Hawaii State Capitol to discuss the future of A.I. in Hawaii's economy....

... Fee increases for users of Hawai‘i small boat harbors and boating facilities will be implemented soon, after they were signed into law by Governor David Ige on August 13, 2019 ....

...Some of the requirements contradict themselves....

...Throwback rules can yield exceedingly high and often uncompetitive levels of taxation for some businesses, to the point that the outmigration they generate can more than offset any revenue gains from taxing “nowhere income.”....

...The impact of the vacation rental ban on Oahu has not yet been seen in visitor arrivals....

...A supplemental agreement pilot project that provides a wage differential for City & County of Honolulu employees to make $15 an hour....

... minimum wage, the Hawaii brain drain, and Trump tariffs ....

...Hawaii Child Care Costs More than College Tuition....

...Minimum wage hikes are often promoted as a way to help the less fortunate out of poverty. But are they really the best tool for the job?....

... read the full complaint ....

...The Manufacturing Scorecard shows how each state ranks among its peers in several categories that are of particular interest to site selection experts for the manufacturing and logistics industries....

...BBB release Military Report on Marketplace Challenges....

...Stop shooting the messenger and concentrate on cleaning house!....