On January 5, State Director of Finance Craig Hirai was (kind of) answering questions before the House Finance Committee on the Administration’s budget. In response to questions on what the Administration had planned for revenue increases, he stated that the … Read More
There has been a lot of flip-flopping and waffling going on in government. President Trump groused about, panned, and then finally signed a second stimulus package on Sunday, Dec. 27. Then Gov. Ige, who previously decided to furlough public employees, … Read More
Recently, a sharply divided Hawaiian Homes Commission sent to Governor Ige a legislative proposal to allow limited casino gaming on Hawaiian homelands. As Civil Beat reported, commission chair William Aila put the proposal forward as a revenue opportunity at a … Read More
The path leading to how to fix our battered economy has taken some crazy twists and turns. Governor Ige, first, announced that he will furlough all state workers for two days a month to chop down the expenses required in … Read More
Developments during this COVID crisis have brought out tax scofflaws in some of the most unexpected ways. The state has established a Rent Relief and Housing Assistance Program to help people affected by the pandemic make their rent or mortgage … Read More
Recently, our Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs (DCCA) reminded people of a news release. The release was directed to anyone in Hawaii that owns or has control of an entity (such as a corporation, partnership, or LLC). DCCA explained … Read More
When we analyze how well, or how poorly, our economy is faring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and then try to craft appropriate corrective action, we often hear the buzzword “data-driven.” ”Data-driven,” in general terms, means we want a … Read More
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” So reads the Eighth Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution. Many of us hearing these words think about Death … Read More
A few weeks ago, we wrote about how the State’s procurement law was suspended by Governor’s Emergency Proclamation. We argued it meant standardless spending, and we were delighted to report last week that the issue was addressed in the most … Read More
For most of us, if we are asked how much money we have (perhaps by a bank or credit union that is considering lending us money), answering the question isn’t terribly difficult. Look up a bank account or two, add … Read More