How it all Happened. The hosts for this show are Jay Fidell and Tom Yamachika. This legislative session, death has befallen the broad-based tax reform proposal that would have widened our income tax brackets, increased the standard deduction, and hoisted … Read More
For a long time, Hawaii has had income tax incentives to encourage television, movies, and other productions to work their magic here in Hawaii. The production credit was enacted in 1988, at which time it was 4% of regular production … Read More
In the sports world, we have “March Madness.” At our Legislature this year, we have “Credit Madness.” With a surplus on the State balance sheet north of a billion dollars, lawmakers have proposed all kinds of tax credits to advance … Read More
At around this time of year, the Japanese celebrate a festival known as Setsubun. While there are regional variations on how to celebrate it, many of them involve roasted beans and an Oni, or demon. According to tradition, people in … Read More
Governor Josh Green recently gave his State of the State address. His office and his agencies dropped a bill package into the legislative hopper. It really feels like we’re in the legislative session now! Bills introduced as part of the Governor’s Package … Read More
Broad Tax Relief And.. The hosts for this show are Jay Fidell and Tom Yamachika. We discuss the signature bills in the Governor’s package, including a bill to give the citizenry broad income tax relief, another bill to enact GET … Read More
Wealth taxes coming? “In a coordinated effort, lawmakers in seven states that collectively house about 60 percent of the nation’s wealth — California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Washington — are introducing wealth tax legislation this week,” warned … Read More
This week, we focus on a study that has just come out of the national Tax Foundation (with whom the Tax Foundation of Hawaii shares a name but not much else). That study looks at IRS and census data to … Read More
The Hawaii State Tax Watch Doggie came to me with an unusual question. “Can the State tax itself?” “I’m not sure,” I replied, “but why would anyone care?” “You remember there’s a bill that the Legislature passed, SB 3201, that … Read More
The COVID-19 pandemic made history both here and abroad, but for different reasons. Here, it was remembered not only for the 1,400 lives it claimed, but also for the businesses it hurt or ruined. Our experience was similar to other … Read More