Hawaiʻi Budget & Policy Center

09/04/2024

Short takes, outtakes, our takes and other stuff you should know about public information, government accountability and ethical leadership in Hawaii.

07/30/2024

A new report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy lifts up the significant tax contributions that undocumented immigrants make to our federal, state and local governments through the taxes they pay each year.

07/18/2024

1 in 3 Hawaii households experienced food insecurity last year, underscoring the urgent need for robust policy interventions to ensure that all residents have access to adequate and nutritious food.

07/02/2024

By maintaining the focus on data-driven strategies to address systemic roadway safety issues, we can push for investments in infrastructure that slows vehicle speeds, increases the visibility of pedestrians, and physically separates vehicles and pedestrians.

04/09/2024

“But critics say that relaxing the estate tax would benefit only Hawai‘i’s wealthiest residents while costing the state some $43.3 million per year in lost revenue.

“Gavin Thornton, executive director of the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, told lawmakers the measure would only benefit the wealthiest 0.2% of Hawai‘i residents.

“‘We cannot afford to provide a $43 million tax break at a time of such great need for our broader community: Maui wildfire relief; hazard pay for state workers; and numerous other services and supports for Hawai‘i’s people,’ Thornton said in written testimony.

“Senate Bill 3289 sparked a heated debate on the House floor on Friday, with a dozen Democrats voting against the bill and other lawmakers expressing reservations about the measure. Rep. Burt Kobayashi, a member of the Finance Committee, urged his colleagues to reject the bill.

“‘I’ve decided that this bill puts you on the side of either for the people, or for the very wealthy, and by very wealthy I mean couples that have an estate exceeding $11 million, which are very, very few,’ Kobayashi said.

“He said the state and the community have no guarantee that granting the tax break to some of Hawai‘i’s wealthiest families will result in any benefit to anyone else.

“The measure is scheduled for another floor vote on Tuesday, but it is not certain that the House will again vote to approve it.”

Tell your lawmakers to reject estate tax giveaways for the rich at bit.ly/hitaxfairness

Dayton, Kevin, “The Last Major Tax Bills Still Alive This Session Would Cut Income And Estate Taxes,” Honolulu Civil Beat, April 9, 2024, https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/04/the-last-major-tax-bills-still-alive-this-session-would-cut-income-and-estate-taxes

04/05/2024

Lawmakers have asked state departments to prepare for the possibility of devastating 10–15% across-the-board budget cuts. The Great Recession showed how damaging this would be to the economy and to the people struggling to navigate it. Simultaneously offering the richest 0.2% of households an estate tax cut is the definition of policy madness. Trickle-down economics theory is a proven scam to further enrich the wealthy at the expense of everyone else. That’s what these bills represent. Passing them would be a massive policy failure on the part of our legislature.

A bill allowing this has already passed through the state Senate with no votes in opposition.

02/29/2024

02/23/2024

The legislature has the opportunity this session to raise revenue to pay for much needed affordable housing—as well as land conservation and infrastructure—by increasing conveyance tax rates on investment properties.

02/19/2024

🚨 the House Finance Committee has scheduled two critical bills for a hearing on Wed., Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.!

Submit testimony at capitol.hawaii.gov!

Talking Points:

HB1662, Keiki Credit:
hiappleseed.org/keiki-credit

HB1660, Capital Gains Tax Reform:
hiappleseed.org/capital-gains-tax-reform

02/15/2024

We ❤️ the Keiki Credit!

This morning, lawmakers, advocates and working families held a Valentine’s Day press conference at the state capitol rotunda in support of the Keiki Credit to urge lawmakers to embrace this critical working families support!

Right now, our Keiki Credit bill, HB 1662, needs a hearing in the House Finance Committee. Let’s show committee chair Rep. Kyle Yamash*ta our aloha for the Keiki Credit by sending him a note asking him to schedule and support this bill!

Tap this link to get started: https://p2a.co/lpahcam

02/12/2024

Two of our priorities are awaiting a hearing, and we need to turn up the pressure to get these bills scheduled!

Send Finance Committee Chair Kyle Yamash*ta an email asking him to schedule these important tax fairness policies: p2a.co/yqQj8Cf

• HB1660 would tax capital gains at the same rate as regular income, adding up to $130 million in additional revenue, 97% of which would come from the richest 5% of households (and 85% of it from the top 1% of households).

• HB1662 would establish a state level Child Tax Credit (or Keiki Credit), establishing a critical lifeline for working parents struggling to afford the cost of living. The entire credit could be paid for by the capital gains change proposed in HB1660 (with room to spare).

02/08/2024

Join us Wed., Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. for a Keiki Credit rally and lobbying day!

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/keiki-credit-rally-lobby-day-tickets-816072624187

Send your lawmakers a quick email asking them to support the Keiki Credit, and the capital gains tax reform to pay for it: p2a.co/yqQj8Cf