Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Hawaii policy and prosperity
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Latest posts
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Housing ballot questions: action or rhetoric?
Many of the proposals to amend the Honolulu Charter that the city Charter Commission rejected earlier this year represent some of the biggest missed policy opportunities in recent memory. Several of them, including two submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, could have…
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Breaking down Hawaii’s 2026 state and county ballot questions
Jump to a ballot question State of Hawaiʻi Question 2: RISE bonds exempt from county debt limits Hawaiʻi County Charter amendment: Deputy county auditor City and County of Honolulu Question 1: Food security fund Question 7: Housing shortage statement of purpose Question 9:…
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Repeal ineffective Maui boards and add commission sunset provisions
Oct. 20, 2026, 1:30 p.m. Kalana O Maui Building To: Maui County Council Government Relations, Ethics and Transparency Committee Kauanoe Batangan, Chair Nohelani U‘u-Hodgins, Vice Chair From: Jonathan Helton, Senior Policy Analyst Grassroot Institute of Hawaii RE: COST OF…
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Affordable housing buyers deserve immediate access to tax relief
Oct. 20, 2026, 9 a.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Budget Val A. Okimoto, Chair Scott Y. Nishimoto, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 40 (2026), CD1 — RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION…
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Expanding Bill 7 affordable housing program would increase flexibility
Oct. 20, 2026, 2:30 p.m. Honolulu Hale To: Honolulu City Council Committee on Housing, Homelessness and Parks Andria Tupola, Chair Augie Tulba, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns RE: Bill 18 (2026), CD1 — RELATING TO…
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Helton: Jones Act waiver data shows law restricts domestic trade
A federal waiver of the century-old Jones Act has opened up shipping opportunities that would otherwise not exist, which Grassroot policy analyst Jonathan Helton said demonstrates that targeted reform could significantly lower costs and reduce imports without harming domestic…
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Will 2027 be the year for fiscal notes to accompany bills in Hawaii?
The idea that every bill ought to come with a price tag should not be revolutionary. Actually, it isn’t. Hawaii and Vermont are the only states without some kind of law on the books mandating that so-called fiscal notes accompany any proposed bill that could impact the budget —…
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A maze of approvals continues to slow wildfire rebuilding in Lahaina
The following commentary was originally published Oct. 15, 2026, in The Maui News under the headline “Abolish redundant board slowing Lahaina’s recovery.”____________ State and Maui County officials have waived some of the regulations slowing down Lahaina’s wildfire recovery,…
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ACLU supports Grassroot in court
I had the privilege earlier this week of witnessing in a courtroom setting an eloquent legal defense of the First Amendment. It was a great reminder that the future of liberty depends on protecting our freedom of speech. You might recall that the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii…
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Kauai workforce housing exemptions would unlock more affordable units
Oct. 14, 2026, 8:30 a.m. Lihue Civic Center To: Kaua'i County Council Mel Rapozo, Chair KipuKai Kuali'i, Vice Chair From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Jonathan Helton, Senior Policy Analyst RE: Bill 3009 — RELATING TO THE HOUSING POLICY FOR THE COUNTY OF KAUA'I Aloha Chair…