#grassroots Institute of Hawaii
Case re-introduces measures to relieve impacts of Jones Act on cost of living in Hawai‘i
US Reps. Ed Case (D-HI-01) and James Moylan (R-Guam) are leading re-introduction in Congress of three legislative proposals to reform the century-old Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the “Jones Act.” The Act has long been criticized for creating shipping monopolies that increase the cost of imported goods to non-contiguous US regions, including Hawai‘i, Guam, the Northern Marianas, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Alaska.
Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi suggests six ways to speed up home building in Lahaina
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi released today a second policy brief regarding how to speed up homebuilding on Maui in the wake of the deadly August 2023 wildfires that killed 102 people in Lahaina and left thousands of people homeless. It outlines four actions to assist with the rebuilding of destroyed housing or the construction of new temporary housing in the Lahaina burn zone, and two reforms that it says would increase Maui County’s housing stock in general.
Council gives initial approval for extended real property tax relief
Maui County Council members have given initial approval to Bill 85, which extends property tax relief to longtime residents who face high tax bills because of rapidly rising property values in their neighborhoods.
Op-Ed by The Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi: District balance of planning commission poses potential problem for TVR phase-out
Op-ed Commentary submitted by The Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi: ‘Wildly unbalanced’ planning commission potential problem for Bissen’s TVR phase-out. *****Views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author’s alone and do not reflect or represent the opinions, policies or positions of Maui Now.*****
Opinion: New law could help resolve Maui’s axis deer problem
Passed by the Legislature earlier this year, HB1382, now Act 54, allows nonprofits to donate wild game meat to “under-resourced” communities, including the homeless.
Op-Ed: Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi on Maui’s Jones Act waiver resolution
The Maui County Council unanimously approved Friday, a resolution urging the federal government to grant Hawaiʻi a temporary waiver from the Jones Act for oil imports.
Watchdog Group Gives Maui County ‘D’ Grade for Financial Practices
Maui County has earned a “D” grade from the national government accounting watchdog group Truth in Accounting, for leaving its taxpayers with bills of about $15,300 each to pay off its debt, according to the nonprofit Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi.
