Beekeepers Looking to Boost Industry. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Harry Holm. Hawai’i Island helps feed the United States and Canada with a unique export: bees, which are essential for the pollination of plants that farms produce. In fact, beehives on Hawai’i Island supply three-quarters of the queen bees […]
‘Surprise’ Tax Last Straw for Bar Owner (Hawaii Together)
Bill Comerford Closes Shop. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Bill Comerford. Before the COVID-19 lockdowns, Bill Comerford owned four of Honolulu’s most popular restaurant bars: Kelley O’Neil’s, Irish Rose Saloon, Anna O’Briens and O’Toole’s. But the forced closures during the lockdown years and later heavy taxation led him to […]
CPRs, ADUs and Other Housing Options (Hawaii Together)
Ways to Maximize Current Zoning Laws. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Abe Lee. The practice of building more housing in existing urban areas — ‘infill’ homebuilding — is one of the hottest trends in the country right now, and today’s guest on ‘Hawaii Together,’ Abe Lee, has a great […]
Hawaii’s Short-term Rental Crackdown (Hawaii Together)
State, County Bills Threaten Residents. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Joshua Montgomery. State and county bills loom over the future of Hawaii’s short-term vacation rental industry. Several state bills would allow counties to phase out short-term rentals and impose higher taxes on them, while a Hawaii Island initiative would […]
Reviewing the Governor’s Housing Orders (Hawaii Together)
A Blueprint for Permanent Reforms. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Andrew Luff. Hawai’i Gov. Josh Green made national news this summer when he announced his emergency order suspending all manner of regulations related to homebuilding, including zoning, land-use, civil service and environmental. Green has since restored some of the […]
Empowering Food Entrepreneurs (Hawaii Together)
Education, Policy Changes Needed. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Brynn Foster. Hawaii’s local food entrepreneurs could play a key role in making the state more food independent and fostering a sense of community, but there are a few state rules holding them back. Brynn Foster, the founder of Voyaging […]
A Housing Boondoggle (Hawaii Together)
A Tax Credit with a Checkered past. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Randal O’Toole. Affordable housing sometimes comes at great public cost. One joint federal-state program intended to provide low-income housing is being accused of costing taxpayers far more than it should, due to dubious practices involving a tax […]
The Wrath of CON (Hawaii Together)
Updating Hawaii’s Healthcare Policy. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Matthew Mitchell. Hawaii’s hospitals, walk-in clinics and other healthcare providers have been held back for decades by arcane regulations known as ‘certificate of need’ laws, or CON laws for short. These rules dictate that anyone wanting to open a new […]
Yes, in God’s Backyard (Hawaii Together)
Reviewing California’s Housing Reforms. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Chris Calton. A new law in California — called the ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’ law — makes it easier for churches and other religious institutions to build housing on their properties. Chris Calton, Ph.D., a research fellow at the Oakland, […]
Fixing Hawaii’s Tax System (Hawaii Together)
Decrease Taxes for Families, Businesses. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Andrey Yushkov. Hawaii’s income tax rates are among the highest in the country, and its business climate is consistently ranked poorly. Meanwhile, residents continue to flee the state for less expensive mainland locales. Tax reform could be a course […]