ThinkTech Hawaii streams from 10:00 A Vacancy Tax Would Not Fix the Problem. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Jensen Ahokovi. Some state and county lawmakers in Hawai’i have proposed taxing so-called empty homes as a way to address Hawaii’s housing crisis. However, a new study from the Grassroot Institute […]
The Future of Hawaii’s Meat Industry (Hawaii Together)
Invasive Species a Unique Opportunity. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Bryan Mayer. Hawaii’s goal of advancing agriculture and food sustainability cannot happen in a vacuum. Deliberate action must be taken to identify and remove roadblocks to profitable local food production. Hawai’i already has a thriving cattle ranches, but invasive […]
A Housing Crisis Becomes a Tax Crisis (Hawaii Together)
New Report Offers Ways to Provide Relief. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Jonathan Helton. Hawai’i property assessments have been skyrocketing lately due to high demand and extensive land-use and zoning regulations that have strangled housing supply. That likely will mean higher property tax bills for property owners throughout the […]
Fixing Hawaii’s Transportation System (Hawaii Together)
A Dose of the Private Sector Would Help. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Baruch Feigenbaum. Hawai’i is the only island state in the country, which means it faces unique transportation challenges — whether shipping, airports, harbors, bus, rail or highways. So how can island lawmakers best manage the transportation […]
Is Hawaii’s Cesspool Law Feasible (Hawaii Together)
A Review of State and County Strategies. The host for this show is Joe Kent. The guest is Lance Owens. In 2017, Hawai’i adopted a law requiring that all of the state’s 88,000 cesspools be converted to septic, sewer or another wastewater disposal system by the year 2050. But cesspool conversation can be prohibitively expensive […]
On Promoting Local Foods in Hawaii (Hawaii Together)
Removing Barriers is Key to Growth. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Meagan Forbes. Increasing local food production is at the heart of Hawaii’s push for a more diversified economy. The state has used numerous strategies to achieve that goal, but with mixed success. So how can island lawmakers best […]
Hawaii’s Housing Shortage Explained (Hawaii Together)
Market-rate Homes Key to Easing Crisis. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Kevin Erdmann. Hawaii’s housing crisis is real, and it won’t go away without decisive action. But what should that action look like? Is state and county spending on new affordable housing the best way to lower housing prices? […]
Shining a Light on the Legislature (Hawaii Together)
Transparency Advocates Are Hopeful. The host for this show is Joe Kent. The guest is Brian Black. Corruption. Fraud. Bribery. These words and others now routinely make headlines in Hawaii. High-ranking public officials have been convicted of all sorts of criminal behaviors over the past decade. But why? And can anything be done about it? […]
Short-term Rentals on Hawaii Island (Hawaii Together)
Proposed Law Could Harm Farmers, Economy. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Joshua Montgomery. Short-term rentals are controversial across the country. It’s no different in Hawaii County. Some members of the Hawaii County Council are proposing tighter regulations on hosted short-term rentals in the hopes that doing so will add […]
Improving Healthcare in Hawaii (Hawaii Together)
Could a Lower Tax Burden Help. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Scott Grosskreutz. It’s no secret that Hawaii has a healthcare crisis. The state has a shortage of more than 700 physicians and more than 3,000 healthcare staff. Meanwhile, many patients report running into significant delays in finding the […]