Move ahead with care on tax relief
Legislators must ensure that the relief package makes the most of state resources, finding the right balance of lower taxes and the services that Hawaiʻi’s people need most.
The five best tax ideas coming from governors this year
One of the clearest trends in state tax debates this year is the continuing momentum toward new and better tax credits for workers and families.
Will the states finally tax the rich?
Lawmakers in seven states last month introduced legislation that aims, in some innovative ways, to raise taxes on their most fiscally favored.
A ‘wealth asset tax’ on Hawaiʻi’s richest residents advances in the legislature
The new tax would apply to people with a net worth of more than $20 million.
A national wealth tax has gone nowhere. Now some states want to tax the ultra-rich
Each state has its own approach for taxing the rich, but typically the strategies include taxing assets as well as lowering the threshold for estate taxes.
Tax the rich? Liberals renew push for state wealth taxes
Supporters of taxes on the very rich contend that people are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic with a bigger appetite for what they’re calling “tax justice.”
Hawaiʻi Tax Fairness Coalition protest at state capitol in favor of new tax on ultra-wealthy
The coalition is proposing new taxes on the ultra wealthy, and more tax relief to the low and middle income residents.
State progressives launch coordinated push to raise taxes on the rich
A coalition of left-leaning state legislators announced a new effort Thursday to tax the richest Americans, simultaneously introducing bills across eight states.
Hawaiʻi lawmakers finally agree on raising the minimum wage
House Bill 2510 also makes a state earned income tax credit refundable. Meanwhile, many taxpayers could soon get a $300 tax rebate.
Hawaiʻi is spending $417 less on services per child compared to 2005, report says
Over the course of nearly two decades, the state is spending about $400 less per child than in 2005, according to a new report from Hawaiʻi Budget & Policy Center and Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network.
Editorial: Help for Hawaiʻi households
For too many families living in Hawaiʻi, the answer to, “How’re you doing?” is, “Just hanging on.”
How the legislature can help ALICE families
The EITC is far more effective as both a household budget lifeline and as an economic stimulus when it is fully refundable and puts cash directly in the hands of families that need it most.
Legislature should prioritize children by investing in their future
If not, we risk relegating some kids to a future of poverty and poor mental and physical health.
House approves minimum wage, Mauna Kea bills after emotional floor debate
As the Legislature nears the halfway mark for this year’s session, measures to provide $600 million for Native Hawaiian housing and increase the capital gains tax also advance.
Capital gains tax increase and a new carbon tax may not make the cut
With all 76 members of the legislature up for reelection, lawmakers are expected to shy away from those potentially controversial tax measures this year.
State tax bill could have major impact on Kauaʻi
A bill in the state legislature could potentially mean more money in the pockets of working families on Kauaʻi.
Legislators consider extending income tax credit for struggling families
Every dollar a tax filer gets from the EITC generates another $1.24 in economic activity. This type of tax refund can act as an economic stimulus for the state.
Working families deserve permanent earned income tax refund
When all working families are able to permanently access the full value of the Earned Income Tax Credit, communities across our state will become stronger and better prepared for the many challenges that lay ahead in the 21st century.
Hawaiʻi legislature 2022: smart spending could help big problems
Those ideas include increasing the very modest food and rent tax credits for low-income families, and creating a refundable state earned income tax credit that would put some additional money in the pockets of working families.
Here’s how Hawaiʻi’s new state budget is shaping up
With just a few weeks left in session, both the House and Senate plan to bail out Hawaii employers and pass some tax increases.