Business entity registration scam
Recently, our Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs (DCCA) reminded people of a news release. The release was directed to anyone in Hawaii that owns or has control of an entity (such as a corporation, partnership, or LLC).
Here’s a tale of the state finances’ tape
When we analyze how well, or how poorly, our economy is faring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and then try to craft appropriate corrective action, we often hear the buzzword “data-driven.”
Eighth Amendment protects us from massive tax penalties
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” So reads the Eighth Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution.
Standardless Spending, Part 2?
A few weeks ago, we wrote about how the State’s procurement law was suspended by Governor’s Emergency Proclamation. We argued it meant standardless spending, and we were delighted to report last week that the issue was addressed in the most recent Emergency Proclamation.
We need to ask where is all the money
For most of us, if we are asked how much money we have (perhaps by a bank or credit union that is considering lending us money), answering the question isn’t terribly difficult.
Ham-fisted way of getting folks back to work
Here in the City and County of Honolulu, lots of people are out of work, especially in the hospitality industry.
Someone was listening to the howl in the woods
Here at the Tax Foundation, we watch our state government, and we howl a lot. Often, we don’t know if our message is being heard, or if it’s being taken seriously.
We are in trouble, and need to make up for budget shortfall
Let’s first start by stating the obvious. We’re in trouble. According to the latest forecasts put out by our Council on Revenues, we have a state budget hole of more than 2 billion dollars.
Pulling teeth at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Imagine that you wake up one day to an awful toothache, and you march into your dentist’s office.
Academic leadership addresses budget shortfall
Recently, the University of Hawaii announced that it was going to take steps to combat the anticipated budget shortfall caused by our economic shutdown and the consequent drop in tax revenues.
State busy with standardless spending
We are feverishly trying to spend federal dollars for the common good and busily preparing for a historic election. There are, however, other huge projects in the wings where government agencies are setting up to spend record-setting amounts of money in public-private partnerships.
On Ige’s veto of the ‘revolving-door bill’
On Sept. 15, Gov. David Ige released his final list of bills he is vetoing from the 2020 legislative session. The list included House Bill 2124, which some people have called the “revolving-door bill.”
Governors Abercrombie and Waihe‘e on leadership
On Tuesday, Sept. 8, the Tax Foundation of Hawai‘i was pleased to welcome former Governors Neil Abercrombie and John Waihe‘e III to the first-ever virtual annual meeting of the Tax Foundation of Hawai‘i.
State Auditor’s Review of GET Exemptions and Exclusions
In 2016, lawmakers came up with a law requiring the State Auditor to review exemptions, exclusions, and credits in the general excise, public service company, and insurance premium taxes.
Current situation on contact tracers is unknown
Last week we discussed contact tracers, the people at the Department of Health who are supposed to follow up with COVID-19 positive patients and trace their contacts in order to either find their sources of infection or at least let the people with whom they were in contact know that they have been exposed to the virus.
Case of the missing contact tracer millions
The story you are about to read is true. The names have not been changed to protect the innocent. This is the city: Honolulu, Hawaii. I live here. I’m a doggie.
The fear of disappearing shares of CARES Act money
Two weeks ago in this space, we wrote about a generous genie known as Uncle Sam who is making available $1.25 billion under section 5001 of the CARES Act.
The doomsday rules in the general excise tax
Now that the economy is down and tax revenues are in the tank, we are now seeing cases of our state Department of Taxation using some particularly-nasty provisions in the tax code.
How we’re going to spend CARES Act money
Imagine what would happen if a genie came up to you and said, “Here’s a pot of money for you. All you need to do is spend it by the end of the year. If you don’t, whatever you haven’t spent will disappear.” What would you do with it?
How the unemployment tax impacts nonprofits
Two weeks ago in this space we discussed the unemployment tax and insurance system and how employers are likely to be hit with a significant and automatic rate increase at the end of this year.