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    The Public Health Threat of Toxic Sperm

    Sydney Ross Singer
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    The Public Health Threat of Toxic Sperm

    Heads up, ejaculators! The way to prevent prostate cancer is at hand. 

    Prostate researchers at Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health have been working hard, and the payoff has come. Men who have wondered how many times to ejaculate in order to protect their prostate from getting cancer can now heave a sigh of relief. The magic number has been determined, and it’s over 21 times per month, presumably not all at once.

    Researching ejaculation as a prevention of prostate cancer takes a lot of spunk. But the world’s ejaculators want to know how to prevent prostate cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer in men. And decades of sperm and prostate research has shown that the prostate is sensitive to environmental toxins, including pesticides and heavy metals. According to Harvard experts, “One possible explanation for why frequent ejaculation might protect against prostate cancer is that it may help clear potentially cancer-causing substances from the prostate”. 

    This is welcome news to the millions of men who like to ejaculate, and to the porn industry. But there is a major problem, which is the elephant in the room. If ejaculation helps to eliminate toxins in the prostate, then what do you do with all that toxic sperm?

    Masturbation seems benign enough. The toxic sperm can be easily discarded. But what about sex? More specifically, what about the recipients of that toxic sperm, which is usually women?

    Harvard has nothing to say about women in their discussion. Despite touting frequent sex as a preventative of prostate cancer by eliminating toxins from the prostate, there is no consideration of the impact of eliminating these toxins into women’s bodies. 

    Of course, if these toxins can cause prostate cancer, it begs the question of what they do to women. Many women suffer from reproductive and lactational problems, which are associated with heavy metal poisoning. Could frequent exposure to toxic sperm be an important source of heavy metal poisoning in women? 

    Many women develop cervical cancer. Much of the time, the cervix is the target for toxic sperm. While cancer of the cervix is theorized to be caused mainly by the human papilloma virus (HPV), over a third of cases have no known cause. Sperm-delivered toxins may not only explain these cases, but may also irritate the cervix and make it more susceptible to the HPV virus. 

    Harvard ejaculation experts clearly know that ejaculation can take place in the vagina, so they have recommended “safe” ejaculation. According to the Harvard public health article, 

    Ejaculation has many benefits and few risks if done safely. “Sex can be a wonderful part of healthy relationships, and sex and masturbation can have positive psychosocial effects,” she (Dr. Mucci) said. “So, there is no downside to increased sex—or masturbation—as long as it is protected sex.”

    That advice is music to the ears of the condom industry, which will have to stretch itself to cover the millions of men who are told to eliminate toxic sperm around 5 times per week. Condoms are excellent disposal bags for toxic sperm. But what man likes to wear a condom?

    It is also not clear from the Harvard statement whether the protected sex is to prevent STD’s, or to prevent cervical cancer and other contamination of the female body. However, given that the discussion of toxic sperm never mentions women, and given that all public health sex recommendations encourage condom use to prevent STD’s, as well as avoiding unwanted pregnancies, it is safe to assume that the condom use was not to protect women, but to protect the ejaculator from STD’s and child support.

    Women always get the short end of the stick when it comes to health issues, especially sexual ones. For example, when a man wants to have sex but is having a hard time getting hard, he  can pop a Viagra and get an erection; women who have a hard time getting interested in sex can get the drug Bremelanotide (Vyleesi), and, according to WebMD, “It’s a shot you give yourself in the belly or thigh 45 minutes before you have sex. You take one in a 24-hour period, and doctors recommend only eight shots per month.”

    Of course, it is different taking a pill than taking a needle to the belly or thigh. Men would not put up with a needle. Imagine a man getting a woman aroused by taking out the syringe as he pops a Viagra.

    Amazingly, the doctors, mostly male, warn women to only take eight shots per month. That’s getting injected twice per week to please her ejaculator. If you do the math, that means men will only get to ejaculate 8 times per month, which is below their needed 21 orgasms, which obviously puts men at risk. 

    This means the needs of the ejaculator and the needs of the recipient of that ejaculate are sometimes in conflict. Men need to cleanse their prostates of toxins, and some women, who are not interested in sex otherwise, are only willing to provide a sperm removal service about 8 times per month. What’s a health-conscious man to do?

    Clearly, some women are not sexual enough for men to properly cleanse their prostates. Men need more opportunities for cleansing. This shows how porn and sex dolls are the health products of the future. 

    Meanwhile, as men follow the advice of Harvard scientists and happily climax to improve their reproductive health and prevent prostate cancer, women will have to hope that someone finally wonders what happens when toxins are transferred from a male’s prostate to their vaginas. For many women, this is a lot to swallow. But unless we start considering women’s health as important as men’s sexual gratification, expect men to continue dumping their toxic waste in whomever, or whatever, they can. 

    Khentrul Rinpoche, author of “The Power of Mind”, to speak at First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, March 3

    Guest Contributor
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    Khentrul Rinpoche, author of “The Power of Mind”, to speak at First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, March 3

    We’ve all heard platitudes about cultivating wisdom, love, and compassion, but can these qualities really transform adversity?  Tibetan Buddhist monk Khentrul Rinpoche will discuss how yes, they can.  We don’t find these qualities by searching for them in the outside world, but by training the mind.  Peace and happiness start within us then extend out to the entire globe.  Regardless of what’s happening in our lives, Khentrul Rinpoche teaches that our route to freedom lies within our minds.

    Please join us for an event with Rinpoche as he explores the potential and power of our mind, and introduces us to this wisdom that has been passed down from teacher to student for centuries.

    WHERE:   First Unitarian Church of Honolulu

                         2500 Pali Highway, Honolulu

    WHEN:     Friday, March 3, 2023 from 7:00-8:30 PM

    NO ADMISSION CHARGE- envelopes will be at the door if you wish to donate.

    Sponsored by Katog Mati Ling

    FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Greg Yuen, gregyuen@cs.com, (808)2847955

    Tibetan Buddhist monk explores the potential and power of our mind

    Author of “The Power of Mind”, Khentrul Lodro Thaye is a Tibetan Buddhist monk with three Khenpo degrees—equivalent to three PhDs in Buddhist philosophy.  He is the abbot of a monastery in Tibet and oversees meditation groups across North America, Australia and South Africa.  Since 2002 Rinpoche has traveled year-round teaching seminars and retreats.  Since the pandemic, he has held online retreats for students around the globe.

    Interstate licensure compacts would help attract more medical workers

    Grassroot Institute
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    Interstate licensure compacts would help attract more medical workers

    The following testimony was presented Feb. 1, 2023, by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii to the House Committee on Health & Homelessness.
    ___________

    To: House Committee on Health & Homelessness
    Rep. Della Au Belatti, Chair
    Rep. Jenna Takenouchi, Vice Chair

    From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
    Jonathan Helton, Policy Researcher

    RE: HB 666 — RELATING TO THE INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT

    Comments Only

    Dear Chair and Committee Members:

    The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii would like to offer its comments on HB666, which would enter Hawaii into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.

    If this bill is enacted, the Legislature will take an important step toward addressing Hawaii’s doctor shortage, a problem that has existed for years and has become a serious obstacle to healthcare access in our state.

    It is well established that Hawaii is suffering from a physician shortage. According to the most recent report from the Hawaii Physician Workforce Assessment Project, the state is currently short by approximately 776 full-time equivalent physicians.[1] While the greatest area of need is primary care physicians, the lack of specialists — especially in rural areas — is also severe

    Moreover, that shortage does not apply to only doctors. Across the state, and especially in rural areas, Hawaii is facing shortages of experienced health professionals, from primary care providers to nurses, specialists and staff.

    Fixing the problem requires a multipronged strategy that will address everything from Hawaii’s high cost of living to the state’s regulatory scheme for healthcare facilities. Perhaps most important, however, is the need to reform licensing regulations for healthcare professionals.

    One-fourth of all licensed workers in the U.S. work in healthcare.[2] Those licenses can be difficult to obtain, are expensive and carry geographic or “scope of practice” limitations.

    In light of Hawaii’s shortages of healthcare professionals, restrictions on healthcare workers who already hold licenses in other U.S. states seem redundant and self-defeating. As the Federal Trade Commission noted in a report on occupational licensing portability:

    There is little justification for the burdensome, costly, and redundant licensing processes that many states impose on qualified, licensed, out-of-state applicants. Such requirements likely inhibit multistate practice and delay or even prevent licensees from working in their occupations upon relocation to a new state. Indeed, for occupations that have not implemented any form of license portability, the harm to competition from suppressed mobility may far outweigh any plausible consumer protection benefit from the failure to provide for license portability.[3]

    In other words, though medical licensing is intended to protect the public, there is a point at which the level of regulation reduces the number of people in practice without an appreciable public benefit.

    One study of licensing among medical professionals found that, “licensing is associated with restricted labor supply, an increased wage of the licensed occupation, rents, increased output prices, and no measurable effect on output quality.”[4]

    This is where we can benefit from the lessons of the coronavirus situation. The governor’s emergency modification to state licensing laws demonstrated a need to embrace license portability, making it a simple matter for a doctor licensed in another state to practice in Hawaii.

    The interstate compact approach outlined in this bill would streamline licensing for physicians, making it easier for doctors from participating states to practice in Hawaii without facing time-consuming, costly and redundant regulatory hurdles.

    The state would retain its control over Hawaii licensure requirements, but would simultaneously increase the pool of doctors able to practice in Hawaii and shorten the time it would take for them to begin working here.

    At present, the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact includes 37 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. Five additional states have introduced legislation to join as well. Years of successful implementation testify to the safety and effectiveness of this approach to license reciprocity.

    According to the IMLC, its purpose is to serve as “an administrative clearinghouse of licensing and disciplinary information among participating member states and territories. The Commission does not have regulatory control over physicians or the practice of medicine. It neither issues nor revokes licenses. Its only purpose is to facilitate interstate cooperation and the transfer of information between member states and territories.”

    Joining the IMLC would be an important step toward attracting more doctors to our state, thereby addressing our physician shortage and improving healthcare access for all.

    Thank you for the opportunity to submit our comments.

    Sincerely,

    Jonathan Helton
    Policy Researcher,
    Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
    ____________

    [1] “Annual Report on Findings from the Hawai’i Physician Workforce Assessment Project: Report to the 2023 Legislature,” University of Hawaii, December 2022, p.1

    [2] Ryann Nunn, “Improving Health Care Through Occupational Licensing Reform,” RealClear Markets, Aug. 28, 2018

    [3] Karen Goldman, “Options to Enhance Occupational License Portability,” Federal Trade Commission, September 2018, p. 25.

    [4] Sean Nicholson and Carol Propper, “Chapter Fourteen — Medical Workforce,” “Handbook of Health Economics,” Vol. 2, Elsevier, B.V., 2012, p. 885, cited also in the previously mentioned FTC study, footnote #9, p3.

    LUC reform would help reduce homebuilding delays in Hawaii

    Grassroot Institute
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    LUC reform would help reduce homebuilding delays in Hawaii

    The following testimony was presented Feb. 1, 2023, by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii to the House Committee on Housing.
    ___________

    To: House Committee on Housing
    Rep. Troy N. Hashimoto, Chair
    Rep. Micah P.K. Aiu, Vice Chair

    From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
    Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns

    RE: HB670 — RELATING TO THE LAND USE COMMISSION

    Comments Only

    Dear Chair and Committee Members:

    The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii would like to offer its comments on HB670, which would streamline the process by which the state Land Use Commission acts on boundary amendments.

    Under this bill, the number of affirmative votes required for a boundary amendment would be reduced from six to a simple majority.

    In addition, the number of days from filing a petition in which the commission must hold a hearing would be reduced from 180 to 120, and the number of days in which the commission must act to approve, deny, or modify the petition would be reduced from 365 to 180.

    This bill correctly identifies and addresses one of the major causes for the slow growth of housing in this state: the delays caused by multiple layers of bureaucratic approvals.

    Delays in county and state approvals — whether caused by permitting backlogs or the difficulties of navigating Hawaii’s multitiered approval process — are one of the reasons Hawaii’s average approval delay is three times the national mean.[1]

    We commend this committee for considering a bill that would reduce such delays at LUC.

    Over time, the LUC has evolved into a kind of state-level zoning and approval agency, which has added to the delay and bureaucracy faced by those looking to develop more housing. A Grassroot Institute of Hawaii report, “Reform the Hawaii LUC to encourage more housing,” discussed how state policymakers could encourage the growth of housing by reexamining the role and purpose of the LUC.

    The Grassroot report focused heavily on ways to reduce the scope of the LUC, leaving it free to focus on statewide environmental issues and district boundary amendments of conservation lands. But it also promoted the idea of making the LUC more efficient in general.

    Further reform should look at ways to continue refocusing the LUC to better achieve its original purpose, but in the short term, this bill would help reduce the wait for housing developments that require LUC approval.

    For anyone who wants to see more homes built, enactment of this bill would be an important and very welcome step forward. We urge the committee to pass this bill.

    Thank you for the opportunity to submit our comments.

    Sincerely,

    Ted Kefalas
    Director of Strategic Campaigns
    Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
    _____________

    [1] Rachel Inafuku, Justin Tyndall and Carl Bonham, “Measuring the Burden of Housing Regulation in Hawaii,” Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii, April 14, 2022, p.7.

    New report makes case for exempting medical services from Hawaii’s GET

    Grassroot Institute
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    New report makes case for exempting medical services from Hawaii’s GET
    The following is a news release that was issued Jan. 30, 2023, by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.
    ____________

    A Grassroot Institute of Hawaii policy brief contends removing the tax would lower medical costs and help alleviate the state’s doctor shortage

    HONOLULU, Jan. 30, 2023 >> The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii today released a policy brief explaining why medical services should be exempted from the state’s general excise tax.   

    The new publication, written by Institute Policy Director Malia Hill, outlines how such an exemption would both lower medical costs for patients and help alleviate the state’s critical doctor shortage.

    Keli‘i Akina, Institute president and CEO, said the new brief is intended to help state lawmakers understand why exempting medical services from the GET is practical and worth achieving.

    “I know there are a half-dozen bills in the 2023 Legislature already that propose such an exemption, whether wholly or in part.” Akina said, “But for any legislators still sitting on the fence about this issue, I hope this information will move them to fully support this reasonable and needed proposal.”

    The Institute’s new brief, “The case for exempting medical services from Hawaii’s general excise tax,” explains that not-for-profit facilities such as hospitals are already exempt from the state’s GET, but that private practice physicians must pay the the state’s base 4% GET, plus any county surcharges, which currently are capped at 0.5%. 

    The report says that because the GET is a gross receipts tax, “it becomes a significant overhead expense for private practice physicians, making it extremely difficult to be profitable — especially for new doctors who are just starting out and still paying their student loans.”

    The Hawaii Physician Workforce Assessment Project recently estimated that Hawaii is short 776 full-time-equivalent physicians. The greatest need is in primary care, but Hawaii also desperately needs specialists –– especially on the neighbor islands, where getting specialized care is more difficult and often necessitates flying to Oahu for treatment. 

    Based on prior Institute research, Hill states that a medical services exemption from the state GET would reduce state tax revenues by estimated $222 million a year. However, “since the state has a $2.6 billion surplus for fiscal year 2023, and is expecting a surplus of about $10 billion over the next four years, it is in an excellent position to afford such a tax exemption.” 

    Hill adds: “To the extent that the exemption would help resolve Hawaii’s doctor shortage, the $222 million could be considered money well spent.”

    To read or download the new Grassroot Institute policy brief, go here.

    Gov. Green’s immediate use of emergency powers is troubling

    Grassroot Institute
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    Gov. Green’s immediate use of emergency powers is troubling

    By Keli‘i Akina

    Gov. Josh Green promised strong action to address housing during his first State of the State address this week, and clearly he is trying to deliver. 

    At one point during his speech, he even signed an emergency proclamation to create housing for the homeless.

    Few would argue with the good intentions behind that order. In an effort to cut red tape and get housing built as soon as possible, the governor suspended a series of laws that might hinder that goal. 

    I appreciate the governor’s passion for this issue and agree that homelessness is a high priority for our state. I also agree that bureaucracy and red tape have become a major barrier to affordable housing in Hawaii.

    Keli‘i Akina

    But as much as I agree with the governor’s ideas, I cannot fully endorse the method. The emergency proclamation intended to address homelessness might be efficient, but it suffers from the same defect as most emergency orders: It sidesteps the democratic process.

    This is the lesson we learned from the COVID-19 crisis. The emergency powers of the governor were intended for situations in which there is an imminent threat to life and health, when there isn’t time for the deliberative action that generally characterizes democratic government.

    Because rule by emergency proclamation effectively cuts out the people’s voice via the legislative process, it was also intended to be temporary. Once the imminent danger has passed, the legislative check on executive power must be restored as soon as possible.

    Gov. Green witnessed how his predecessor repeatedly invoked the power and convenience of emergency orders during the pandemic, so perhaps it’s no surprise that he has turned to that mechanism to deal with a difficult issue. 

    But however well-intentioned his homelessness order might be, it is a Band-Aid approach where more long-term solutions are called for.

    Taken at face value, most of the governor’s homelessness order was good. It waived bureaucratic barriers that have frustrated efforts to create shelters for the homeless. 

    However, the governor also waived transparency and procurement laws that are intended to promote accountability. It’s hard to see how these laws were a real obstacle to helping the homeless. 

    It seems as though the point of the homelessness order is simply to suspend contracting, procurement and land-use laws just long enough to secure the contracts and approvals needed for this homelessness program. The order specifically states that the agreements created during the duration of the emergency will be honored even after the emergency ends. 

    Once again, that is an admirable level of efficiency. But I worry that the Legislature may learn the wrong lesson from this order. 

    If good governance is being held up by red tape, the answer is not to use an emergency proclamation to get around those regulations. The answer is to get rid of the red tape.

    An emergency proclamation isn’t supposed to be a “Get out of regulations free” card, to be employed as a relief valve on a vital issue. 

    It should not be used to absolve Hawaii lawmakers of their responsibility to respond to critical policy issues with reasoned action.

    It also comes uncomfortably close to the return of one-man rule, which I had hoped was finally over. Like it or not, the public has a right to weigh in on the governor’s homelessness reforms, and this order short-circuits that process.

    The Legislature should take the governor’s homelessness order as a call to action — not just to revisit the boundaries of emergency power, but also to look at the regulatory barriers that have frustrated efforts to address homelessness. 

    My hope is that we can all work together to find a more permanent and democratic solution to the problem.
    ___________

    Keli‘i Akina is president and CEO of Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

    What’s In the Governor’s Bill Package

    Tom Yamachika
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    What’s In the Governor’s Bill Package

    Governor Josh Green recently gave his State of the State address. His office and his agencies dropped a bill package into the legislative hopper. It really feels like we’re in the legislative session now!

    Bills introduced as part of the Governor’s Package bear a symbol, like a license plate number.  There are three letters identifying the agency primarily sponsoring the bill, such as TAX for the Department of Taxation, or ATG for the Department of the Attorney General, and a two-digit number.  An agency’s leading bill, such as TAX–01, typically has some measure of extra importance or significance, but that can vary with agencies and administrations.

    This year, the Department of Taxation has only one of its own bills in the session, TAX-01 (SB 1398 / HB 1087), which, for several decades, was used for the bill that conforms Hawaii’s income tax law (and, in recent years, its estate tax law also) to the federal Internal Revenue Code.  The Department has no other bills of its own this year, which is highly unusual; however, as we shall see, the Department contributed significantly to several high-profile bills this session.

    This year, the centerpiece of the Governor’s legislative agenda is SB 1347 / HB 1049, designated GOV-01. It aims to give broad tax relief to pretty much everyone in Hawaii. It does this by juicing up several credits already on the books, giving a significant boost to the standard deduction, and doubling the personal exemption amount. 

    It’s a tax bill obviously, and the Department of Taxation admits having a heavy hand in drafting it; but designating it as GOV-01 means that the Governor’s Office itself probably will be pushing the bill and offering testimony to help move it along.  Some call it the Green Affordability Plan, or GAP for short.

    GOV-02 (SB 1348 / HB 1050) is a bill that establishes a General Excise Tax exemption for such things as certain groceries, feminine hygiene products, incontinence products and over-the-counter drugs.  There already is a GET exemption for prescription drugs and prosthetic devices, so this bill appears to continue down a previously started path toward exempting essentials from the GET.

    GOV-03 (SB 1349 / HB 1051) is the bill containing the often-discussed Visitor Green Fee Program.  The idea here would be to charge State visitors $50 for a one-year license to visit State-owned natural resources like parks and nature preserves.  We’ve spoken on this kind of program before and cautioned that a program like this may need some tweaking to be allowable under the U.S. Constitution’s Privileges and Immunities Clause.

    GOV-04 (SB 1350 / HB 1052) establishes a Climate Impact Special Fund, and among other things allocates five cents per barrel of imported fossil fuel products from the Barrel Tax to feed the fund.  Those who have been following us in the Foundation know that we aren’t big fans of the barrel tax, or of special funds.  But of course we need to see what the rest of the world thinks about this.

    And, rounding out the list of tax bills being sponsored by the Governor’s Office, is GOV-06 (SB 1352 / HB 1054) which establishes a rental deposit loan program, to help folks get themselves into housing units, and enlarges the GET exemption for construction of more affordable housing units.

    Any of the bills mentioned in this article can be followed on the Capitol website, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov.  Bills can’t change their number once assigned, although legislators can sometimes take liberties by amending the content of the bills.  If you have opinions on these or any other bills, now is a good time to let your legislator know!

    Testimony: To raise or not to raise the salaries of Maui County officials?

    Grassroot Institute
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    Testimony: To raise or not to raise the salaries of Maui County officials?

    The following testimony by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii was considered by the Maui County Salary Commission on Jan. 20, 2023.
    ______________

    Jan. 20, 2023
    9:00 a.m.
    Mayor’s Conference Room and Videoconference

    To: The Maui County Salary Commission
    Chair, Scott Parker
    Vice Chair, Grant Nakama

    From: Joe Kent
              Executive Vice President
    Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

    RE: Item 5.A, Discussion and consideration of the Salary Commission’s 2023 strategy and approach regarding the salaries for the Mayor, County Council members, Directors, Deputy Directors and County Auditor.

    Comments Only

    Dear Chair and Commission Members:

    The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii would like to offer its comments on the Salary Commission’s 2023 strategy for determining the salaries of the mayor, County Council members, department directors and the county auditor.

    In April 2022, the Commission voted to give the mayor, County Council members and department directors a 5% pay increase. This was the first raise the Council had received since 2013.[1]

    Going forward in 2023, the Commission should consider the following:

    >> The Maui County Council is the highest paid Council in the state.

    Because of last year’s pay raise, members of the Maui County Council now receive a salary of $80,298.75 a year; the Council chair receives $86,336.25.

    On Kauai, the Kauai County Council voted in September 2022 to give itself, the mayor and the department heads 15% raises. By 2024, Kauai’s Council members will be making $78,672 a year, and the Council chair $88,502.[2]

    In Honolulu and Hawaii counties, the mayors and county councils did not receive any pay increases last year.[3] Their council members are paid $68,904 and $70,008 per year, respectively.[4]

    >> Many city and county council members across the U.S. work for less.

    Across the United States, there is great variation in how city and county council members are compensated.

    In Texas, Austin City Council members make $116,688 per year while Dallas Council members earn only $60,000 per year — even though both councils are full-time.[5]

    Meanwhile, many smaller localities across the country are led by council members who receive much lower compensation.

    For example, Sandy Springs, Georgia, a town of about 100,000 people, pays its mayor $47,000 per year, and its council members $21,000, adjusted for Hawaii’s cost of living.[6] The city is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in America,[7] and is home to several Fortune 500 companies.[8]

    Maui lawmakers are not necessarily full-time employees

    Maui County officials are neither part-time nor full-time employees, according to the Maui Corporation Council, which stated on April 8, 2019:

    Elected officials are a unique class of public servant who are neither full-time or part-time. While the county council may designate its members as full-time, the benefits accorded to elected officials are not based on that designation. The benefits available to elected officials are established by statute. We make no opinion whether the Salary Commission should consider the full-time or part-time status of elected officials.[9]

    The fact that the mayor and council have in the past worked long hours does not necessarily mean that they should work so much, nor that spending so much time on their jobs is a “public good.”

    For example, in some instances, the laborious creation of legislation that puts barriers in the way of housing or business activity, or infringes on the property rights of citizens, could actually be considered a “public bad,” and should not be encouraged.

    Above all, as the Maui County Salary Commission works on its strategy for 2023, it is important to remember that creating a great place to live does not require paying the mayor and County Council members high salaries.

    Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

    Joe Kent

    Executive Vice President

    Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

    [1] Lila Fujimoto, “Panel awards pay raises to mayor, council,” The Maui News, April 9, 2022.

    [2] Guthrie Scrimgeour, “Kaua‘i county council approves raises for mayor, department heads, councilmembers,” The Garden Island, Sept. 8, 2022.

    [3] Ashley Mizuo, “No salary increase this year for Council members, mayor and department heads,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, April 19, 2022.

    [4] Richard Wiens, “Which County Pays Its Council Members The Most? (Hint: It’s Not Honolulu),” Honolulu Civil Beat, Oct. 17, 2021.

    [5] Bridget Grumet, “Grumet: Austin City Council’s big raises came with too little explanation,” Austin American-Statesman, Aug. 21, 2022.

    [6] Based on Grassroot Institute of Hawaii calculations, Jan. 19, 2023, using the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis cost-of-living adjuster, and Sandy Springs base salaries of $40,000 for its mayor and $18,000 for its council members. See “Real Personal Consumption Expenditures by State and Real Personal Income by State and Metropolitan Area, 2021,” U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Dec. 15, 2022; and “Running for Office and Qualifying for the Municipal Election,” SandySpringsGA.gov, 2021.

    [7] “Awards and honors,” SandySpringsGA.gov, 2021.

    [8] John Ruch, “Sandy Springs Is A Magnet For Fortune 500 Headquarters,” Sandy Springs magazine, Sept. 21, 2021.

    [9] Letter from Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, Maui County Council vice-chair, to Gary Murai, Maui deputy corporation counsel, April 8, 2019, p. 6.

    Green’s State of the State address deserves kudos but with caveats

    Grassroot Institute
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    Green’s State of the State address deserves kudos but with caveats

    This news release was issued Jan. 23, 2023 by Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.
    ___

    Most compelling was the governor’s proposal to increase tax deductions and support open records, but all the talk about spending was worrisome

    HONOLULU, Jan. 23, 2023 >> Grassroot Institute of Hawaii President and CEO Keli‘i Akina issued a statement following Hawaii Gov. Josh Green’s first State of the State Address. The comments below may be attributed to him; Akina is also available for interviews:

    Overall thoughts:

    We can’t support everything Gov. Green proposed, but there is a lot to like. This is encouraging. 

    On taxes:

    The Grassroot Institute is very happy to see the governor propose an increase in the standard deduction for personal income taxes. In general, the plan would implement the largest tax reduction in state history, which would help struggling taxpayers afford Hawaii’s high cost of living.”

    Indexing income tax brackets to inflation also makes sense; we don’t want people getting pushed into higher tax brackets due to inflation while their buying power is actually going down.

    However, I would have liked to see the governor’s proposals go even further. For example, we would like to see the state general excise tax eliminated for groceries, so Hawaii residents can get immediate relief at the point of sale. That’s an opportunity to go bolder.

    The governor also should pledge to support tax relief for medical services, as a way to increase access to healthcare and make Hawaii a more attractive place for doctors to practice. 

    Beyond that, the governor didn’t say anything about imposing new taxes, but we want to make sure that targeted tax cuts are not offset by raising taxes elsewhere. 

    Another concern is that the governor proposed new spending that might be difficult to sustain in non-surplus budget years. 

    On housing:

    The governor expressed the right sentiment on housing, but more government programs are not the answer to the problems we are facing, and I’m not thrilled with the use of an emergency order to address the issue.

    I understand why the governor feels that things have gotten so out of control that an emergency order is needed, but Hawaii’s housing problem is the result of long-standing systemic issues. 

    We need long-term solutions that deal with the root causes, which primarily are too many land-use, zoning and other homebuilding-related regulations, as well as the glacial permitting systems of both the state and the counties.

    In other words, the Legislature should be involved so any reforms to increase Hawaii’s supply of housing are permanent and broader in scope.

    On government transparency: 

    I’m thrilled to hear the governor pledge to sign any legislation that meaningfully increases government transparency and accountability. 

    I’m especially happy that the governor endorsed the recommendations of a letter sent to him earlier this month intended to ensure greater access to public records, such as making public documents available at low cost. The letter was drafted by the Civil Beat Law Center and signed by more than two dozen local community and media organizations, including the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. 

    Potential for progress this legislative season

    Grassroot Institute
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    Potential for progress this legislative season

    By Keli‘i Akina

    Photo by Charley Myers

    The 2023 Hawaii Legislature is now in session, and for organizations like the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, this is one of the busiest times of the year. 

    In past sessions, my Institute colleagues and I have often spent more time trying to stop bad ideas than see good ones make it to the finish line. This year, however, we have high hopes for a few ideas that could make a real difference for our state. 

    In particular, we have been advancing specific reforms to help lower the cost of living, increase the supply of housing and improve healthcare access for the people of Hawaii — and it appears likely that some, if not all, of these proposed reforms will be warmly received.

    Regarding more housing, the key is to scale back Hawaii’s land-use and zoning regulations, which studies show are significantly related to housing shortages and higher prices.

    Keli‘i Akina

    In terms of land use, the Legislature could reform the state Land Use Commission’s permit-approval process, which adds to the time and costs of homebuilding. One fix would be to lighten the LUC’s permitting docket by increasing the number of acres that counties are allowed to rule on. Currently the limit is 15 acres. Anything larger at the moment is up to the LUC.

    Zoning codes, meanwhile, are a county function, but the state can help frame how they are applied. For example, the Legislature could require that the counties allow more multi-unit homes such as duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. It also could place restrictions on so-called inclusionary zoning regulations, which historically have held back smaller, mid-range housing developments. 

    Finally, the Legislature could help nonprofits such as schools and hospitals with their recruitment and housing issues by making it easier for institutions to build housing on their own lands.

    In the realm of healthcare, one of the biggest problems at the moment is Hawaii’s perpetual shortage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. 

    Lawmakers could address this by allowing out-of-state license holders to practice in Hawaii — similar to what we experienced under Gov. David Ige’s emergency orders during the coronavirus crisis. This could be achieved unilaterally or by joining the interstate compacts for physicians, nurses and other medical professionals, in which each member state recognizes the licenses of all the other member states. 

    Licensing, however, is only part of the problem. We also need to make Hawaii a friendlier state for private practice doctors. That means taking a hard look at the state’s general excise tax, which makes it difficult for private practices to survive, especially if they take Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE patients. 

    For the past few months, the Grassroot Institute has been running a campaign to exempt medical services from the general excise tax, and now is the perfect time for the Legislature to act. Not only would such an exemption help attract more doctors to our state, it also would lower healthcare costs for Hawaii residents.

    Speaking of taxes and medicine, we have a prescription for the Legislature when it comes to taxes and the budget, and it’s taken directly from the Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm. 

    In other words, this is not the time to consider tax hikes of any kind. The state is swimming in excess revenues and has no need for more. With so many Hawaii residents struggling to make ends meet, lawmakers instead should be looking at ways to cut taxes.

    In addition, we’d like to see a balanced budget that includes no revenue-draining boondoggles, no new borrowing and no profligate spending. Maybe even give a little bit of the state’s expected $3 billion surplus back to the people, perhaps after bolstering the state’s rainy day fund and addressing its unfunded liabilities.

    My sense is that these are all practical and politically palatable ideas that would bring down housing costs, strengthen healthcare access and, in general, lower our ridiculously high cost of living. No longer would we have to worry about our family, friends and neighbors leaving the islands for greater opportunities elsewhere.

    If the Legislature embraces these ideas, we will be well on our way to making Hawaii a place in which we can all live and thrive.
    _____________

    Keli‘i Akina is president and CEO of Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

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