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    $10,000 Scholarships Available to Study Food Systems & Sustainability at the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu

    Albie Miles
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    $10,000 Scholarships Available to Study Food Systems & Sustainability at the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu

    The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

    The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has awarded Dr. Albie Miles and the University of Hawai’i – West O’ahu Sustainable Community Food Systems program a $1 million grant to support research and education efforts to advance a more sustainable food system for Hawaiʻi. Outstanding students enrolled in the UHWO SCFS program are eligible for scholarships up to $5,000.00/semester ($10,000.00/year) to support all educational expenses associated with their course of study in Sustainable Community Food Systems at UHWO. The scholarship funds are available for 2022 and 2023. Contact: albie@hawaii.edu for more information.

    SCFS students working together to create a compost pile on campus at the UHWO garden

    UH West Oʻahu’s Bachelor of Applied Science with a concentration in Sustainable Community Food Systems (BAS-SCFS) prepares students for jobs in the sustainable food and agriculture sector in Hawai‘i and beyond. Through a transdisciplinary course of study in agroecology and sustainable food systems, the SCFS program trains new generations of leaders to think across traditional disciplines and to use systems analysis to understand and actively solve for real-world problems and facilitate the transition to an ecologically sustainable, resilient and socially equitable food system.

    SCFS students class trip to Kalaupapa, Molokaʻi for SCFS 370 Ahupuaʻa – Hawaiian Natural Resource Management from Mountain to Sea
    SCFS student Chris Bewell experimenting with tomatoes during his SCFS 490 – Senior Farming Systems Practicum internship at Maʻo Farms

    What is the Food System?

    The food system is the socio-ecological system encompassing all the drivers, activities and resources that go into producing, distributing and consuming food. The food system intersects with aspects of public health, culture, society, economics, public policy, and the environment.

    Why Study the Food System?

    SCFS student-created gifts being raffled off at an event to help educate the community on key food systems bills affecting Hawaiʻi at the state legislation.
    APSC 490 – Senior Food Systems Practicum students created a booth to help community members register for accounts at the state capitol to participate in the legislative process.

    Interested in Learning More?

    If you are interested in learning more about SCFS and scholarship opportunities, please view the video below, take a look at our Sustainable Community Food Systems website, check out our curriculum and our graduates’ accomplishments, and contact Dr. Albie Miles at albie@hawaii.edu.

    Guide to Oktoberfest in Hawai’i 2022

    Daniela Stolfi-Tow
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    Guide to Oktoberfest in Hawai’i 2022

    Block parties and festivals are returning Hawaii! Here are two Oktoberfest events not to miss:

    Oktoberfest Hawaii 2022 at Aloha Stadium


    OKTOBERFEST HAWAII 2022 – ALOHA STADIUM (21+)
    Hawaii’s largest outdoor gathering place celebrates the German tradition as Free Spirits Hawaii kicks off OktoberFest 2022 at the Aloha Stadium ,Saturday, September 24, 2022, from 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm. This year’s 21 and over Fest will showcase a variety of German style beers, custom stein mugs, Hawaii’s favorite food trucks, local musicians, DJ’s and daily prize giveaways.

    For the kid in you, there will be free oversize outdoor Jenga, Connect Four and Horseshoes games provided by Yard Games Hawaii. If you’re looking to clean up your ride, Between Auto Detailing will be onsite offering guests professional detailing (pre-purchase ticket is required).

    Tickets: Range from standard passes ($35) to VIP bundle passes ($375) and can be purchased online at https://oktoberfesthawaii.com or on event day. Tickets are sold in intervals of three (3) hours. A special price for designated driver pass is available. Uber rides hare discount codes are available at the time of purchase. Proceeds from OktoberFest 2022 will support the Na Koa Football Club. 

    Kailua Fall Festival 2022


    KAILUA FALL FESTIVAL (Family Friendly)

    Looking for a family friendly event? Head to East O’ahu and celebrate the beginning of fall in the heart of old Kailua on September 24, 2022, from 4:00pm – 9:00pm. Over 60 street vendors, Yard games and digital games for the keiki and adults alike. Live music. Prizes! Just for registering for tickets we are giving away major prizes. It’s free to register.

    Ticket upgrades are available but not necessary to participate in the fun! Don’t forget getting a collectible Stein add-on if you want to patronize 1 of the 4 bars participating in the festivities.

    Special VIP passes gets you up close to the action along with special perks.

    The 22oz Fall Festival Event Stein is the only mug used for drafts on Ocktoberfest beers at 4 different bars participating in this event. (until 10pm). Join the Pub Kailua, Kalapawai Market, The Boardroom, and the ABV bar (the bar where the bands play) for all the Fall fun.

    Stay tuned for shuttle service being provided around Kailua for the event.

    Tickets: Get your FREE tickets at https://www.kailuaevents.com

    Just For attending with your OVER 21 ticket – Be entered to win 35,000 miles from Southwest Airlines.

    Just For attending with your UNDER 21 ticket – Be entered to win your kid a brand new X-box.

    No. 1 In the World – In Tourist Taxes

    Tom Yamachika
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    No. 1 In the World – In Tourist Taxes

    Last month, the website money.co.uk published an article giving our Honolulu a claim to international fame (or infamy).  It listed the city as having the highest tourist tax of any city in the world.  It noted our 10.25% transient accommodations tax, to which is added 3% county TAT.  “That’s already a hefty tax anywhere in the world,” the article says, “but when consider that the average room in Honolulu costs £321 ($390), that equates to £42.53 ($51.70) a night.”

    The runner-up, according to the article, was San Francisco, which charges a 14% transient occupancy tax.  Its average room night was a bit less pricey at $212 per night, leading to a tax bite of $29.61 per night.

    Meaning that, even with the article’s numbers, Honolulu is 75% higher in taxes than the second most tourist-taxed city in the world.

    But that doesn’t show an accurate picture.  The article seems to have screwed up.

    You see, they forgot to include the GET, which appears on hotel folios on top of the 13.25% TAT.  So, our tax is actually higher.  Quite a bit higher. 

    Indeed, if 4.712% is added in, our tax toll rises to 17.962%, or $70.05 a night (£57.62 for those keeping score in British pounds sterling).  This astronomical total is almost double the levy in San Francisco and almost six times that in the priciest destination in a non-U.S. country, namely Amsterdam in the Netherlands, which was scored at 11.31 euros (£9.73 or $11.82) a night.

    But wait!  There’s more.

    The article also compares countries charging flat rate tourist taxes, such as departure taxes charged at the airport.  Mexico is currently the winner at 224 Mexican pesos ($11.12 with currencies being converted at the rate in effect on June 30, 2020).  The next few countries, Thailand at 300 baht ($8.53), Belgium at 7.50 euros ($7.87), and Japan at 1000 yen ($7.33), all impose departure taxes at less than $10.

    Conservation groups in Hawaii have been pushing for enactment of a Hawaii “visitor green fee,” which would work much like these departure taxes.  They, as well as one University of Hawaii economist, have noted that some island destinations such as Palau and the Galapagos Islands levy a $100 visitor green fee, and have urged Hawaii to adopt such a fee.  In the 2021 legislature, two bills (HB 805 and SB 666) would have imposed a visitor fee of $40.  

    If we actually imposed such a fee, it would vault us to the top of this list as well, and by a wide margin.  (Apparently Palau and the Galapagos didn’t make the list of the 100 most visited cities according to Euromonitor International, which the rankings were based on, and thus weren’t included.)

    Fortunately, as we have noted before, such fees would violate the U.S. Constitution and thus cannot be charged by any individual State or county.  So, we shouldn’t be spending more time and energy trying to make our state and cities even more of an international outlier when it comes to tourist taxes and fees.

    For those of us who think tourists are bad news and should stay the heck away from Hawaii Nei, these taxes are probably going to accomplish what you want.  Tourists are going to think twice, or more, before shelling out for an experience in Hawaiian paradise.  We have seen the economic result of tourists staying home en masse, because this is what happened during the pandemic.  The pain of workforce layoffs and business closures continues to this day.  Is that the future you want?  Is that the future we want?

    We need to stop winning international contests like this.

    Cut permit delays — and permits themselves — to achieve more housing

    Grassroot Institute
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    Cut permit delays — and permits themselves — to achieve more housing

    By Keli‘i Akina

    Hawaii’s high cost of housing has multiple causes, one of which is the time it takes to obtain a building permit, whether that be for a new home, a whole bunch of new homes or even a simple home improvement project.

    As the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization noted in its recent report “Measuring the Burden of Housing Regulation in Hawaii,” the average delay for permits or approvals in Hawaii is more than three times as high as the national mean. And “extreme delays in permitting will generate significant costs and uncertainty for developers, creating a disincentive for new projects.” 

    In other words, time is money, and if things take too much time, expect to pay higher prices for homes — if homebuilders are willing to build them at all.

    Before I go any further, let me just say I appreciate that some policymakers are starting to address our permitting delays and backlogs. But I do have one important piece of advice when it comes to finding the solutions: You cannot reduce a bureaucratic delay by adding more bureaucracy.

    More about that in a minute.

    Keli‘i Akina

    First, let us recognize that Hawaii’s permitting problems have been causing grief throughout the islands for years. Reviews and audits have consistently pointed out that excessive delays are a major problem. Contributing factors are said to include inadequate staff, “inefficiencies” and multiple review cycles.

    On Oahu, Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting Director Dean Uchida said at a town hall meeting in late July that wait times for residential and commercial permits can now stretch for as long as two years.

    At the request in August of Honolulu County Council member Andria Tupola, Uchida revealed there are more than 8,000 permits stuck in DPP review limbo. As of Aug. 11, 3,499 permit applications were in the pre-screening or initial processing phase, 4,780 were under review and 1,113 had been approved and were waiting to be picked up. 

    Tupola, who requested the DPP information, called the results “discouraging.” She told Pacific Business News this week that questions about the backlog often come up at public events.

    “Just like Disneyland or the grocery store, you want to know how long the line is you’re waiting in,” she said.

    Of course, waiting two years for a building permit isn’t quite like waiting to ride Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds or Space Mountain roller coaster. But the point is well taken, and I think we can all agree that Hawaii’s permitting backlogs need to be cleared. The big question is: “How?” 

    Suggestions I’ve seen include spending more money on new software or personnel, speeding up the hiring process for new employees, proposing legislation to address automatic permit cancellations, starting courtesy residential and commercial inspections and collaborating with private industry professionals.

    So now we get back to my bit of advice. Many government officials are suggesting more personnel should be hired to deal with the backlog. But the reality is that enlarging the various permitting departments would only add more people to the process that created the backlogs in the first place.

    When I talk about the need to streamline the process, I don’t mean that there should be an express lane for people who meet a series of special qualifications, which then launches a new set of pre-approvals. 

    Nor do I mean that the government should pour more money into speeding up the process slightly. 

    What I mean is that we need to get rid of some of that process altogether.

    That can mean creating certain “pre-approved” changes or plans that don’t require permits. It can mean eliminating permits for certain categories and doing away with redundant cycles of review. It can even mean exploring ways to privatize the permitting functions so that the permitting departments become unnecessary.

    But the best approach may be to rethink the necessity of some permits altogether. Recent research by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has shown the value of by-right zoning and building. This approach allows any proposed construction that conforms to the existing land-use and building codes to proceed “by right” — without the need for more governmental approvals or permits. 

    This may seem like a revolutionary idea, but it actually has been tried and tested elsewhere with great success, such as in Tokyo, the world’s most populous city, where homebuilding has been able to keep up with demand and home prices have been relatively stable.

    It simply is not possible to fix Hawaii’s housing crisis through small changes to our permitting and approval rules. We need a new approach that produces affordable housing by encouraging more homebuilding, not delaying it. 
    _____________

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

    Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst

    Grassroot Institute
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    Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst

    By Melissa Newsham

    Will Hawaii’s candidates on the 2022 campaign trail follow through on their promises?

    Policy solutions that the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has been promoting for years are quickly gaining steam — and the election underway is proof. 

    Exempting or reducing the general excise tax on food and medicine, for example, has become a popular stance among candidates in Hawaii’s two major parties, the Democrats and Republicans.

    In the primaries, Democratic candidates for the governor’s race such as Josh Green, Kai Kahele and Vicky Cayetano all voiced their support for this change, and so did candidates BJ Penn, Duke Aiona and Gary Cordery in the Republican race.

    When it comes to the Jones Act, a candidate’s political party affiliation has never been a clear determinant of his or her stance. 

    The federal maritime law, after all, is named after Republican U.S. Sen. Wesley Jones from Washington, who was looking out after the shipping interests of his own state when he introduced the bill into Congress.

    In Hawaii, in the U.S. Senate race, both Democrat Brian Schatz, the incumbent, and Republican challenger Bob McDermott oppose reform of the 1920 protectionist maritime law.

    Melissa Newsham

    Only candidate Feena Bonoan of the Libertarian Party has taken a stand against it.

    Ed Case, the Democratic incumbent for the 1st Congressional District, has been a long-time ally in the effort to reform the Jones Act, which restricts shipping competition between U.S. ports and increases the cost of living for Hawaii residents.

    On the other hand, his unsuccessful Democratic primary opponent, Sergio Alcubilla, staunchly opposed any reforms. 

    Among Republican congressional candidates, Joe Akana and Patrick Largey supported scrapping or modifying the Jones Act. 

    Happily, at least some of the candidates recognize the need for change, with research from the Grassroot Institute probably having at least a little something to do with it. 

    The direction of policy discourse is promising, but the perennial question remains: Will those who get elected keep their promises? 

    From the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii’s point of view, it would be better if some of the promises being made were not kept. 

    But in any case, politicians are masters at crafting excuses. They often fail to follow through on the promises they made on the campaign trail. 

    The rule of thumb seems to be that the things politicians swear will never happen tend to materialize, while promises of action often do not. 

    The odds of seeing meaningful change are even worse in Hawaii, where the political environment breeds complacency on the part of our elected officials. 

    Can we blame them? 

    General elections in Hawaii are not exactly nail-biter events. When having a certain letter in parentheses next to your name can almost guarantee you a campaign victory, there is little incentive to perform once you’re elected.
    ___________

    Melissa Newsham is a research associate with the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

    MĀNOA VALLEY THEATRE SEASON PREMIERE OF CABARET OPENS SEPTEMBER 8TH

    Daniela Stolfi-Tow
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    MĀNOA VALLEY THEATRE SEASON PREMIERE OF CABARET OPENS SEPTEMBER 8TH

    Mānoa Valley Theatre kicks off its 2022-23 season with Cabaret – one of the most popular musicals in Broadway history. Set in the ever-present Kit Kat Klub, Berlin’s seedy nightclub where everything is “beautiful,” we see Germany descending into the grips of the Third Reich. A bawdy and gregarious Master of Ceremonies leads us through the story, as we follow Cliff Bradshaw, a naive American writer, fall in love with performer Sally Bowles; and as we watch the growing consequences of life under an intolerant and fascist regime. Cabaret has stood the test of time for over fifty years as each generation finds new relevance in its powerful themes.

    The production will run September 8 – 25. Show times are Thur. and Fri. and Sat. 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sun. 3 p.m. Tickets: Adult- $42. Seniors and Military- $37, Youth (25 years old and younger) $24. Suggested for ages 13 and over.  Call 808-988-6131 or purchase tickets online at manoavalleytheatre.com. The doors will open for seating one half hour prior to each performance. No outside food or drinks allowed but there will be beverage service inside the theatre. The play is performed in two acts with one intermission in a cabaret seating configuration. Private booths for six and booths for two are available for purchase.

    https://www.manoavalleytheatre.com/shows

    TOMMY DAVIDSON, HIROSHIMA & MAXI PRIEST THIS MONTH AT BLUE NOTE HAWAII

    Daniela Stolfi-Tow
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    TOMMY DAVIDSON, HIROSHIMA & MAXI PRIEST THIS MONTH AT BLUE NOTE HAWAII

    SEPTEMBER IS SMOKING AT BLUE NOTE HAWAII

    National Comedy Acts, Local Favorites and Soulful Legends Headline this Month

    Blue Note Hawaii, the legendary venue for live entertainment, kicks off September with acoustic guitar phenomenon Ottmar Liebert. Comedy rules this month with national acts Tom Papa, Tommy Davidson, Chad & JT, Kyle Kinane and the Local Comedy Showcase. The Honolulu Jazz Quartet returns followed by multi-instrumentalist, jazz pianist Keiko Matsui and guitar legend Johnny A. Supergroup Hiroshima graces the stage for their worldwide “Domo Tour.” Local slack key master Makana joins the lineup and Mike Lewis appears with his 17-piece big band. The month wraps up with “Lovers Rock” legend Maxi Priest and three nights with “The Prince of Sophisticated Soul,” Will Downing.

    Parking is validated at the OHANA East Hotel for $6 for four hours and at the Outrigger Waikiki for $15 for four hours valet.

    Ottmar Liebert

    Wednesday, August 31 & Thursday, September 1

    Tickets: Premium Seating $45, Loge Seating & Bar Area $35

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    Ottmar Liebert’s global success can be attributed to a myriad of things like his creative vision, his determination, and a strong sense of melody. Mixing in his influences of Spanish, Mexican, and world elements to his own unique musical style, Liebert’s self-produced debut album, “Marita: Shadows and Storms,” became the best-selling instrumental acoustic guitar album of all time.

    Comedy Series: Tom Papa

    Friday, September 2 & Saturday, September 3

    Tickets: Premium Seating $50, Loge Seating $40, Bar Area $30

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    With more than 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Tom Papa is one of the top comedic voices in the country finding success as an author, in film, TV, radio and podcasts. Tom has four hour-long stand-up specials, the latest “Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great!” was a wildly successful Netflix Original. His other critically acclaimed specials include “Human Mule,” “Freaked Out” and “Tom Papa Live in New York City,” two of which were directed by Rob Zombie.

    Honolulu Jazz Quartet

    Sunday, September 4

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating $25, Bar Area $15

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    The Honolulu Jazz Quartet is a progression in the great tradition of post-bop jazz in Hawaii. The quartet was founded by bassist John Kolivas with the intent of bringing four like-minded musicians together to create a consistent, indelible sound. HJQ recently celebrated their 20th anniversary and the release of their new CD, “Straight Ahead.”

    Local Comedy Showcase

    Wednesday, September 7 & Wednesday, September 14

    Tickets: Premium Seating $15, Loge Seating & Bar Area $10 | $5 incrase day of show

    Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m.

    Comedy U is back for another night showcasing Hawaii’s local comics!

    Tavana & Friends

    Thursday, September 8

    Tickets: Premium Seating $25, Loge Seating & Bar Area $15

    6:30 p.m. Featuring Johnny Helm & Yoza

    9:00 p.m. Featuring Stephen Inglis & Keahi

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    Tavana is a multi-instrumentalist from Honolulu who uses electronic drum triggers to lay down a variety of grooves with his feet while simultaneously playing guitar, banjo, lap steel or ukulele and singing soulful, island-inspired rock and blues. Tavana has been the supporting act for the likes of Alabama Shakes, Shakey Graves, Xavier Rudd, Jenny Lewis, Jack Johnson, Julian Marley and Kaleo.

    Keiko Matsui

    Friday, September 10 & Saturday, September 11

    Tickets: Premium Seating $45, Loge Seating & Bar Area $35

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    In the words of Duke Ellington, pianist Keiko Matsui is “beyond category.” The courageous, spiritually driven and consummate artist transcends boundaries. Her unique melting pot of musical influences have garnered her a devout international following. Matsui has worked alongside the best including Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Hugh Masakela and Bob James.

    Johnny A.: Just Me & My Guitars

    Thursday, September 15

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating & Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m.

    Boston Hall of Fame inductee Johnny A. is a spectacular performer guaranteed to mesmerize an audience with the 1st riff! Johnny has shared the stage with artists from BB King to Steve Vai and everybody in between and has performed at such prestigious festivals as Eric Clapton’s Crossroads, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and Tokyo’s Fuji Rock Festival. Coming back to his roots, Johnny has developed an intimate solo performance celebrating some of the greatest, and most influential, guitar work in history.

    Hiroshima: Domo Tour

    Friday, September 16 & Saturday, September 17

    Tickets: Premium Seating $55, Loge Seating & Bar Area $45

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    Since forming in 1974, by Dan and June Kuramoto, Hiroshima have become multi-GRAMMY ® nominated and have sold in excess of four million albums worldwide. The group falls between R&B, pop, world music, and jazz, and has long had its own niche genre, integrating traditional Japanese instruments into their eclectic musical blend. Hiroshima was given the “Visionary Award” by East West Players, the oldest Asian Pacific American theatre company in the United States, for the band’s “impact on the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through their artistic excellence and support of the Asian Pacific American performing arts.”

    Comedy Series: Tommy Davidson

    Wednesday, September 21

    Tickets: Table & Booth Seating $35, Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m.

    Best known from TV shows like “In Living Color” and “The Proud Family,” or laugh-out-loud movies, such as “Booty Call” and “Black Dynamite,” Tommy Davidson’s exceptional range – from stand-up comedy and acting to versatile music accomplishments – have earned him a reputation as an extraordinary performer. Davidson started his career as a standup comedian in Washington DC, earning an ardent following that has led him to an enduring career in film and television.

    Comedy Series: Chad & JT

    Thursday, September 22

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating $30, Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m.

    Chad Kroeger and JT Parr are on a mission to do good. Using their digital platforms, the duo takes action to raise awareness and bring change for some of the most important causes in pop culture and beyond. When they are not at City Hall meetings, Kroeger and Parr host the weekly podcast Going Deep with Chad & JT, which sees them discussing major current events, honoring legends, exploring ongoing beefs and giving solicited advice to callers and fans alike. Chad and JT have appeared on “Hawaii Five-O,” “Ellen” and “Howard Stern.”

    Comedy Series: Kyle Kinane

    Friday, September 23

    Tickets: Premium Seating $45, Loge Seating $40, Bar Area $35

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    Kyle Kinane is a comedian from Addison, Illinois. He has been seen on “Conan,” “The Tonight Show,” Netflix’s “The Standups,” and three of his own hour-length specials on Comedy Central. As an actor, he’s been in the Judd Apatow series “Love” and truTV’s “Those Who Can’t.” He was also on “Drunk History,” where he unfortunately wasn’t acting. He is also co-host of the “Boogie Monster” podcast along with Dave Stone, and the streaming show “Hey Girl” with Matt Braunger. As a musician, he has done nothing, as he is not a musician.

    Makana

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating & Bar Area $25

    Saturday, September 24

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    Sunday, September 25

    Showtimes: 4:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

    Doors: 2:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

    Makana is a master of the Hawaiian slack key guitar tradition. Ranked as one of the top three guitarists in America by Guitar Player Magazine, Makanaʻs style honors the rich legacy of slack key guitar by both perpetuating the many family traditional lines as well as pioneering new ways of playing. His original music has been featured on three GRAMMY® nominated albums, including the soundtrack of the Academy Award winning film “The Descendants.”

    Mike Lewis Big Band

    Monday, September 26

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating $30, Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m.

    Local trumpeter and bandleader Mike Lewis returns to the club with his 17-piece big band!

    Island 98.5 Presents Maxi Priest

    Wednesday, September 28 & Thursday, September 29

    Tickets: Premium Seating $55, Loge Seating & Bar Area $45

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Doors: 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

    Christened the “King of Lovers Rock” by his fans, British reggae star Maxi Priest is one of the most internationally popular reggae singers since Bob Marley. Priest’s pop and modern R&B influences didn’t exactly endear him to reggae purists, but they gave him a strong crossover appeal that paid off in the trans-Atlantic chart-topper “Close to You.” At times he strayed too far from his reggae roots to deliver a true stylistic hybrid, but his silky-smooth voice was ideally suited for light, romantic material, and his best music was as sensual as it was soulful.

    94.7 KUMU Presents Will Downing

    Friday, September 30 to Sunday, October 2

    Tickets: Premium Seating $65, Loge Seating $55, Bar Area $45

    Showtimes: 8:00 p.m.

    Doors: 6:00 p.m.

    Referred to as “The Prince of Sophisticated Soul,” Will Downing has stood the test of time. Over the course of a 27-year career he has unquestionably become a living example of the absolute best that smooth-R&B and soul has to offer. Downing is best known for his chart-topping hits, such as “I Try,” “A Love Supreme” and “A Million Ways.”

    Tickets available at: https://www.bluenotejazz.com/hawaii/shows/?calendar_view

    JERSEY BOYS Opens September 13th at Blaisdell Concert Hall

    Daniela Stolfi-Tow
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    JERSEY BOYS Opens September 13th at Blaisdell Concert Hall

    HONOLULU (August 29, 2022) – The Honolulu debut of JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, opens at the Blaisdell Center September 13 and runs through September 25. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, or go to the Blaisdell Box Office (M-Sat from 8am – 4pm) at 777 Ward Avenue. Ticket prices start at $45. If you have previously purchased tickets, be sure to visit your ticketmaster.com account and see the date of your rescheduled show.  Your original tickets will be accepted at this new performance.

    JERSEY BOYS is the behind-the-music story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.  They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story – a story that has made them an international sensation all over again. The show features all their hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Oh What A Night,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Beggin’”and “Working My Way Back To You.”

    The premiere in Honolulu is at Blaisdell Concert Hall on Tuesday, September 13 for a two-week engagement. Tickets are available at BroadwayinHawaii.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Blaisdell Center Box Office located at 777 Ward Avenue in Honolulu.

    Tuesday, September 13 at 7:30pm

    Wednesday, September 14 at 7:30pm

    Thursday, September 15 at 7:30pm

    Friday, September 16 at 8pm

    Saturday, September 17 at 2 & 8pm

    Sunday, September 18 at 1 & 6:30pm

    = = = = = = 

    Tuesday, September 20 at 7:30pm

    Wednesday, September 21 at 7:30pm

    Thursday, September 22 at 7:30pm

    Friday, September 23 at 8pm

    Saturday, September 24 at 2 & 8pm

    Sunday, September 24 at 1 & 6:30pm

    Visit the JERSEY BOYS website at www.JerseyBoysInfo.com.

    Facebook             @JerseyBoysBroadway

    Twitter                  @JerseyBoysInfo

    Instagram            @jerseyboysbroadway & @jerseyboystour

    TikTok                   @jerseyboysbroadway

    For more information on JERSEY BOYS, go to BroadwayInHawaii.com.

    Spend less to fund GET exemption on food, healthcare

    Grassroot Institute
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    Spend less to fund GET exemption on food, healthcare

    By Keli‘i Akina

    We are often told that citizens have a duty to make sacrifices and cooperate if we want to make Hawaii better. It’s all part of being “in the same canoe.”

    But what about the government? Does the state have a responsibility to “go without,” if that would be better for the people? 

    Should sacrifices and cutbacks go in only one direction?

    This isn’t just a rhetorical question. As inflation pushes prices higher, the calls for tax relief are growing louder. One of the most popular proposals is a general excise tax exemption for food and nonprescription drugs. Private practice physicians and the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii have also been urging a GET exemption for medical services.

    The rationale behind the GET exemptions is simple: Food and medical-related expenses are necessities, and the government should not levy taxes on things that are needed for basic health and survival. 

    In the case of food and nonprescription drugs, exemptions would provide some relief from Hawaii’s high cost of living. In the case of medical services, an exemption could make it easier for doctors in private practice to stay in business and thus help mitigate the state’s critical doctor shortage.

    Some people, however, oppose these types of exemptions — and not because they lack sympathy for others who are struggling to survive in Hawaii. Instead, they worry that the exemptions would result in — yes — lower tax revenues.

    If we implement such exemptions, they ask, how will the state make up the lost revenues?

    Well, this is simply putting the cart before the horse. Before trying to come up with new taxes to offset the proposed tax cuts, we should look at how much money the state is already bringing in.

    In fiscal 2021, state lawmakers grabbed the counties’ share of the transient accommodation tax in anticipation of a big drop in revenues because of the coronavirus lockdowns. Since then, the state has actually been operating in surplus territory. 

    For fiscal 2023 alone, state general fund revenues are expected to be about $464 million greater than in fiscal 2022, according to the state Council on Revenues. 

    In July, state Tax Director Isaac Choy estimated a GET food exemption for groceries would cost the state about $268 million in lost revenue. In December 2006, the 2005-2007 Tax Review Commission estimated that exemptions for not only food and healthcare but also clothing and shelter would cost the state treasury about $501 million

    In other words, the state’s revenue increase in 2023 could be almost enough to accommodate any “lost tax revenue” from GET exemptions for food and healthcare, and maybe even clothing and shelter as well.

    But what if, hypothetically, the state wasn’t expecting an infusion of excess tax revenues? Would that negate the need for a GET exemption?

    No, because the argument over the exemption is not about what the government needs, but what the people need. 

    In this case, that need is strong enough that lost tax revenues alone should not be enough to end the discussion.

    In January 2020, a Grassroot Institute of Hawaii study estimated that excise tax revenues on for-profit healthcare spending in Hawaii amounted to about $222 million annually. It also calculated that an exemption for medical services would result in about a $1.4 billion increase in economic activity across multiple industries, and produce about $64 million in new GET collections. 

    Thus, in the case of a GET exemption for medical services, the state “loss” in tax revenues would amount to only $158 million. Out of an annual state budget of about $15 billion, that’s not much. It’s roughly the same amount that is allocated in the 2023 budget for “Major Pavement Improvements, Statewide.”

    It’s not hard to imagine that Hawaii’s lawmakers would be willing to spend $158 million in state funds in order to lower the cost of healthcare and address the doctor shortage. Is it really asking too much for them to not spend the same amount to accomplish the same goal?

    Too often, Hawaii policymakers believe that the answers to our state’s woes lie in new government programs and spending millions of more tax dollars. They are usually more than happy to suggest that Hawaii taxpayers underwrite such projects for the greater social good.

    But sometimes, the solution lies in doing less. Repeal regulations instead of creating new ones. Cut taxes instead of hiking them. In such situations, the government should do the right thing and make the necessary sacrifices.

    Luckily, it looks as though this will be a moot point in the coming years, as the state is well able to afford the exemptions — any or all of them — due to booming revenues. 

    But even if it meant making a few spending cuts, the principle at stake — and the good that could be accomplished via exemptions — is still compelling.

    These are exemptions that could help make Hawaii more affordable while addressing a major issue in healthcare access. That’s reason enough to make a few budgetary sacrifices.
    _____________

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

    Dept. of Education Welcomes Two New $190K Hires

    Tom Yamachika
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    Dept. of Education Welcomes Two New $190K Hires

    On Thursday, August 18, the state Board of Education voted to create two new deputy superintendent positions, at least until the next legislative session when permanent funding can be asked for, setting their base salaries at $190,000, and hiring two named individuals to fill the positions.  All in one fell swoop. 

    Testimony from the Hawaii State Teachers Association submitted for that meeting is telling:

    It was quite the surprise to find out that hiring the new superintendent would come with an additional price tag of $380,000 (which is in excess of $579,000 once fringe benefits are factored in) to add two additional deputy superintendents to the bureaucracy. That’s more than half a million dollars per year that will be funneled away from our classrooms and our keiki.

    ….

    One of the advantages of a statewide school system is supposed to be that it creates efficiencies by requiring less bureaucracy. Spending millions of dollars on additional complex and state-level positions erodes that narrative, further damaging public trust (what little of it that exists) that the Hawaii State Department of Education spends public funds wisely.  Legislators have privately expressed their dismay at this turn of events, especially in light of their generosity in the most recent legislative session only to see those monies not making it to the classrooms for which they were intended.

    The Department of Education (DOE) is a huge part of our state government.  According to the FY2023 Executive Supplemental Budget (page 9), it accounts for over $2.5 billion, a full 15% of the $16.9 billion dollars that state government is budgeted for in fiscal year 2023.

    Yet there is very little transparency into the way DOE spends its money.  The Education Institute of Hawaii, a local nonprofit and education related think tank, some years ago tried to get DOE to release financial data through our state’s public records laws.  They submitted a request for data for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.  They wound up in a bitter court fight, with state attorneys throwing up procedural roadblocks that a Circuit Court judge had to take down bit by bit.  Finally, the data was released – in October 2020.  A 206-page court motion released by the nonprofit describes in detail the back-and-forth between the nonprofit and the DOE that led up to the lawsuit.  According to court records, that motion was granted by the court on March 25, 2021.  Further legal wrangling, leading to the court making the DOE pay the nonprofit most of its attorneys’ fees and costs, continued into mid-2021.  The good news is that data was released; the bad news was that it was far from current, making its usefulness limited.  “A four-and-a-half year wait, including a court action, to obtain personally unidentifiable public financial data does not demonstrate transparency,” one of the nonprofit’s consultants said in a statement.  It also doesn’t help when two years’ worth of state attorneys’ resources are expended in legal fighting against transparency.

    That lack of transparency has not been limited to fiscal matters.  The State Auditor’s Office tried to get DOE to give it information about its COVID-19 policies and procedures, and then, in its Report No. 20-11 (2020), loudly complained about DOE’s lack of cooperation.

    The DOE has for years been criticized as top-heavy, spending untold millions of dollars within its top bureaucratic echelons before filtering the moneys down to the teachers and the classrooms.  Committing another half million dollars to the bureaucracy by way of fait accompli just perpetuates the public distrust about the inner workings of the DOE.

    We need to do better, DOE.  After pulling together fiscal records for 2016-17, presumably you folks know the drill by now and can come up with necessary records for later years.  You are a public agency funded by taxpayer money.  Lawmakers and the public need to have confidence that the money is spent wisely.

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