Councilmember Gladys C. Baisa today submitted testimony to support Senate Bill 3019, a bill requiring new buildings to include gray water equipment, when practical. Copy of testimony As she explained in her testimony, gray water, or greywater, is recycled water from bathroom sinks, showers, bathtubs and washing machines. With proper equipment, gray water is successfully […]
Published in The Maui News, January 10, 2016 By MIKE WHITE, for The Maui News The state Legislature last year granted county governments the power to impose a half-percent surcharge on the general excise tax. Mayor Alan Arakawa has submitted a bill to the Maui County Council for the purpose of using this taxing authority, […]
Published in The Maui News, December 6, 2015 By MIKE WHITE, for The Maui News The 2016 Maui County Legislative Package, composed of four state bills, will be formally presented to Speaker of the House Joe Souki of Maui and Senate President Ron Kouchi of Kauai next month. The Maui County Council is urging the […]
Published in The Maui News, November 29, 2015 By MIKE WHITE, for The Maui News During the economic downturn, the state took the counties’ share of the transient accommodations tax, also known as hotel tax or TAT, to balance the state budget. But when the economy improved and the state’s revenues rebounded, they did not […]
Published in The Maui News, October 18, 2015 By MIKE VICTORINO, for The Maui News The County Council’s Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee has endorsed a proposal to amend state law by prohibiting smoking in vehicles when minors are present. If the council agrees with the committee’s recommendation on Nov. 6, the proposal will become […]
HONOLULU – Public Access Room will offer free workshops dubbed “We the Powerful” on the state legislative process at several Maui locations in October. Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 12 noon: Kahului Community Center, 275 Uhu St. Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m.: Kihei Public Library, 35 Waimahaihai St. Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m.: Lahaina […]
Published in The Maui News, May 17, 2015 By Mike White, for The Maui News Prior to the state Legislature adjourning nearly two weeks ago, both the House and Senate passed House Bill 134, a measure that allows counties to enact or extend a general excise tax surcharge for transportation-related costs. The measure, heavily sought […]
Last week, I submitted several pieces of testimony to the state legislature on bills relating to the counties’ share of revenue from the transient accommodations tax, or TAT. In 2011, the counties’ share of the TAT was capped as a temporary measure to assist the state with a budget shortfall because of a 9.8 percent […]
Published in The Maui News, Feb. 15, 2015 By MIKE WHITE, for The Maui News Following a full round of deliberations by its nine standing committees earlier this month, the County Council will consider a wide range of committee reports on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. The Budget and Finance Committee, chaired by Council Member Riki […]
Published in The Maui News, Feb. 8, 2015 By MIKE WHITE, for The Maui News Along with other county officials, I had the honor of hosting this year’s Ka Ipu Kukui fellows at the county building last week for a day of discussing long-term issues facing local government. Ka Ipu Kukui is a leadership-development program […]
