When banks go boom: Footloose deposits, regulatory failure, and the SVB crisis
By Byron Gangnes Banking can be a risky business. A bank keeps only a fraction of its deposits as cash reserves, turning the rest into
March 28, 2023
Blogs
Puʻulani: Biocultural restoration of agroforestry in Heʻeia, Oʻahu
By Leah Bremer, Zoe Hastings, Maile Wong, and Tamara Ticktin Puʻulani (heavenly ridge) sits above the loʻi kalo (taro patches) that Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi, a community-based
March 13, 2023
Cliffs in the GAP: A Design Flaw with an Easy Fix
By Dylan Moore How much more am I getting? I’m getting $80 a month before taxes, and I’m going to lose a $1000 benefit… It’s
February 10, 2023
Time for A Carbon Tax for Hawaii?
By James Mak and Erik Haites Hawaii’s constitution requires a Tax Review Commission (TRC) be appointed every five years to review the state’s tax/revenue system.
January 11, 2023
VOG – Using Volcanic Eruptions to Estimate the Impact of Pollutants on Learning Outcomes
By Rachel Inafuku. Joint research with Tim Halliday, Lester Lusher and Aureo de Paula. Introduction While an extensive number of studies have shown that pollution
December 3, 2022
Rethinking HTA’s “Regenerative Tourism Fee”
By James Mak and Robert D. Ebel Hawaii Tourism Authority’s (HTA) Oahu Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP) proposes to “Establish a ‘Regenerative Tourism Fee’ (RTF)
November 14, 2022
Tourism water use during the COVID-19 shutdown: A natural experiment in Hawai‘i
By Nathan DeMaagd, Peter Fuleky, Kimberly Burnett, and Christopher Wada A recent study published in the Annals of Tourism Research used the shutdown of tourism
September 28, 2022
Social and Cultural values of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems in Kona
By Veronica Gibson, Leah Bremer, Kimberly Burnett, Nicole Keakaonaaliʻi Lui, and Celia Smith “I think about the anchialine pools and the significance of the anchialine
September 19, 2022
To Tax or Not to Tax Sale of Food and Medicine
By James Mak Inflation is soaring at the highest rate since the early 1980s. Not surprisingly, many Hawaii residents are struggling financially today. Sadly, this
August 15, 2022
Is O‘ahu’s new Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy strategic enough?
By Steven Bond-Smith The draft O‘ahu Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for 2022-2026 is now out for public comment. The importance of the CEDS is
July 7, 2022
Managing for diverse coastal uses and values under sea level rise: perspectives from Oʻahu
By Leah Bremer, Makena Coffman, Alisha Summers, Lisa Kelley, and Billy Kinney “That whole experience of bonding, the family, the fresh air, that’s so critical.
June 7, 2022
The cost of “excess inflation” in Hawaii
By Daniela Bond-Smith, Steven Bond-Smith and Carl Bonham The cost of living in Hawaii continues to rise. In March, the Urban Hawaii (Honolulu) Consumer Price
April 19, 2022
Private Actions to Combat Climate Change Through Offsetting: The Story of The Coconut Traveler
By Kimberly Burnett, James Mak and Christopher Wada In late 2021, the United Nations (UN) held its 26th climate change conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
April 7, 2022
Charging Visitors to Access Hawaii’s State Parks and Natural Recreation Areas
By Kimberly Burnett, James Mak and Christopher Wada Senate Bill S.B. 3192 S.D.2 in the current (2022) legislative session proposes to: “establish a visitor impact
March 18, 2022
Should Hawaii Levy a Visitor Green Fee to Protect Our Environment?
By James Mak Since the visitor to the Islands unquestionablycontributes significantly to the State’senvironmental problems, he will no doubthave to bear a substantial portion of
November 2, 2021