Proposal to raise transit fares will hurt Oʻahu riders
Increasing transit fares while household budgets are already stretched thin risks pushing out the very riders who rely on TheBus the most while decreasing ridership and revenue.
Hawaiʻi can and must do better on gender equity
One area with a glaring and persistent lack of parity is how much we pay for work performed by women compared to that of men.
A better kind of unemployment insurance
Short-Time Compensation allows employees to stay in their jobs at reduced hours, pays more than the state’s current UI does, and ensures that they keep their benefits.
Unemployed workers in Hawaiʻi can’t wait for Congress
Hawaiʻi has more than 200,000 unemployed workers and contractors. The state must move now to offer immediate support for these workers and their families.
Hawaiʻi still needs federal relief funds
Without further federal aid to state and local governments, Hawai'i is projected to lose 23,700 private and public jobs by the end of 2021.
Hawaiʻi’s job losses are increasing economic inequity
Because of the way Hawaiʻi’s economy is structured, those who were already struggling to earn enough before COVID-19 are also the most likely to lose a job.
Setting the stage for a crucial June special session
CARES Act funds must be spent by the end of December, and careful decisions need to be made to address critical needs in our community.
Redefining poverty would throw millions off critical social support programs
A Trump Administration rule change would force millions of Americans off critical programs that help women, children and families meet their basic needs.
How high is too high? We actually know a lot about minimum wage increases
Raising the minimum wage would boost not just the pay of many struggling Hawaiʻi workers and their families; it would also boost the local economy.
Farm bill protects SNAP, other critical nutrition programs
The bill includes provisions that invest in our island’s rural communities, provide funding for farmers and advance sustainable community food systems.