LOS ANGELES — The Hawaii Supreme Court will hear oral arguments July 6 in a
The case brought by the
The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case after the Tax Foundation appealed an adverse ruling from the state’s First Circuit Court.
“This year, both the House and Senate advanced bills that would have reduced the skim prospectively to 1% from 10%,” said Tom Yamachika, president of the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, a 60-year-old organization private, nonprofit, advocacy organization.
That is a recognition that lawmakers realize they are diverting far too much money, Yamachika said.
“Unfortunately, unless both sides can agree on a bill without delay, taxpayers in Honolulu will continue to be cheated because of the 10% skim,” he said. “We will press forward in our efforts to demonstrate that the skim unconstitutionally burdens hard-working taxpayers and businesses in the City and County of Honolulu.”
The Foundation’s lawyer, Paul Alston of Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing, which is now affiliated with Dentons, said he is “very pleased that the Court accepted this case for direct review and scheduled oral argument so quickly.”
Hawaii lawmakers will hold a special
State Senate President Ronald Kouchi and House Speaker Scott Saiki emailed a letter to the Federal Transit Administration saying that they are committed to convening a special session this summer.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has said the lack of resolution on how to pay for the estimated $1.5 billion to $3 billion shortfall on the $8 billion project is putting federal funding in jeopardy.
The City Council agreed to issue $207 million in