1/3 of HI households need help

[Miulang]

A sobering statistic: nearly 33% of all households in Hawai'i earn less every year than what is required to be self sufficient (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070203/NEWS01/702030350)(i.e., without some form of assistance).

The study estimates a single parent on O'ahu with two young children must have an annual income of at least $54,161 to cover a no-frills budget.

...It estimates an O'ahu single parent with two young children has to spend about $1,700 a month on housing, $787 on child care and $631 on food.

The family is allotted $60 a month for transportation — for city bus fare — and $342 for miscellaneous expenses such as non-prescription medicine, diapers and personal hygiene or household cleaning products.

The same family would have to earn a little more to make it in Maui County, and about $3,000 less in Kaua'i. The Big Island was the cheapest place for the family, which would have to earn $46,658 to be considered self-sufficient — $7,500 less than on O'ahu.


So for anyone thinking about moving to Hawai'i, those numbers should be a pretty good gauge of what you'd need to earn in order to survive.:eek:

Miulang

[alohabear]

Sadly the State Goverment doesn't make it any easier with taxes on food , medicine,and gas. Land of ALOHA......auwe!

[joshuatree]

Sadly the State Goverment doesn't make it any easier with taxes on food , medicine,and gas. Land of ALOHA......auwe!

They should rebalance the tax system.

1) Get rid of GET tax, switch to sales tax.
2) Make food (not fast food/restaurants), tax free.
3) Make life saving medicine (not zit cream), tax free.
4) Increase gas taxes, yes increase, so road maintenance are adequately funded and it will encourage use of public transportation.
5) Legalize gambling in designated areas and tax casinos heavily, don't worry, they will still come.

That should help shift the tax burden to those that can best pay.

[kamuelakea]

It should be obvious that the majority of Hawaii's thinking people like Hawaii the way it is.

Hawaii is one of the most one-sided, one party, political towns in all of American history. In most democracies, people will tend to vote for the "other" option if only because the current crop isn't working well. Not in Hawaii. One party, one mentality, one philosophy rules, no matter how bad things get.

[tutusue]

[...]3) Make life saving medicine (not zit cream), tax free.[...]
There is no GE tax on prescriptions.

[scrivener]

Hawaii is one of the most one-sided, one party, political towns in all of American history.
Hawaii is a town?

[joshuatree]

There is no GE tax on prescriptions.

There isn't? Cool, I, luckily, don't need prescriptions enough to pay attention and notice no tax. Well at least that's working then.

[Hellbent]

I saw that on the front page and expected the writer to be Capt. Obvious. This is news?

[GeckoGeek]

What I find interesting is the way "self-sufficient" is defined - people who's reported income fall below a defined amount. So anyone who has family watching the kids is technically "not self-sufficient". Likewise anyone who has to share a house or otherwise manages to keep their expenses under what they earn and under the the defined line. Farmers who grow much of their own food and anyone with a significant unreported income is also likely to fall into this group.

I guess the old "poverty level" wasn't creating numbers big enough. Now the buzzword is "self-sufficient".

I wonder what percentage of families are on some type of government assistance? I'll bet it's not that high.

[Menehune Man]

They should rebalance the tax system.

1) Get rid of GET tax, switch to sales tax.
2) Make food (not fast food/restaurants), tax free.
3) Make life saving medicine (not zit cream), tax free.
4) Increase gas taxes, yes increase, so road maintenance are adequately funded and it will encourage use of public transportation.
5) Legalize gambling in designated areas and tax casinos heavily, don't worry, they will still come.

That should help shift the tax burden to those that can best pay.

I really like your suggestions Joshua Tree.
I agree with all of them. Hope they come to be.

1) If you buy... you pay a tax.
2) Making your own meals is cheaper. I used to deliver pizza's and some would say "no money for a tip." They shouldn't order pizza either then.
3) Many have to choose between eating or medicine due to cost.
4) Yes and make it safer for bicycles. I used to ride daily and would again.
5) With Gambling... people need to take personal responsibility. Those that can afford to lose, can afford to play.

[tikiyaki]

They should rebalance the tax system.

1) Get rid of GET tax, switch to sales tax.
2) Make food (not fast food/restaurants), tax free.



Wow, food is taxed ? bummer. We pay no tax on food here in Cali unless it's heated or cooked in some sort of way.

That excise tax is just killer huh ?