The Hawaii Legislature forced through several tax increases near the end of the legislative session, including raising the income tax as well as excise taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products. With the exception of the cigarette tax increase, all these tax hikes were vetoed by Governor Linda Lingle on May 7 in Hawaii’s first-ever public veto ceremony attended by nearly a thousand taxpayers and citizens. However, on May 11 the state legislature was able to override each of the vetoes. In this edition of the Tax Policy Podcast, Manager of State Relations Tonya Barr talks with Jamie Story, President of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, discussing how these tax increases could affect the Aloha State’s residents and businesses. Click here to see our recent study on Hawaii enacting a top income tax rate of 11 percent on incomes over $200,000, the highest state rate in the U.S. For more on tax and fiscal policy in Hawaii and other states, visit our Center for State Fiscal Policy. Click on the audio above or download it here.
