Bill Text: HI HCR211 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: ADDRESSING INCOME INEQUALITY IN HAWAII.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-25 - Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Har, Yamane excused (2). [HCR211 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2014-HCR211-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	211
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the state of hawaii to address rapidly growing income inequality in hawaii.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the financial health of the average family in Hawaii is at risk, as growth in income shifts disproportionately to the wealthy at greater rates than ever before; and

 

WHEREAS, we as a society have been called upon to address growing income inequality by leaders across the world, from Pope Francis I to President Obama, to solve what the President has termed, "the defining issue of our time;" and

 

     WHEREAS, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) finds that, between 1979 and 2007 in the United States, income grew by 275 percent for the top one percent of households, but just 18 percent for the bottom 20 percent; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to the CBO, between 1979 and 2007, the top fifth of the population saw a 10-percentage-point increase in its share of after-tax income, with most of that growth going to the top one percent of the population, while all other groups saw a decline in their shares by two to three percentage points; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2011, the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii stated that inequality is growing rapidly in Hawaii, finding that:

 

     (1)  The top one percent of Hawaii households increased their share of total income from seven percent in 1975 to 20 percent in 2005;

 

     (2)  The top 10 percent of Hawaii households increased their share of total income from approximately 30-32 percent from 1946-1982 to 43 percent in 2005; and

     (3)  Income inequality had been stable until the early 1980s, when globalization and the decline of union agricultural jobs negatively impacted middle and low-wage earners; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to convene a task force composed of at least two economists; two citizen advocates; the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, or the Director's designee; the Director of Finance, or the Director's designee; the Director of Taxation, or the Director's designee; two members appointed by the Speaker of the House; and two members appointed by the Senate President to address income inequality among Hawaii's citizens; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to assess income inequality in Hawaii and make recommendations to address its impact on Hawaii's families; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism submit a report of the task force's findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2015; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; the Director of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; the Director of Finance; and the Director of Taxation.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

ADDRESSING INCOME INEQUALITY IN HAWAII.