Abercrombie Plan Raises Taxes, Cuts Services
01/24/2011UPDATED 1/26/11 3:05 p.m.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include budget figures.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie's budget plan to solve Hawaii's $844 million deficit includes five new taxes and fees and cuts to social services.
Interestingly, although the governor is a liberal Democrat, the demographics most affected by his proposals are the poor and elderly. Included in his State of the State speech Monday were plans to cut Medicaid and welfare benefits, increase taxes and add new fees. Absent were any plans to repeal tax exemptions that benefit the rich.
The governor also proposed what he called the "New Day Work Projects," a capital improvement program to attack unemployment and "jumpstart" business.
Here's a rundown of Abercrombie's financial proposals.
