Sing, O Muse, of the ‘Herculean’ effort that could not tame the Cretan Bull of Planning and Permitting, a maddened beast of code and chaos that now stampedes over a cliff, crushing all hope in its path.

Hawaiʻi makes history as the first state to enact a green fee. Worldwide, tourists usually don’t mind paying these fees to offset their impact. But those who profit from the industry have long claimed the sky will fall as a result.

When we have money to fund tax credits for powerful film studios, but no money to invest in tax credits for our keiki, the lines between fictional exploitation and the dismal reality of life start to feel blurred. Are we not, in fact, living The White Lotus?

There are always winners and losers in every proposed budget, but some of the guests at this year’s budget banquet might be consuming more than makes sense, while others could use more than breadcrumbs.