A new reporting requirement has kicked in this year, and lots of people will be affected.
The reason for the requirement is a growing perception that ultra-wealthy oligarchs, bad actors, and others are seeing us—the United States—as a haven where they can park money or assets in entities, like limited liability companies, corporations, or partnerships, and then obscure the ownership of the entities through agreements or understandings through which one person is on record in the corporate filings but another person actually calls the shots. Other countries require the identities of those with “beneficial ownership interests” (BOI for short) to be reported to the government. Ours hasn’t required this reporting but will now.
The law making this change is called the Corporate Transparency Act, which became law in January 2021 after Congress overrode President Trump’s veto of the William M. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-283, of which the Corporate Transparency Act was a part.
Starting this year, covered entities, loosely defined as any legal entities created by filing a document with a state or tribal office, will need to report their beneficial owners to FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network). FinCEN is the Treasury group set up to catch money laundering and related crimes. You may have heard of them because if you are filling out your income tax return and you have $10,000 or more in a foreign financial account over which you have control, then you need to check a box on your return and file a separate report with FinCEN.
New entities generally have 30 days to report, although 90 days will be allowed for entities formed in 2024. Existing entities must report sometime this year. Hefty fines and penalties await those who are found noncompliant, as in civil fines of $500 per day of noncompliance and the possibility of a criminal conviction with a $10,000 fine and 2 years imprisonment per willful violation.
Actual filing is done on a FinCEN website. The filing doesn’t cost anything. I tried it myself because I have a single-member LLC that holds my law practice. The website offers two options: download a PDF, fill in the information, and upload the finished version; or fill in the form on the website directly.
At this point, I don’t recommend the PDF. It gave me some strange issues. For example, when asked to validate my identity, one of the options was “U.S. Passport.” I selected that and duly uploaded my passport photo page, but the PDF then said my information couldn’t be validated because I didn’t specify the country of my identity document (which, by the way, was grayed out in the PDF when I selected “U.S. Passport”). I tried switching to a state driver’s license, saved the PDF, but the required “Ready to File” button stayed grayed-out and couldn’t be pushed, without any obvious explanation. After that, I rage-quit dealing with the PDF, used the direct entry system instead, and had no problems filing.
That bad BOI was kind of exasperating for me; but it doesn’t have to be that way for you. Good luck filing!
The start of Hawaii’s annual legislative session is always marked by hope and trepidation.
Will this be the year that we finally start to see positive big changes — or are we going to see more taxes, more spending, more regulations? In short, the same old same old?
Overall, I am optimistic that the 2024 Legislature will lead us toward a better Hawaii.
Keli’i Akina
One reason I am optimistic is that my colleagues and I at the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii have been especially focused on working with legislators to introduce bills that would make it easier to build housing and improve healthcare access.
And we haven’t been doing it alone. In the spirit of “E hana kākou” (“Let’s work together”), we have been working with other individuals and organizations to find common ground and advance new policies.
On the matter of housing, we are supporting a wide range of bills that together could make a big difference in easing Hawaii’s housing crisis. Many of these bills reflect proposals we presented in Grassroot’s most recent policy brief, “How to facilitate more homebuilding in Hawaii.” They include:
>> HB1630 and SB3202, which would allow construction of smaller, less-expensive houses known as “starter homes” that more people could afford.
>> HB2212 and SB3227, known as “Yes in God’s Backyard” bills, which would allow churches, educational institutions and other certain nonprofits to build affordable homes on their own lands.
>> HB2090 and SB2948, which would promote adaptive reuse of commercial buildings.
>> HB1632, which would authorize self-certification of building plans.
To address Hawaii’s healthcare shortages, we would like the Legislature to build on the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact it passed last year, which will soon make it easier for out-of-state physicians to practice in Hawaii.
It could do that by allowing Hawaii to join the national Nurse Licensure Compact, which, like the compact for doctors, would make it easier for out-of-state nurses to practice here. Bills we support that would accomplish that include HB2158 and SB2492, and HB2415 and SB3104.
We are also hopeful this will be the year that the Legislature finally exempts medical services from the general excise tax. The bills that would make that happen are HB2627 and SB2169.
And also related to healthcare, we are supporting bills that would either liberalize or repeal the state’s medical certificate-of-need laws — HB1963 and SB2123, respectively. As the Senate bill says, CON laws “stifle competition by protecting incumbent providers and creating a burdensome approval process for establishing new facilities and services.”
Of course, housing and healthcare are not the only issues we have set our sights on. We also will be working to promote government transparency and accountability; protect our rights to property; reform the state’s asset-forfeiture program; create a more liberal environment for cryptocurrencies; and support the speedy recovery of Lahaina and other parts of Maui that were affected by the August 2023 wildfires.
As usual, we will fight to save Hawaii taxpayers millions of dollars, prevent government boondoggles and foster a more diversified economy by challenging the many attempts to increase our taxes, state spending and regulations.
The quest for a better Hawaii might seem daunting, but we are not without hope — because we know we are not alone.
In the coming weeks and months, we will share with you ways you can get involved with these efforts. If you feel called, please join us. With your help, the victories we can achieve will surely be sweeter and more abundant. __________
Keli‘i Akina is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.
Editor’s Note: Rob Kay has been a bee keeper for the past four years and is active in Oahu Beekeepers, a grassroots organization dedicated to promoting beekeeping and assisting beekeepers. Rob was a recipient of the 2023 Bee Heroes Grant which strives to make a difference on Oahu and the Aloha State by promoting a healthy honey bee population, which is vital to our fragile, island ecosystem.Bees play a key role in maintaining biodiversity and mitigating climate change through pollination.
In short, we need our bees and we need to grow our cohort of bee keepers. This is the first in a series of interviews with scientists, beekeepers and other experts in the field.
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Beekeeping in Hawaii dates to 1857, when the first hives were introduced from California. One hundred sixty five years later beekeeping has become ‘cool’.
I was fortunate enough to attend a class from Scott Nakaido, beekeeper extraordinaire, several years ago. Scott’s classes were held on four consecutive Saturdays on campus at Manoa and at the UH agricultural station in Waimanalo. (Classes were discontinued during Covid but I’m told that they will be taught again in the near future. Stay tuned!)
Scott, who has worked as a scientist, educator and commercially as a bee expert, was kind enough to sit down recently to provide readers with some FAQs on keeping bees on Oahu.
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Q: If I’m interested in keeping bees, where can I take classes locally?
A: Check with the University of Hawaii Honey Bee Project which historically has offered classes through their Outreach College. (As alluded to above, plans are to start classes up again soon).
Pam Hinsdale (l) and Karen Liliker of Oahu Beekeepers, crack open a hive in a Kaimuki backyard. (photo courtesy Rob Kay)
Q: How much work per week is involved if I want to keep bees?
A: Figure on budgeting at least 2-4 hours a week—or more to maintain your hives.
Q: What kind of investment in equipment will it take to get started?
A: It depends on the size of the apiary. For most new beekeepers, an investment of at least 2 colonies is required. This includes boxes, tools, and protective clothing. This can cost between $500-1000. This does not include the bees which can cost an additional $250-500.
Q: Where do I get equipment?
Locally, you can go online to see what’s on Craigslist. If you can’t acquire gear locally, there’s Amazon and any number of mainland vendors. Minnesota-based Mann Lake, has excellent quality products and has been generous about donating items in the past to non profits such as Oahu Beekeepers.
Q: How do I obtain bees?
A: Currently, the only way to obtain bees is to either catch a swarm of bees or purchase a hive from a beekeeper. I would recommend new beekeepers to purchase a beehive. (Note that it’s illegal to buy and ship bees into the state as well as ship between islands).
Pam and Karen examine a super in a second hive. Note the nearly full frame of brood. Looks like there’s a happy, prolific queen in the hive. (photo courtesy Rob Kay)
Q: How much honey does the average hive produce?
A: Currently a healthy hive should produce on average around 100 lbs of honey each year. However, this will vary by location.
Q: I do not want more than one colony of bees, is that ok?
A: Normally we suggest having at least two colonies. It’s good to have a backup colony.
Q: Can I keep bees in a residential neighborhood such as Kaimuki?
A: Yes. The C&C ordinance allows up to eight beehives in residential areas. However, there are some restrictions such as keeping hives properly shaded from adjacent night lighting on adjoining properties, keeping the hives behind a solid fence or hedge at least six feet in height and other guidelines that you’ll need to be aware of.
Members of the Oahu Beekeepers get together on a regular basis to learn, socialize and offer gear to members of the org. This meeting was held in January of 2024 at Moanalua Park. (photo courtesy Rob Kay).
Getting Help for Beginners
Every beginner is going to need a mentor.
Newbies needing advice should contact the University of Hawaii Bee Project at 808-956-2445/uhbeeproject@gmail.com. Scott also suggests joining a beekeeping organization such as Oahu Beekeepers, Hawaiian Honeybee Coop, Hawaii Beekeepers Association or Bee Collective where they can get help and advice from more experienced beekeepers.
Full disclosure, I’m a member (as are Pam and Karen featured in the photos) of the Oahu Beekeepers, an informal group of enthusiasts who get together on a retgular basis on the island and work together to mentor newcomers to the hobby.
Chaired by Ken Harmeyer (oahubeekeepers@yahoo.com) it’s great way to learn about beekeeping and meet like-minded friends.
Members range from backyard beekeepers to commercial operators such as Tadd Rienstra, who has over 200 hives and has offered free classes to members. Meetings, ususally conducted at a local park, include lectures and often free gear is provided to novices.
Staying politically active and aware is important to local beekeepers. The City Council and the State Legislature are always, it seems, in the process of introducing new laws that may impact beekeepers so it’s incumbant upon community members to keep track of what’s going on and if necessary educate our council members or state legislators.
Rob Kay is a local beekeeper and columnist for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Researchers are now looking beyond the tumor, into the tumor microenvironment, to better understand more fully what is actually happening when cancers develop1.
This relatively new approach does not just look at cancer as a cellular mutation that causes cells to grow without stopping. The cancer paradigm is shifting to seeing cancer as a process involving a host of cells and chemical factors operating within a tissue structure, or matrix.
This is good news because it expands the understanding of how cancers develop. It also shows a glaring problem with the current cancer approach.
Since the medical paradigm is a biochemical one, the goal has been to describe the biochemistry of the tumor microenvironment, with the hope of discovering a drug to interfere with the biochemistry of cancer. Interventions that are not drug oriented are not actively pursued, or sometimes even addressed.
When it comes to the tumor microenvironment, this non-drug factor is the impact of wearing tight clothing.
Tight Clothing Impacts the Extracellular Matrix
What is the impact of tight clothing on the extracellular matrix and tumor microenvironment?
Tight clothing can reduce lymphatic flow2, impair the extracellular matrix3, and create low tissue oxygen, reduced intercellular communication, impaired immune function, and, consequently, increased cancer incidence.
Unfortunately, the drug model of medicine ignores clothing and the mechanical impact of tight clothing on the body’s circulation, including on the lymphatic system and extracellular matrix, which are easily affected by tight clothing.
This is particularly important when addressing breast cancer. Most women wear bras these days, and wear them too tightly, according to the lingerie industry. Marks and indentations left in the skin by bras are a sign of constriction. This means the extracellular matrix of the breast tissue is being altered in its function by tight bras.
Research has shown that impairing the extracellular matrix increases cancer incidence4. Bras interfere with this matrix. Numerous studies have now shown a significant bra-cancer link5.
The bottom line is that wearing tight garments, especially bras, can alter the microenvironment within the tissue, impacting the tissue’s local immune function and response to cancer development.
Clearly, it’s time to expand the understanding of the tumor microenvironment to include the impacts of tight clothing. Breast cancer cannot be adequately studied without considering the use of tight bras, including the degree of tightness and length of time worn daily.
Unfortunately, the bra-cancer link has been considered controversial. The theory behind the link has suggested that tight bras impair lymphatic function, resulting in fluid and toxin accumulation and reduced immune function. This theory has been dismissed out-of-hand by those who have been defining the cancer paradigm along pharmaceutical lines6.
Ignoring the impact of tight bras on the breasts is like ignoring the impact of smoking on the lungs, or tight shoes on the feet. Cultural pressures and financial interests may benefit from this ignorance, but women do not.
It’s time to expand the paradigm. Just as you cannot understand a breast tumor without understanding its microenvironment, you cannot understand the tumor microenvironment without understanding the woman’s macroenvironment, which is her culture. And culture these days expects women to wear bras for long hours everyday, from puberty onwards, although that is changing7.
Racial Disparity Explained
Once the issue of tight clothing is included in the analysis of the tumor microenvironment, another interesting connection can be made. Women of color are known to have increased death rate from breast cancer. While some sociocultural and comorbidity factors can explain some of this disparity, it does not explain all of it. However, we can now see another factor involved.
Women of color have increased scarring, such as keloid scars, in response to trauma and healing. This scarring increases the density of the extracellular matrix, with increased deposits of collagen. This increases resistance to lymphatic flow, resulting in more profound impairment of the immune system and tissue microenvironment than in white women who wear bras, and who have less scar formation from trauma and irritation from tight clothing8.
This would translate into worse cancer outcomes for people with greater scar formation.
Any garment that leaves marks or dents in the skin is too tight. The reason why tight clothing is harmful is because of its impact on circulation.
Lymphatic circulation, which is central to immune function, must be unobstructed, and lymphatic vessels are easily affected by compression and constriction. All this helps define the extracellular matrix and tumor microenvironment.
Given the culture’s penchant for tight fashions, the most common cause of lymphatic impairment is tight clothing, especially bras. Add to that the synthetic materials comprising most tight clothing, which can leach toxic chemicals into the skin, and you have a culture-caused recipe for cancer.
Clearly, clothing that is tight and toxic will not only affect the tumor microenvironment; it may even help create it.
Barrier to Drug Therapy
Lymphatic impairment and extracellular matrix congestion from tight clothing can complicate drug therapy, and limit healing ability. The reduction in circulation from tight clothing will also impact drug delivery to the tissues, and increase the effective drug half-life in the tissue by keeping it there longer.
Poor lymphatic circulation essentially blockades an area, limiting input and outflow of fluid and the biochemical products it carries, including therapeutic drugs. If the tissues don’t properly circulate, they deteriorate. This is why chronic inflammation is harmful. It causes chronic circulatory impairment.
Good circulation is important for preventing cancer and for treating it. Circulate, or deteriorate.
Conclusion
It’s time the research and medical establishments start to recognize that you cannot understand the microenvironment of the body without considering the cultural macroenvironment in which that body lives.
Tight clothing alters the body through constant pressure. This affects circulation to and from the affected area.
Bras are an example of this process. Most women wear bras tightly for long hours daily, and this results in chronic lymphedema and associated degenerative processes, including increased cancer incidence and reduced cancer survival.
Fortunately, tight clothing is a disease-causing factor that can be easily altered. Fashions can become more body-friendly. Research into disease, including cancer and the tumor microenvironment, can begin to incorporate this overlooked lifestyle factor of clothing tightness and toxicity into study design and treatment protocols.
We need to see people as more than biochemical processes. We are also cultural beings, who use culture to alter our bodies. We cannot ignore this when studying human health and disease.
One of the big mysteries in the cancer field is why young black women have about twice the death rate from breast cancer as white women. This paper will propose a new theory for explaining this increased death outcome.
What could be causing black women to be more likely to die from breast cancer than white women? Current thinking has gathered the usual suspects. One is unequal access to healthcare, with black women having less preventative services and early detection and treatment. This results in black women getting treatment for later stage disease, with worse outcomes.
Black women also have different proportions of cancer types than white women, with more triple-negative cases that have worse outcomes. And due to many factors, black people, on average, have higher incidence of other health problems, or co-morbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. These impact breast cancer survival.
But these factors alone cannot explain why black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.
However, one factor that affects breast physiology has been ignored in all of the medical literature on this issue, which relates to the impact of tight clothing on the breasts. Specifically, research has ignored the impact of tight bras.
Tight Bras and Lymphatic Impairment
The problem with tight bras is that they can impair lymphatic circulation, which is especially susceptible to pressure from garments. This is why patients with a tendency towards lymphedema are advised not to wear tight clothing. Daily clothing-caused constriction of the breast lymphatics with the use of bras results in lymph fluid congestion, as the pressure from the bra constricts the easily compressed lymphatic vessels.
The purpose of the lymphatics is to drain the tissues of fluid, toxins, cell debris, bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells; to provide a pathway for the immune system to attack any developing infections or tumors; and to keep the circulation going for tissue repair. It is the circulatory pathway of the immune system. When constricted, the lymphatics are impaired in their ability to transport fluid and white blood cells, and the tissue becomes congested, low in oxygen, and high in toxic waste and other toxic substances. Tissue repair also becomes more difficult with a constricted lymphatic system. Infections and cancers can thrive when lymph is stagnant.
Lymph Stasis and Cancer
Stagnant lymph is also called lymph stasis, and has been associated with cancer development since at least the 1930s. Recent research has shown that lymph stasis promotes tumor growth. According to a 2018 study, “(t)hese findings come as no surprise to us who for a long time have been aware that alterations in regional lymphatic flow may produce dysregulation in skin immune function and consequent oncogenesis. In fact, since 2002, our team has held the view that lymphedematous areas are immunologically vulnerable sites for the development of neoplasms as well as infections and immune-mediated diseases. In recent years, increasing evidence has confirmed this assumption.”
According to a recent review of the lymphatic system in the Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, entitled, The Lymphatic System in Disease Processes and Cancer Progression, “Advances in our understanding of the structure and function of the lymphatic system have made it possible to identify its role in a variety of disease processes. Because it is involved not only in fluid homeostasis but also in immune cell trafficking, the lymphatic system can mediate and ultimately alter immune responses. Our rapidly increasing knowledge of the molecular control of the lymphatic system will inevitably lead to new and effective therapies for patients with lymphatic dysfunction. In this review, we discuss the molecular and physiological control of lymphatic vessel function and explore how the lymphatic system contributes to many disease processes, including cancer and lymphedema.”
This means that tight bras can increase cancer incidence by impairing lymphatic function. This toxifies the tissue, and impairs healing and immune function, including reduced cancer recognition and destruction. Numerous studies worldwide have now shown a bra-cancer link.
Different Skin, Different Scars
However, not all women will react to the constriction and compression of the bra in the same way. Some women, particularly women of color, have different skin properties that affect how the skin responds to trauma, rubbing, and irritation from tight bras. These women are more likely to form thick, raised scars, called keloid or hypertrophic scars.
These extreme scars can develop from surgical cuts, but also can form on susceptible skin from tension or pulling on the skin, or from repeated compression and rubbing, as happens with bras and their underwires and straps. Wherever a bra leaves marks in the skin, it is a place where scarring can begin for people prone to developing these types of scars. Wherever the bra pushes the breasts to relocate them for fashion reasons, it creates tension in the skin that can result in scarring.
The scarring is the product of overly active cells, called fibroblasts, which make collagen for the skin and connective tissue when a wound heals. Normally, the fibroblasts fill in the wound area and stop growing, as the wound is sealed with collagen fibers composing scar tissue. However, people of color have a genetic predisposition to over-active fibroblast activity when healing wounds, leading to excessive scar collagen deposits and a big, thick, raised scar tissue. This is the hypertrophic scar. Sometimes, this scar continues to grow outside the limits of the wound as it heals, resulting in a keloid scar.
Bras and Scars
This means that people with a greater tendency for keloid scar formation may be more harmed by tight clothing than someone who heals without excessive scar formation. In other words, black women and other women of color face greater risk of big scars from tight bras.
This is more than a cosmetic issue. Scarring causes a disruption of the lymphatic system. The lymphatics are tiny capillaries which begin in the tissue spaces and drain lymph fluid through the extracellular matrix, which is a scaffolding and structure for the tissue. Increased collagen in the extracellular matrix of the breast tissue, associated with scarring from tight bras, creates a resistance to this flow of lymph. This causes fluid congestion in the breasts, which manifests as pain and cysts. Over time, as toxins accumulate and immunity wanes, disease develops.
This means that people with a tendency towards keloid and hypertrophic scar development have a higher risk of disease in general due to an overactive scar formation mechanism and consequently reduced immune function from lymphatic impairment.
Keloids and Cancer
In fact, a big study in the UK looked for health problems associated with people who develop keloid and hypertrophic scars. The study, entitled, Comorbidities of Keloid and Hypertrophic Scars Among Participants in UK Biobank, found that people who get these scars also are more likely to suffer from lots of problems. Regarding the breasts, this includes inflammatory breast disease, breast pain, lump or mass in the breast, and breast cancer.
This means that women prone to keloids also are more prone to cancer and other health problems. This also means that these women suffer more from bra constriction than women who scar less.
When a tight bra compresses, irritates, and rubs against the breasts everyday, for hours each day, year after year, there will be a skin response to repair the damage. The skin may thicken or scar. For some women with keloids, their skin response to the bra could include higher collagen in the skin, with scar tissue forming in response to the repeated irritation and rubbing, which interferes with proper lymphatic circulation. This increases cancer risk, and reduces the ability of the immune system to fight cancer once it appears.
The impact of tight bras on lymphatic circulation may be why women of color have higher death rates from breast cancer. Their breasts are more damaged by bras than white women, who usually do not have scarring problems.
Pressurized Scars
You would expect easily-scarring women to possibly show greater signs of compression from the bra, such as welts or indentations or overt scars, outlining the compressive surfaces of the garment.
However, these scars may not be obvious, due to the bra. Let me explain.
One popular treatment of keloid and hypertrophic scars is to apply pressure to the scar. This results in lower oxygen in the scar tissue beneath the compression, which causes death of some of the fibroblast cells that make the excess collagen. Eventually, the compression, if not too severe, will reduce the scar size. If the compression is too tight, it can cause tissue necrosis.
This means that the bra can create scars, by compressing and constricting the breast tissue; and bras can control scars, by compressing and damaging the scar-producing fibroblasts. This may reduce the appearance of scars from the bra on the surface of the skin. However, beneath the surface, the chronically compressed skin will have increased collagen and some scarring.
Scars Reduce Immunity and Repair
Once a woman develops breast cancer, her ability to recover and heal from the tumor, surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy will be directly related to the health of her lymphatics. It stands to reason that the greater the damage to the lymphatics prior to getting cancer, the lower would be the survival rate.
Unfortunately, the entire issue of bras and breast cancer is being deliberately ignored by the cancer industry in the US, so the impact of tight bras is overlooked. As a result, the racial disparity in the impact of bras due to differences in scar formation has also been overlooked.
Higher Breast Cancer Incidence, too?
If black women are more harmed by bras to lower survival rates, then they should also increase incidence rates from bras in black women. That is, if a black woman and white woman of comparable size both wore the same tightness bra for a long period of time, then the black woman would theoretically suffer more harm due to an over-reactive scar formation process, resulting in greater lymphatic impairment. Surprisingly, however, the incidence of breast cancer is comparable between races, while the death rate is higher for people of color. Why is the incidence rate the same regardless of race?
The answer may be that, while the incidence is comparable, there are numerous factors that increase risk besides bras which may be different between racial groups. Obviously, genetics also plays a key part, particularly regarding the BRCA gene mutations that increase cancer incidence. According to current research, black women have lower prevalence of harmful BRCA gene mutations compared to white women. This means something else is raising the risk for black women to compensate for lower BRCA mutation problems, and still keep the incidence rate the same as for white women. The impact of tight bras on tissue scarring may be that other factor.
Bras Usage is an Important Variable
More research is clearly needed. But the impact of bras on the breasts must be included as a major variable.
How tightly are black women wearing bras compared to white women? How long are they worn daily? What is the material of the garment? Is it irritating and made of synthetic fabric, which can leach toxic and irritating chemicals into the skin? Are there cultural differences between the way women use bras? How early in life do they start wearing them?
You cannot understand why some women get breast cancer and others do not until you understand the physiological impact of tight bras on breasts. Breasts that have been chronically constricted, pushed, and scarred by bras for hours everyday, for years on end, from puberty onwards, are not the same as natural, bra-free breasts. You must also be sensitive to cultural differences in bra usage and body image, as well as racial differences in scar formation and other skin reactions to tight bras.
Until the factor of bra usage is considered in breast cancer research, there will continue to be confusion, especially regarding the cultural cause of this disease. The current medical model is focused on the biochemistry of cancer and how to manipulate that chemistry with drugs. It completely ignores the simple mechanical effect of tight bras on the breasts. It is like ignoring smoking when researching lung cancer.
Biochemistry Cannot Solve a Mechanical Problem
This biochemical approach will not solve, or address, the mechanical problem of tight bras. If the lymphatics are compressed and constricted by a bra, no drug will end that mechanical problem. Until medicine responsibly addresses this issue with further research and warnings to women to avoid tight bras, breast cancer statistics will continue to stay high.
Women of Color Suffer the Most from Bras
Unfortunately, women of color will disproportionately suffer from the current medical industry resistance to considering the impact of tight bras on breast pathophysiology. The above discussion presents a physiological mechanism that explains some of the racial disparity between breast cancer deaths. It explains how tight clothing can cause scarring and lymphatic impairment, and how people who develop keloid scars can be more impacted by tight clothing. But until all women hear this information, they will continue to harm their breasts inadvertently and ignorantly with constrictive bras. And women of color will suffer the most, as usual.
The medical community must stop its defensive and dogmatic rejection of the bra-cancer link, acknowledge that numerous studies do show a link, and call for further research into bras and other tight clothing and their effect on lymphatic circulation. Women have a right to know that their bra choices can put their health and lives at risk. And women of color, especially, need to know that compressive clothing can cause scarring that can lead to tissue breakdown, and possibly higher death rates from breast cancer.
That’s too high a price for women to pay for fashion.
Other References:
1991 Harvard study (CC Hsieh, D Trichopoulos (1991). Breast size, handedness and breast cancer risk. European Journal of Cancer and Clinical Oncology 27(2):131-135.). This study found that, “Premenopausal women who do not wear bras had half the risk of breast cancer compared with bra users…”
1991-93 U.S. Bra and Breast Cancer Study by Singer and Grismaijer, published in Dressed To Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras (Second Edition, Square One Publishers, 2018). Found that bra-free women have about the same incidence of breast cancer as men. 24/7 bra wearing increases incidence over 100 times that of a bra-free woman.
Singer and Grismaijer did a follow-up study in Fiji, published in Get It Off! (ISCD Press, 2000). Found 24 case histories of breast cancer in a culture where half the women are bra-free. The women getting breast cancer were all wearing bras. Given women with the same genetics and diet and living in the same village, the ones getting breast disease were the ones wearing bras for work.
A 2009 Chinese study (Zhang AQ, Xia JH, Wang Q, Li WP, Xu J, Chen ZY, Yang JM (2009). [Risk factors of breast cancer in women in Guangdong and the countermeasures]. In Chinese. Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 2009 Jul;29(7):1451-3.) found that NOT sleeping in a bra was protective against breast cancer, lowering the risk 60%.
2011 a study was published, in Spanish, confirming that bras are causing breast disease and cancer. It found that underwired and push-up bras are the most harmful, but any bra that leaves red marks or indentations may cause disease.
2016 Brassiere wearing and breast cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis World J Meta-Anal. Aug 26, 2015; 3(4): 193-205 This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between 8 areas of brassiere-wearing practices and the risk of breast cancer. Twelve case-control studies met inclusion criteria for review. The meta-analysis shows statistically significant findings to support the association between brassiere wearing during sleep and breast cancer risk.
2018 Lymph stasis promotes tumor growth Journal of Dermatological Science “(t)hese findings come as no surprise to us who for a long time have been aware that alterations in regional lymphatic flow may produce dysregulation in skin immune function and consequent oncogenesis. In fact, since 2002, our team has held the view that lymphedematous areas are immunologically vulnerable sites for the development of neoplasms as well as infections and immune-mediated diseases. In recent years, increasing evidence has confirmed this assumption.”
2018 How Bras Cause Lymph Stasis and Breast Cancer Academic.edu “Recent studies are showing that lymph stasis causes cancer by reducing immune function. This article draws on these studies to further explain how constriction from tight bras results in lymphatic impairment in the breasts and an increased incidence of breast cancer.
2019 Wearing Brassiere – A Less Well Known Factor Associated with Breast Cancer in Women Nurs Midwifery J 2019, 16(12) 891-901. Wearing of brassiere is also a lifestyle-related habit that has sparked many debates today as a risk factor for breast cancer in women. This study was conducted to determine the behavioral Habits of wearing brassiere in women with and without breast cancer. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed differences in some behavioral habits of wearing brassieres in women with and without breast cancer. So, in preventive interventions for breast cancer, women’s education should be considered in order to be aware of the proper behavioral habits in wearing brassieres.
Our 2024 Legislature has just opened and is warming up to its usual fever pitch. Other States, however, are already rolling. In Colorado, for example, Governor Jared Polis (D) recently delivered his State of the State address. It was unusual in that he is a Democrat Governor who was urging lawmakers to cut taxes.
Before going into what he said, here is a little background. Colorado has a state constitutional provision called the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR for short. TABOR prevents lawmakers from increasing taxes beyond an objectively determined cost of living amount without a vote of the electorate. We previously wrote about how some lawmakers and others were trying to get TABOR declared unconstitutional, claiming that the unlimited ability to tax is a key component of a “republican form of government” each state is guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. So far, the litigation has gone on for several years and TABOR is still alive and well.
So here is some of what Governor Polis said:
I know some Democrats in the past have been skeptical of reducing our income tax rate, but cutting the income tax rate is the most effective way to further our economic growth. In my 2020 state of the state address I echoed President Kennedy and President Obama’s calls for cutting the income tax rate, and the people of our state delivered twice. President Kennedy didn’t just launch the moonshot, he delivered one of the largest income tax cuts in history, saying that income taxes, “exerts too heavy a drag on growth [and] reduces the financial incentives for personal effort, investment, and risk-taking.” Those cuts helped spur America’s astronomic economic growth.
. . . .
As demonstrated by our healthy [TABOR] surplus in Colorado, taxes are simply too high: income taxes, property taxes, and the state sales tax. We ignore that signal at our own peril and I challenge Democrats and Republicans to work together to improve our economic growth and success by not taking taxes we can’t keep from people and instead working on a bold, balanced, progressive package, including cutting the income tax rate.
In the 2023 legislative session, as you may recall, Governor Green introduced legislation that would have given Hawaii families, especially ALICE (asset limited, income constrained, employed) families, tax relief. That legislation was amended beyond recognition in both the House and Senate to a bill that temporarily enhanced certain credits that are given to lower income families. The Governor signed that bill anyway and said that his tax relief bill would be reintroduced this session.
That legislation is worth seriously reconsidering. One of the major drivers of state revenue, our General Excise Tax, has been described as a tax on “virtually every economic activity imaginable.” The key phrase there is economic activity. If there’s no economic activity, the GET can’t produce revenue. If too much tax puts the brakes on our economy, it becomes harder and harder to get the economy to encourage hard work, risk-taking, and investment and to generate jobs, innovation, and growth.
You don’t have to take my word for it. Colorado Governor Polis probably said it better than I could. He, in turn, cites the words and actions of former Democratic Presidents.
By the way, Colorado’s income tax rate is just a flat 4.4% in 2024. We start taxing income at a greater rate once a married couple hits a mere $9,600 in taxable income, and the rate keeps climbing until it hits 11%.
So maybe it’s okay to be a Democrat and to work toward lowering our high tax rates here in Hawaii.
When facing a challenge such as rebuilding Lahaina, it’s important to work together to get the best possible outcome.
Everyone involved won’t always agree on the best approach, but open discussion and debate will give the public a say to help find the best route forward.
That’s why on Thursday, as president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, I sent a memo to key government officials who collaborated with the Hawaii Community Foundation, the American Red Cross and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement to create the $500 million Maui Interim Housing Plan, which seeks to find housing for the many Maui residents displaced by the tragic August 2023 wildfires.
Specifically, I wrote to Gov. Josh Green, Mayor Richard Bissen, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Robert Fenton Jr., and all the members of the Maui County Council and Hawaii State Legislature.
In my memo, I first praised the plan, noting that it is “directionally sound” and should help in the mission to speedily provide temporary housing. But I also noted there are ways to make it better, especially regarding the state’s goal of constructing 1,050 temporary and permanent housing units by July of this year. I detailed six proposals:
>> Identify state- and county-owned parcels near sewer and water infrastructure that could be speedily available for homebuilding.
>> Maximize the amount of housing that can be built within budget and on the available land. For example, instead of building one home on an 1,800-square-foot, build two. In general, build duplexes, triplexes or accessory dwelling units wherever possible. This might require waiving zoning density restrictions, but that could easily be done by emergency proclamation at either the state or county level.
>> Let private builders participate in providing emergency housing, especially where there is already access to existing infrastructure. The state and Maui County could encourage these efforts by waiving density restrictions and building and impact fees for private landowners who build housing for Maui fire victims.
>> Determine whether certain occupational licensing laws should be waived so out-of-state contractors and skilled tradespeople can help with local housing construction. Experts have suggested that the state might not have enough skilled tradespeople to assist with our construction goals. If that is true, we need to do something about it.
>> Exempt landlords participating in the housing program from having to pay state and county general excise and transient accommodations taxes on any funds received from the state, Maui County, FEMA, the Red Cross or the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.
>> Amend Maui’s emergency permitting law to waive building permit fees, speed approval times and broaden the kinds of buildings covered by the statute, which currently applies to only “one-and-two family dwellings and accessory dwelling structures.”
If you would like to read the entire four-page memo I sent to the governor, Mayor Bissen and the others, you can find a copy here.
My hope is that our state and county officials will carefully consider the suggestions I offered to improve the current Maui Interim Housing Plan. I share their desire to address the needs of our Maui ohana, and am confident that we will have the greatest impact if we work together. __________
Keli‘i Akina is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.
Upgrading your handgun to meet your own needs is obligatory. In my case that means adding a Caspian slide that will accept an optic. (Of course having a gunsmith fit a custom slide is going to improve accuracy dramatically).
But let’s get back to the subject of optics on handguns.
Over the last few years manufacturers of polymer guns, such as the Glock MOS system, the Smith & Wesson M&P series and others are now configuring slides many of their models that will accept optics.
Of course, adding optics to “old fashioned” handguns such as 1911s or wheel guns is nothing new. Bullseye shooters have been doing this for generations.
The difference is that putting an optic on a 1911 almost always entails outfitting them with a rail type mount. What’s new with this platform is that Caspian Arms, the venerable manufacturer of 1911 kits, now offers a optics-ready slide to accommodate a red dot. Providing a mounting platform, along with the appropriately tapped holes, allows the end-user to easily place a red dot directly on the slide.
My starting point with this project was the Rock Island Armory Pro Match Ultra 6″. Out of the box this is a decent, well-finished gun. I simply tweaked it, so that it would easily accept a red dot and to improve accuracy.
Caspian is one of the most respected manufacturers of 1911 parts and accessories, is a small company and they don’t spend much on marketing. They don’t have to. They have a great reputation for their products, mostly frames and slides which are used almost exclusively for competition guns. I suspect a good number of the winners at Camp Perry use Caspian frames or slides. I own a 1911 built with a Caspian frame and it’s one of my most prized possessions.
The Caspian/C-More combination on the RIA 10mm will work for everything from home defense to pig hunting
When I learned about the new Caspian optic-ready slide option I knew that’s how I wanted to modify my RIA PRO Match Ultra. Essentially you tell the Caspian folks what optic you want mounted on your gun and they’ll machine a Caspian slide to match the footprint. This is not exactly a mass produced product but it’s faster and less expensive than having a gunsmith do a custom job.
I was introduced to this model at the 2016 SHOT Show in Vegas and was smitten. It was accurate, well finished and reasonably priced. RIA guns are manufactured in the Philippines which gives them a competitive edge in pricing. Just because the Phillipines is not traditionally thought of as gun manufacturing mecca don’t let that dissuade you from a purchase. RIA, aka Armscor, makes more 1911s than anyone else in the world and based on this model, I would not hesitate to recommend them.
Street price is about $950 which is a bargain, considering that you are getting a match grade 1911. The stock gun served as the perfect platform for this project.
You’re not going to be shooting Bullseye matches with a 10 mm handgun but it’s ideal for hunting and taking to the silhouette range. The 10 mm chambering, combined with the extra velocity afforded by the 6” barrel, makes it perfect to reach out and touch something at a long distance.
It’s a great little gun but with a red dot it becomes more functional by an order of magnitude. That was my rationale for adding this slide/optic combo.
C-More Systems is a family owned optics company that you may not hear about as much as the larger manufacturers but don’t let that put you off. They specialize in high end gear for race guns and have been doing so for years.
Founded in Manassas, Virginia in 1993, its primary products are red dot sights for M1911 pistols, Glock pistols, and AR-15s. Their sights come recommended by FN Herstal for the M249 SAW (light machine gun) and M240 machine gun. The company also manufactures the M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System for the United States Armed Forces.
I really liked the lock-down feature which ensures that your windage and elevation adjustments stay put.
Quality is first class because it has to stand up to the pounding it’s inevitably going to get in a competitive or combat scenario. Hence many of C-More’s clientele tends to be Bullseye competitors. That said, it’s reasonably priced—much less than the expensive stuff from Europe or this country for that matter.
The C-MORE RTS2 series reflex sight is C-More’s newest product and is among their smaller reflex sights. It offers the shooter a parallax free design which means you can acquire a target without having to center the dot in the lens. The company uses a “beam-splitter lens” manufactured of hard coated glass to protect the product from scratches.
The housing is manufactured from aviation alloy and the electronics are designed to deal with hot loads from large caliber firearms. In short this system is perfect for an energetic round like the 10 mm. It offers 1 moa click adjustment for both windage and elevation. A 10 position, manually operated push button switch offers plenty of options for intensity adjustment and it will shut off automatically after eight hours of inactivity. A nice touch is that after setting your adjustments you can lock them down securely with a separate tweak using an Allen wrench.
One of the coolest features about the RTS2 is that you can replace the battery (a CR2032 lithium model) without dismounting the sight. That means you don’t have to re-zero it every time you replace it—which shouldn’t be that often. Very clever those Americans. What’s more, the battery compartment has an O-ring seal to keep it waterproof.
It’s a cool little optic that works splendidly for longer shots, which was exactly what I wanted.
Mounting the optic couldn’t have been more straight forward. The Caspian machine shop tapped the holes so all I had to do was to cinch down the RTS2 and apply a little Loctite.
Adding the slide assembly to the frame is pretty standard stuff if you own a 1911. However, the RIA model has a 20 lb recoil spring to contend with. Shall we say it’s a bit challenging to put back on.
I did need the services of a gunsmith to fit the barrel to the slide. The slide fit on the rails of the frame perfectly so nothing had to be done in that department.
I preferred Magpul grips over the stock RIA offering, which I felt were overly aggressive.
Magpul Grips
In addition to the slide assembly I added one more essential item to transform this gun into a much more user-friendly firearm–a set of Magpul MOE grip panels. Why do so? There’s nothing inherently wrong with the stock (VZ) grips on the RIA but like all things in life it’s a matter of preference. I thought they were too aggressive for my sensibilities and started to literally grate on me. I understand that control is an issue with a 10 mm handgun. However I found the Mapguls, which have diamond-shaped cross section to prevent twisting in the hand, offered both control and great ergonomics. They felt better in my hands and at $19.95, didn’t break the bank.
Working up a load
It’s not enough to have a fully accurized pistol with cool optics without decent ammo.
By rolling your own, you can manufacture cartridges precisely to your own requirements — often with more accuracy than a factory round.
The challenge is of course coming up with an alchemical equation that takes into account the weight of your bullet, the length of your barrel, the make of your primer and a half a dozen other factors.
What I found really useful in the 10 mm space was to join the 10mm Firearms forum. As you’d expect, these are hard core enthusiasts who have done a lot of experimentation when it comes to reloading. They were incredibly helpful.
Finally, none other than famed shooter Jerry Miceluk was also a source of info. He likes heavier bullets for longer distance shooting which meant at least 180 gr. I wasn’t about to second guess him.
So what did I discover? After hundreds of experimental rounds one of the primary lessons that I learned (and this most likely is not going to be an epiphany to hand loaders) is that hollow point bullets are the most accurate. However, at 25 yards and under, I didn’t see that much of a difference between the flat point and the hollow points.
The Montana Gold 10 mm 180 gr HP bullet was accurate at 100 yards.
Shooting at 50+ yards was a different story. Jacketed hollow points (such as Montana Gold) worked the best. Between the jacketed and the plated I would say the former were more accurate than the plated bullets at longer distances. I used both 165 and 180 grain bullets, jacketed and plated.
I also opted to experiment with some locally cast 180 gr bullets from a true craftsman here in Hawaii. The results were somewhere between plated and jacketed bullets.
The bottom line: A really competitive shooter will appreciate the difference between the jacketed and plated bullets. The average shooter, just plinking away, is not going to see much of a difference if any between plated jacketed and cast bullets.
Standardize with one type of brassand prepare accordingly
For accuracy and consistency stick with one brand of brass for reloads. My first choice is Starline.(Note their distinctive logo).
When it comes to brass, none other than legendary gunsmith Jim Clark stated in Gil Hebard’s The Pistol Shooter’s Treasury that case consistency is key to accurate reloads. Using brass from different sources is an anathema to creating uniformly made ammo. Thus if you’re serious about “standardizing” your ammo, use one brand of quality brass.
Why?
Reloading with scrounged range brass runs counter to consistency and quality control. Brass collected from different manufacturers is by definition going to have slightly different dimensions and varying quality.
I’ve used their brassover the years with great success. Their QC is second to none and, the cases are very durable. Starline management keeps on top of things because it’s a family-owned business rather than some corporate entity that is owned by a hedge fund. They care about their products in a very personal way.
A chamfer/deburr tool from Brownells is crucial for preparing new brass. Starline recommends this in their documentation and I concur.
Prepping new cases
One note regarding preparation: When using new brass you’ll need to chamfer the case mouth.
Why?
A new case will have a jagged mouth which can create problems when you seat the bullet (especially if it’s a plated bullet) so you’ll need to smooth out the sharp edges.
That can be done with a chamfer/deburr tool which you can pick up from Brownells or other reloading outlets. Once the brass is fired you won’t have to go through this process again.
Pick your powder
My selection of powder was not entirely scientific.
I have a quantity of Accurate Arms (aka AA) powder from Western Powders on hand so I used it for my experimentation. I’ve used this brand for years with 357 and .41 magnum loads with stellar results. The very same powders that excel in the magnum space, AA #7 and AA #9, are excellent for the 10 mm which is essentially a magnum round. (For good measure, I also tried AA#5 which also worked well).
What I liked about AA #7 and AA#5 is that you don’t have to max out on the load to get good efficiency. AA #9 on the other hand usually (but not always as I found out) needs to be loaded on the heavier side. Thus you can get away with less than a full-on load with AA#5 and #7 and get some very impressive results.
Why does this matter?
My bias, perhaps from shooting Bullseye guns for years, is come up with a load that is the most accurate with the least recoil. A full house load has it’s place but too much recoil too much of the time is a drag. Not only is it going to put more stress on you, but on your firearm as well.
My go-to powder for the Caspian/RIA 10mm was AA No. 9 for 180 gn bullets.
With this in mind, I managed to come up with a couple of balanced loads for this gun which worked exceptionally well:
I found that 12.5 gr of Accurate #9 over a 180 gr (plated) bullet from a plated or jacketed bullet such as Montana Gold hollow point was particularly effective. This load also worked well for the Rainier 180 gr FP (a bullet with a flat point that resembles a truncated cone).
For a 165 gr jacketed or plated bullet (either hollow point or FP) 11-11.5 gr of Accurate #7 worked great. 8 gr of AA#5 also worked wonders for the 165 gr plated bullet.
If you’re shooting a cast 180 gr bullet, a light but very accurate load was 8 gr of AA #7.
The recipes for all of the AA powders on this round usually fills at least half of the volume of the cartridge. That’s a good thing because if you accidentally double-charge, the powder will spill thus tipping you off.
Picking the right load for a plated bullet
There is one important issue to consider when loading for the 10 mm or similar magnum style round. Donny Shride, former owner of Rainer Ballistics, suggests that you use the recipes for jacketed bullets of the same weight and style. Thus if the recipe calls for 165 gr hollow point, jacketed bullet, that same recipe can be used for a plated 165 grain hollow point.
However there is an important caveat.
Shride stresses that you should only load plated bullets to a “mid range” level. Thus, if the reloading guide says use 10 to 13 grains of powder for the particular load, you shouldn’t go higher than 11.5 grains. The base of plated bullets (unlike jacketed) tend to deform more easily under high pressure loads so it’s not a good idea to push them too much.
Western Powders publishes a very useful reloading guide and there’s no shortage of “pet loads” on forums. Of course you have to be a bit careful about using data off the internet. Naturally the standard reloading guides from Speer, Lyman and others also have data.
A tack driver at 25 yards. Montana Gold 165 gr bullet.
Shooting the gun
The RIA/Caspian hybrid was wickedly accurate. At 25 yards it wasn’t much of a chore to get a decent group. At 50 yards, it’s going to take a bit more work, as you’d expect. Within a few minutes of getting the sight zeroed in, I got some pretty good groupings that I’m sure would be even better with a few more outings.
I was also able to accomplish a personal goal with this setup–to whack an 8″ diameter gong at just over 100 yards.
For those not familiar with the 10 mm, it’s not a handgun for the fainthearted. You’re going to get a good dose of recoil commensurate with magnum-like character of the round. Of course recoil can be tweaked with your loads. If you don’t like the heavier loads, 8 gr of AA#5 was a sweet load for a 165 gr plated bullet.
Other Tweaks
The only other modification I made was lightening up the trigger perhaps by half a pound. The stock trigger is excellent but I wanted it modified to my own specs. At the time of publication I’m also experimenting a bit with the recoil spring. The stock spring is 20 lbs. With the heavier Caspian slide to move I put in a lighter spring and so far that seems to help the gun to cycle. Of course, it still needs to be broken in so we’ll see how this plays out. Ordinarily I don’t think it’s a good idea to second guess the factory settings but in this case I did–at least for the time being.
Conclusion
Let’s begin with the optics. The C-More worked splendidly.
The use of a red dot, particularly for longer shots, was exactly what I wanted. The red dot is a crisp little orb and 6 MOA functioned perfectly for my needs. The C-More RTS2 retails for $418.49 on Amazon.
There are several advantages going with a custom slide/optic combination. First off there’s no rail to contend with. All you do is mount the optic on the slide by screwing it on. It sits lower and is aesthetically more pleasing and cleaner than a rail. There’s nothing between the optic and the slide.
To fit the barrel, material had to be removed from the slide in several areas including the edge of the dust cover.
The disadvantage is that you can’t change your brand of reflex sight unless it has the exact same footprint as the original optic. It’s also going to be a bit more expensive adding the whole assembly rather than a rail.
Price for the Caspian Long Slide (which I needed for the RIA gun) is $302 with an additional $61 to machine the rear sight cut. The serrated round top option for the slide is $38. Caspian will be able to machine a cut for any slide. However, in some cases Caspian may want you to send your optic to them to make certain they have the correct dimensions in order to do the work. Your best bet is peruse their parts on Brownells or head directly to the Caspian website.
One more caveat. Note as alluded to earlier, you may have to spend a few more bucks to get your Caspian slide fitted with the barrel. This necessitated some removal of metal from the slide in several areas with a dremel. It wasn’t major surgery but you want to leave this to the pros. In my case it was the deft hand of my gunsmith, “Bobot” Duquez, a superb Hawaii gunsmith.
The entire upgrade endeavor will set you back about $1000, including gunsmithing. However, considering the price of a decent accurized 1911 without optics will run at least $2000, this is a bargain.
If you’re a 1911 owner and you want to add a red dot, the Caspian “Optics-ready Option”, in combination with a quality sight such as the C-More RTS2, is an upgrade worthy of consideration.
It isn’t very far into the new year, but already the tax hike proposals have begun.
As reported by Hawaii News Now, Gov. Josh Green is proposing some “revenue raisers” to have resources available to fight wildfires and other environmental disasters.
He is proposing to raise $100 million by either hoisting the Transient Accommodations Tax, or TAT, by one percentage point, or by imposing a “check-in fee” of 25 bucks each time someone checks into a transient accommodation, be it a hotel, inn, or short-term rental.
These proposals are significantly different from the “Visitor Green Fee” proposed by his administration in the 2023 legislative session. Last year, the proposal was to create an entirely new fee that would need to be paid for a tourist to enter parks and other state natural resource areas. We at the Tax Foundation of Hawaii complained that such a new fee probably wouldn’t be constitutional and would be beset with practical difficulties in enforcement. Hopefully, that incarnation of the Visitor Green Fee has been shelved.
This year’s proposals, adding on to existing taxes, are probably constitutional. As long as the TAT is applied to all transient accommodations, and there is no discrimination against tourists from the mainland or from foreign countries, the proposal will probably pass constitutional muster.
Whether passing the tax is a wise idea, however, is another question entirely. One hospitality industry consultant interviewed by Hawaii News Now made the point that Hawaii’s TAT is already the highest in the nation. (Before rushing out to look up rates from other states and countries, consider this: Hawaii has a base TAT rate of 10.25%, which would become 11.25% under Gov. Green’s proposal. The county in which the transient accommodation is located can and does tack on another three percentage points to fund county projects. Then there is the General Excise Tax, which adds on another four points, and the county surcharge on the GET adding another 0.5 points statewide beginning this year. That gives you a total of 15.75% to compare against the other states; you will find that their sales taxes don’t typically apply to rentals.)
The alternative $25 check-in fee may have a greater impact in percentage terms. An extra 25 bucks of TAT equals an additional 1% when the tourist’s hotel accommodations bill hits $2,500. For short-stay tourists or others who don’t rack up $2,500 or more, the $25 causes even more of a dent in the tourist’s budget than the 1% would.
In either case, as HNN’s hospitality consultant pointed out, the message being sent to the tourists isn’t good. We’re essentially telling the tourists to go somewhere else, and if they do come here our government is going to milk them like dairy cows. They are already getting mixed messages in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires, and the new burdens may sour them on Hawaii even more.
And then, let’s not forget that at least some government agencies here in Hawaii have been having a tough time spending the money that is thrown at them. We’ve seen this phenomenon with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and most recently the Department of Education. If we are going to cast the pearls of additional revenue before our state agencies, we had better make sure that they are up to the new tasks that lawmakers have in mind for them.
If you spent part of this week sitting in the dark without any electricity, you probably have some questions about the state’s energy plan. So do I.
Power shortages on Monday forced Hawaiian Electric Co. to institute rolling blackouts that left 120,000 customers on the island without power for 30-minute periods throughout the late afternoon and evening.
Keli’i Akina
HECO has blamed those shortages on bad weather, problems at the H-POWER and Waiau power plants, and inadequate solar and wind reserve power.
But as a policy issue, the blackouts have raised questions about why state regulators were comfortable with requiring HECO to shut down its only remaining coal power plant in September 2022 when it was problematic that it had adequate energy reserves to compensate.
State Sen. Glenn Wakai told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the blackouts were evidence that closing the coal plant was premature.
“The recent rains showed us solar, wind and batteries are incapable of ensuring we have a reliable grid,” he said.
In fairness, at least one case of rolling blackouts happened a few years before the coal plant was shut down, in 2015, which affected 27,000 customers.
But one outage from nine years ago doesn’t negate the fact that the state still seems to be over its head when it comes to grid reliability and its ambitious renewable energy goals.
The fact is, we are being squeezed between two big projects: HECO’s efforts to upgrade its 80-year-old electrical infrastructure, and the plans of state lawmakers to have Hawaii achieve “net zero” carbon emissions” by 2045 through greater reliance on renewable energy sources.
Both are complex endeavors in themselves. Having them happen simultaneously highlights our need for reliable backup power.
The main problem with renewables is that they seem to work well only under ideal weather conditions — and in the case this week, a merely moderate storm was enough to turn out the lights. In other words, renewables are not reliable.
Combine that with the problems that go along with HECO’s existing antiquated power grid and we’re bound to see more rolling blackouts in the future.
Basically, it’s looking like state lawmakers have rushed into switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources before Hawaii is really ready for it.
Improving Hawaii’s electric grid is critical. Exploration of sustainable energy is also important. But if we want our lights to stay on during rough weather, we need to ask tough questions about the feasibility of the state’s renewable energy mandates — and demand good answers. __________
Keli‘i Akina is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.
Oh BOI, More Red Tape for All
A new reporting requirement has kicked in this year, and lots of people will be affected.
The reason for the requirement is a growing perception that ultra-wealthy oligarchs, bad actors, and others are seeing us—the United States—as a haven where they can park money or assets in entities, like limited liability companies, corporations, or partnerships, and then obscure the ownership of the entities through agreements or understandings through which one person is on record in the corporate filings but another person actually calls the shots. Other countries require the identities of those with “beneficial ownership interests” (BOI for short) to be reported to the government. Ours hasn’t required this reporting but will now.
The law making this change is called the Corporate Transparency Act, which became law in January 2021 after Congress overrode President Trump’s veto of the William M. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-283, of which the Corporate Transparency Act was a part.
Starting this year, covered entities, loosely defined as any legal entities created by filing a document with a state or tribal office, will need to report their beneficial owners to FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network). FinCEN is the Treasury group set up to catch money laundering and related crimes. You may have heard of them because if you are filling out your income tax return and you have $10,000 or more in a foreign financial account over which you have control, then you need to check a box on your return and file a separate report with FinCEN.
Some entities are exempt from BOI reporting, such as SEC-registered entities, tax-exempts, and regulated businesses in the financial sector. FinCEN has put out a more comprehensive guide here.
New entities generally have 30 days to report, although 90 days will be allowed for entities formed in 2024. Existing entities must report sometime this year. Hefty fines and penalties await those who are found noncompliant, as in civil fines of $500 per day of noncompliance and the possibility of a criminal conviction with a $10,000 fine and 2 years imprisonment per willful violation.
Actual filing is done on a FinCEN website. The filing doesn’t cost anything. I tried it myself because I have a single-member LLC that holds my law practice. The website offers two options: download a PDF, fill in the information, and upload the finished version; or fill in the form on the website directly.
At this point, I don’t recommend the PDF. It gave me some strange issues. For example, when asked to validate my identity, one of the options was “U.S. Passport.” I selected that and duly uploaded my passport photo page, but the PDF then said my information couldn’t be validated because I didn’t specify the country of my identity document (which, by the way, was grayed out in the PDF when I selected “U.S. Passport”). I tried switching to a state driver’s license, saved the PDF, but the required “Ready to File” button stayed grayed-out and couldn’t be pushed, without any obvious explanation. After that, I rage-quit dealing with the PDF, used the direct entry system instead, and had no problems filing.
That bad BOI was kind of exasperating for me; but it doesn’t have to be that way for you. Good luck filing!