Governor working to get ‘Results for Our People’; outlines how in 2025 policy report

“You must remember never to cease to act because you fear you may fail.”

Queen Lili‘uokalani, the last royal monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, said those words in 1917 — 24 years after her kingdom was illegally overthrown in January 1893 by a group of non-native U.S. businessmen and politicians with sugar interests. Hawai‘i would be annexed by the United States about 5 years later in July 1898.

Lili‘uokalani lived by her words, too, making several attempts — even being imprisoned at one point, herself ironically convicted of treason — to regain control of the islands for Native Hawaiians.

Gov. Josh Green on Aug. 20 announced a new policy playbook that includes and is inspired by those words of Hawai‘i’s final and revered monarch, which she said the same year she died of a stroke at her Washington Place home. She was 79 years old.

Green’s policy report “Results for Our People” lays out what his administration is doing and its plans to continue tackling significant issues facing the islands.

“What we need are bold, systemic changes that address the root causes of the challenges we face. It’s about more than just promises; it’s about getting things done,” Green said in announcing the report.

That’s the essence of “Results for Our People.”

“We face complex, longstanding challenges — lack of affordable housing, health care access, environmental sustainability — and we are committed to the work involved to move the needle,” Green writes in the new report, adding that as governor he is committed to ensuring the Hawai‘i its people deserve is not just a dream.

“This is our time to act — to deliver results, to create lasting change and to build a future where everyone in Hawai‘i has the chance to thrive.”

The report is divided into two parts and builds upon priorities discussed during Green’s 2025 State of the State Address in January.

Part 1 details strategies for addressing pressing challenges and how Green’s administration is tackling them to ensure the state is caring for its people:

• Protecting Hawai‘i’s fragile environment: Green, his team and state legislators took bold action this year to address biosecurity threats, combat climate change — including Act 96, which establishes of a new state “Green Fee” — as well as safeguard critical resources such as water.
• Helping Maui heal: The governor’s administration — in partnership with federal, local and nonprofit partners — is committed to Maui’s recovery from the August 2023 wildfires.
• Public safety: Green says the state is taking decisive action to remove illegal guns and dangerous fireworks, as well as to address agricultural crime to keep communities safe.
• Enhancing health care: The administration launched the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program and Green signed Act 47 into law, exempting certain medical services from the state’s general excise tax.

Part 2 of the new policy report focues on ensuring a successful future for the islands, dedicating specific attention to how Green’s administration is setting up Hawai‘i for success:

• Confronting the affordability crisis: Through the Green Affordability Plan and Act 46, the state is easing the cost of living by adjusting tax credits, deductions and brackets while protecting vital services despite federal budget cuts.
• Addressing the housing crisis: Green said the state is accelerating affordable housing by cutting red tape, eliminating costly fees, building on public lands and investing in infrastructure.
• Reducing the waitlist for Hawaiian Home Lands: Funding from Act 279 is enabling projects that provide thousands of homes for Native Hawaiian families.
• Housing is health care: Initiatives such as the kauhale model address immediate shelter needs and root causes of homelessness.
• Hawai‘i’s resilient economy: The state’s economy continues to grow and has record low unemployment, as well as strong tourism and construction sectors.
• Celebrating unity and culture: A 10-day festival in June 2024 brought together 2,200 delegates from 25 Pacific Island nations to showcase indigenous culture.
• Progress on transferring non-agricultural park lands: Supporting pasture lands and strengthening local food production under Act 90 boosts food security, sustainability and economic resilience.

Green’s administration is committed to placing the well-being of all Hawai‘i residents at the forefront of its efforts.

The governor says his new policy report embodies the voices of island communities, outlining collective actions toward a shared vision of a brighter future.

“I encourage the public to join us in meaningful dialogue and collaboration to advance these priorities for the greater good of Hawai‘i,” Green said in his announcement.

He added people of the islands deserve an affordable and resilient Hawai‘i; the state’s efforts are not just about solving today’s challenges, they hope to create lasting opportunities for generations to come.

“We are laying the foundation for a more sustainable and hopeful future,” Green said.

He writes in the policy report that the people of the islands must continue to uplift each other through the challenges — continuing to unite in purpose and action so the Hawai‘i created today is a catalyst for the transformation into the Hawai‘i of tomorrow.

“This book serves as a reflection of the progress that has been made and what lies ahead,” Green writes. “It reflects our commitment to working together as one ‘ohana, to build a Hawai‘i where everyone can flourish. It inspires us to honor the values that bind us, guiding our collective efforts toward a future that’s resilient and infused with hope and possibility.”

The “Results for our People” policy report is available online.

News reporter Nathan Christophel contributed to this story.