Hawaii Candidates Propose New Taxes and Agency Audits

Business operators should monitor proposed excise tax shifts and new state audit requirements for local agencies.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Economic Policy

Hawaii Candidates Propose New Taxes and Agency Audits

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Gubernatorial candidates Gary Cordery and Daniel Anthony unveiled a policy platform focused on state agency reform and housing development. The ticket proposes eliminating excise taxes on food and medicine alongside initiatives to expand residential inventory on state-controlled lands.

Why it matters

Business operators in Hawaii face potential shifts in state procurement, tax policy, and land-use regulations under the proposed reforms. The candidates suggest that current government operations suffer from widespread mismanagement, necessitating an overhaul of state agency oversight.

The ticket proposes the construction of 15,000 new single-family houses priced between $400,000 and $600,000. These figures emerge as incumbent Governor Josh Green has raised 10 times the campaign funds currently held by Cordery.

The players

Gary Cordery

Gubernatorial candidate who previously led the Aloha Freedom Coalition during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daniel Anthony

Gubernatorial candidate and activist known for organizing demonstrations at the Hawaii state capitol.

Josh Green

The current Governor of Hawaii and incumbent candidate who has significantly out-raised his challengers in campaign funds.

The details

The platform includes a proposal to hire external out-of-state auditors to conduct comprehensive reviews of all state departments and agencies. Regarding housing, the ticket advocates for leveraging state training lands to support military housing development. The proposal to eliminate excise taxes on food and medicine is presented as a measure to address operational costs for residents, while Cordery cites state land availability as the primary mechanism for the housing development plan.

2026-10-22
The gubernatorial ticket presented their policy platform on the Fans of Democracy podcast.

Market Landscape

The proposal to eliminate excise taxes on food and medicine marks a major departure from the state's existing General Excise Tax structure. This aligns with a broader trend of candidates challenging state fiscal policies to address resident cost-of-living concerns.

Operators should track the potential for audits across state agencies, which could alter compliance requirements and administrative workflows. Businesses dependent on current state land-use patterns or excise tax structures should monitor the feasibility of these proposals as the election cycle progresses.

The takeaway

The proposed policy shift signals a potential move toward aggressive state auditing and land-use changes that could impact the regulatory environment for businesses. Operators should evaluate their current compliance posture and monitor any legislative language proposed in the coming months.