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TheBuzz

BY ERIKA ENGLE

Freedom from taxes
not quite a dream

Tax Freedom Day is either April 22 or today, depending on how you look at it.

That is the day of the year by which taxpayers have earned enough to cover their annual tax burden.

Were just the state and local tax burden counted, "We're No. 4 in the nation ... which means we're still not doing too well here locally despite the tax reductions we've had in the past several years," said Tax Foundation of Hawaii Executive Director Lowell Kalapa.

Ahead of Hawaii in the state and local tax category are Maine, New York and Wisconsin, he said.

However, calculating the combined federal state and local tax burden "would rank us No. 30 in the pile of states," Kalapa said.

No. 1 would be Connecticut, he said, adding that because of its high per-capita income its federal tax burden is higher.

Hawaii ranks "relatively low" in that category "mainly because our per capita income is rather low relative to very wealthy states like Connecticut," he said.

"Their tax freedom day isn't until mid-May, about the 14th."

Odd as it is to say in a column about taxes, "Lucky you live Hawaii."

Tax relief for pork

That's pulled pork or any other barbecued, roasted, grilled or fried item at Dixie Grill.

This being tax day, General Manager Jim Hamachek declared it should be celebrated by thanking customers by picking up the tax.

Patrons at both Dixie Grill locations will pay for food and drink but the restaurant will pay the Hawaii state tax on each check today beginning at 11 a.m.

Restaurant officials calculate the Ward Avenue and Aiea locations will end up paying $1,000 in tax on all the lunch, dinner and pau hana tabs between opening and closing today.

Format flip

New Wave Broadcasting LP flipped formats Friday at 5 p.m. entering the competition for lovers of local music. It is being rebranded as "The Breeze" with a change of call letters to KHUI.

It joins Cox Radio Hawaii's KCCN FM and KINE FM and Clear Channel Hawaii's KDNN FM in the battle for popularity.

KDNN was a classic rock station before Clear Channel officials stepped in to claim some of Cox's exclusive local music market share. The "traditional and contemporary music from Hawaii," will run DJ and commercial-free for the first month, according to a statement.

Months ago local music was removed from KORL as officials said it was inconsistent with the station's sound and listener desires

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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com