Off The News: High stakes for Hawaii in budget fight

Here we go again.

In what’s become an annual game of political “chicken,” another national shutdown looms, as Congress members posture over the national debt. Sept. 30 is the deadline to pass either the appropriations bill or a stopgap continuing resolution to keep government offices open while the budget is hammered out.

This year’s shutdown threat hits particularly close to home for Hawaii, as most of Maui’s wildfire recovery is being funded by federal sources, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund. Get cracking, Congress.