Question: Is there a place you can see information about candidates running in the primary election, such as their background and stand on various issues? It is hard to vote when you don’t know anything about them.
Answer: Candidates who responded to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s questionnaire are profiled at staradvertiser.com/election-candidates/, in write-ups that provide information about the candidate’s work and political background; why they believe they are qualified to hold elected office; their opinions on about a dozen key issues, concerns and priorities; and links to more information, such as their campaign websites.
The state Office of Elections also has a candidate guide online, which a voter can personalize to focus only on candidates in that voter’s district. To access the personalized OE guide, go to elections.hawaii.gov and click on the 2024 Primary Election Voter Guide. From there, you can choose your island and input your street address to see only candidates running in your district.
Or you can read the full guide at 808ne.ws/4cfVzsW, in PDF format. This guide includes the name and contact information for each candidate, plus a photograph and one-paragraph statement if the candidate submitted that information.
Q: Is the IRS really telling Maui fire survivors their taxes are due the day before the memorial?
A: Yes, if by memorial you mean the one-year anniversary of the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires that killed 102 people in Lahaina and leveled much of the town, destroyed almost two dozen homes in Kula and also burned brush in Kohala on Hawaii island.
The Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers in the whole federally declared disaster area that certain tax relief will expire Wednesday.
“The Internal Revenue Service postponed until Aug. 7, 2024, various tax- filing and tax-payment deadlines for individuals and businesses in Maui and Hawaii counties affected by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires. In general, this means that affected individuals, businesses and tax-exempt organizations have until Aug. 7, 2024, to file their 2023 returns and pay any taxes due,” the IRS said in a news release.
The agency says wildfire victims in Maui and Hawaii counties should update their current address with the IRS as necessary by calling 866-562-5227 or by filing change-of-address Form 8822. Taxpayers whose address has changed also should notify the post office serving the old address, the IRS says.
Read more at 808ne.ws/irsfire, including descriptions of the various types of taxes, contributions and payments due.
Q: I heard an announcement that the Humane Society is overcrowded and needs foster homes for dogs and cats. Would I be expected to adopt after the foster period? How long is the foster period?
A: No, you don’t have to adopt the dog or cat you care for through the Hawaiian Humane Society’s short-term foster programs, although the nonprofit hopes that plenty of foster families will end up loving the pets and give them permanent homes.
The Couch Crashers program, which seeks foster homes for adult dogs, and the Lap Crashers program, which does so for adult cats, typically asks for a one- to two-week commitment, according to the Humane Society, which says that cats take time to settle in, so two weeks is ideal. Find more information on the nonprofit’s website, hawaiianhumane.org.
Mahalo
Mahalo piha! Shout-out to the maintenance shop at Ala Wai Golf Course. Workers retrieved and re-inserted a metal plate someone had maliciously removed and left a large hole in the sidewalk. It could have been catastrophic had anyone stepped in the empty hole. So grateful to them! — CJM
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
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