[Velvet]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

When I had a Government job, I traveled a lot. They would give me a flat rate for meals, with no receipts or taxes required. In most places, the meal rate was $42 per day, but in Hawaii, it was $70 per day. This made no sense to me because there are Subways everywhere, so I always came out ahead, even more so in Hawaii. And, you could buy "Spam and eggs" at the Mcdonald's.

Federal employees who lived and worked in Hawaii received a 22 percent cost-of-living salary increase. And, unlike any other place in the world, this increase was tax free.

You were fortunate, then. My local Hawaiian friends often have to work at 3 jobs to make ends meet. Teachers salaries (I am a retired teacher) aren’t enough to let some people finish the year. It is the accommodation prices that does one in.