Posted on: Saturday, December 15, 2001

Cayetano points to backlog in repairs

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

Gov. Ben Cayetano yesterday said he will renew his request next year for $1 billion for state construction to help diminish the backlog of repair and maintenance projects in Hawai'i schools and other state facilities.

"I think that what we need to do during this time is try to find ways to create jobs and boost the economy and yet continue to get the state government in order again and I'm talking about the repair and maintenance of schools," Cayetano told reporters.

"We've got about a $600 million backlog (in repair and maintenance projects) which increases by about $20 million a year. Not only our schools but our hospitals, our parks, all the kinds of things that are important not only to the people but to the economy as well.

"And so I'm going to go back and say to them (lawmakers) I want you to give me another $1 billion. Otherwise I want you to tell me and tell the people of this state how you're going to catch up on the backlog of $600-something million in repair and maintenance.

"You'll never do it if we continue to just appropriate $400 million every biennium. That's something that was done in the past and somehow we haven't changed. We need to make a big investment now."

This would be yet another request by the governor to get permission from the Legislature to borrow $1 billion for construction.

Cayetano made the same proposal in 1997 and, most recently, in the emergency special session that ended Nov. 2. Lawmakers granted Cayetano's 1997 proposal but cut his emergency special session request to $100 million, citing concerns of putting the state in too much debt. Legislators also noted they authorized the governor earlier this year to borrow and spend about $480 million on new construction.