Maui may start aid program for workers affected by war
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau
WAILUKU, Maui — Maui County Council members are mulling the possibility of starting a financial aid program for workers caught in the anticipated economic fallout from the war in Iraq.
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The program would be similar to the $1.5 million assistance program set up in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that resulted in a sharp drop in visitors to Hawai'i.
"Maui County has shown a history of helping out when people are down," said Councilman Michael Molina. "We've got to think about doing it again."
The potential impact of war was discussed yesterday by the council's Committee of the Whole and representatives from nonprofit agencies and private companies, including those from the county's top employer — tourism.
Both Matthew Hart, vice president of Castle & Cooke Resorts LLC, and Terryl Vencyl, executive director of the Maui Hotel Association, warned that the number of calls for reservations and information is down, an ominous sign for the future.
Vencyl said the hotels already are preparing for a downturn in business similar to what happened following Sept. 11, and are hoping to minimize the number of layoffs.
Joining the discussion was Gladys Baisa, executive director of Maui Economic Opportunity Inc., the agency that administered the county's previous assistance program, called the Hawai'i Emergency Laulima Partnership, or HELP.
That program aided 8,565 people in 2,799 households over a four-month period, Baisa said. The average amount of assistance per household was $495. Vouchers were used to pay for food, housing, utilities, insurance, and auto and medical expenses.
Baisa said there is likely to be less money available this time, so she suggested a few operational changes and a new name: Operation Malama (to take care of).
The HELP program offered help to anyone who suffered a financial loss due to reduced work hours or layoffs, and Baisa said that this time, perhaps assistance should be limited to those who can prove a 25 percent drop in income. This would require program administrators to take a closer look at the finances of applicants seeking help.
Most of the financing for the HELP program came from a "rainy day" fund the county set aside for emergencies. However, with new budget constraints, that kind of money may not be available without rearranging priorities.
Alice Lee, director of the county's Department of Housing and Human Concerns, said she's hoping the private sector will play a larger role in supporting the new program, perhaps in providing discounts to those in need and to the agencies that serve the needy.
