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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, March 11, 2003

Spending on beach events under fire again

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

The City Council Budget Committee and the managing director's office squared off yesterday over money for the popular Sunset on the Beach program after it was revealed that the city is still footing part of the bill for each weekly event.

The council last year limited the administration to paying for the free entertainment and movies at Kuhio Beach Park to one weekend a month, but the event has continued to be offered weekly through donations from the private sector.

However, as the committee discussed the managing director's operating budget, council members learned the city still provides support services.

"What I've heard today is that we're still doing the set-up, we're still providing the security. When you say privately sponsored, what do they pay for?" asked Council Chairman Gary Okino.

Deputy Managing Director Malcolm Tom said, "They pay for $10,000; that pays for out-of-pocket costs the city would have paid if it were a city-sponsored event."

Frustrated by Tom's answers to questions about the costs for the events when they used city staff, Councilwoman Barbara Marshall commented: "I believe that it's not quite honest to say that it doesn't cost the city money, that these are people normally assigned to these jobs. I don't believe that we would have a half-a-dozen parks people at midnight in Waikiki were it not for Sunset on the Beach. We have heard consistently about a lack of parks maintenance or our inability to provide as much as we want. Those things disturb us and they disturb the taxpayers."

Budget Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi wondered whether the city should be putting so much effort into finding sponsors to pay $10,000 a week for the program when other city departments also need money. "If we're going out to ask for $10,000, you know, our Police Department, our Fire Department, the prosecuting attorney, they all need extra money, and I think we should use our energy to try to get more funds for those departments," she said. "I mean, what's wrong with having Sunset on the Beach just once a month?"

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle had appeared before the committee earlier yesterday, raising serious objections to budget cuts sustained by his office. Under the administration's proposal, his department's operating budget will be $300,000 less than last year and more than $1 million less than he requested for salaries, expenses and replacement equipment

He asked the council to restore at least $450,000 to his operating budget to give merit pay raises to deputy prosecuting attorneys, pay for 2 1/2 additional deputy prosecuting attorney positions, and provide salaries for three legal support staff positions.

"There's an enormous call in the private sector for people of this caliber," he said.

Councilman Charles Djou asked whether the prosecutors would be able to handle the the investigation into campaign spending violations with limited resources.

"Do we have enough resources to handle these things if they come in in the type of volume they have been coming in right now? And the answer is, I don't think so, and I think it's because we've got to get people to the ability," where they can do it, Carlisle responded.