State leaves DOE with $7.4M shortfall
By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Big Island Bureau
HILO, Hawai'i — Gov. Linda Lingle's administration is refusing to provide all of the money the state school system needs to pay raises to teachers and school staff this year, and instead wants the Department of Education to find some of the money within its own budget.
Schools Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto said that means the department must somehow find an extra $7.4 million to pay raises owed to school staff for the year ending June 30.
LINGLE
At a state Board of Education meeting here yesterday, Hamamoto released a letter from finance director Georgina Kawamura advising the school system to "make every effort" to cover the $7.4 million in raises for teacher and blue-collar campus workers out of its own budget.
However, Kawamura agreed in the same letter that the administration will ask the Legislature for an additional $8.7 million to cover similar unfinanced employee raises in the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Hamamoto's announcement prompted an objection from Board of Education Chairman Herbert Watanabe, who protested that "they have shortchanged us $7.4 million."
Board member Mary Cochran objected to what she said was a "trend" in the department's budget dealings with the administration: "They short us, and then they tell you to go find it."
"If you have to look look for monies like this, aren't we going to have to look at some programs within the schools, something we're going to have to eliminate to make up the shortfalls?" Cochran asked.
"We may have to, yes," Hamamoto said.
She said she is uncertain where the department might find the money, adding that "we have to go back to the budget and take a look at it."
However, Hamamoto said there still is hope the administration will recommend that the Legislature set aside the cash to pay for the raises.
This is the second time this month the Lingle administration has publicly split with DOE officials over the budget.
The Board of Education also had asked for a supplemental appropriation of $51.2 million for the coming year, largely to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Instead, Budget and Finance Department officials recommended approval of only $1.5 million.
Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 935-3916.
