Council seeks to fill $1.3 million gap in budget

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

Budget Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi said she believes she and her City Council colleagues will need to find at least $1.3 million more in cuts to balance the city's $1.2 billion operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

In addition to covering about $6.2 million in pay increases for 3,000 city workers in the Hawai'i Government Employees Association from binding arbitration, the council has been told to come up with $1 million because city budget officials miscalculated what was needed for raises in a contract reached with the Hawai'i Fire Fighters Association, Kobayashi said yesterday.

The Budget Committee is slated to put the final touches on its spending plan today and tomorrow. A final vote on the budget by the full council is set for June 4.

Council members want to reject Mayor Jeremy Harris' proposal to increase tipping fees for trash hauled to city landfills, which his office estimates would bring in $4.2 million, Kobayashi said. One idea being looked at is to delay the increases for six months.

Kobayashi said another option is to move $1.3 million in receipts from concessions at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve out of a park special fund and putting it into the general fund.

The Budget Committee is seeking to restore money for some vacant positions that would have saved about $1 million. The council still would be trimming vacant positions to the tune of about $2 million, Kobayashi said.

The committee also wants to restore $125,000 for nightly torch-lighting ceremonies at Kuhio Beach. The council had proposed deleting all $393,332 from the program.

At a budget caucus meeting yesterday, some council members proposed ending financing for Sunset on the Beach, Brunch on the Beach and the Office of Economic Development. But those proposals appeared to lack support from a majority of the Budget Committee.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.