The county’s biggest budget to date drew little interest from the public Tuesday, as no one showed up for an evening hearing to address the County Council about the proposed $515.7 million spending plan.
And council members were mixed about how much the budget should be.
“A half-billion-dollar budget for this county is just eye-popping,” said Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy. “We’ve got to learn to work not only harder but smarter.”
But several council members think the budget isn’t big enough. They point to Maui County, which is considering a $900 million budget for a smaller geographic area with fewer people.
“We’re short-changing our residents,” said Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung. “We’re not doing them any favors.”
Puna Councilwoman Eileen O’Hara said the county hasn’t kept up with the annual cost-of-living increase, much less dealt with years of neglect in such areas as transportation.
Earlier Tuesday, Finance Committee Chairwoman Maile David, who represents South Kona/Ka‘u, put the kibosh on a move by Kohala Councilman Tim Richards to create a special subcommittee to review the budget and make recommendations to the full council.
Richards said an ad hoc committee, which would meet outside the public eye, would save time and be more efficient rather than having the entire council slog through all the numbers.
“We were under the gun to get that budget organized in a very, very, very short time frame,” Richards said about last year’s budget process. “Expecting us to sort through the budget in a short order … just isn’t realistic.”
The state Sunshine Law allows a subcommittee of less than a voting majority to meet privately to investigate matters and make recommendations to the full board provided the scope of the investigation and scope of each member’s authority is defined during a public meeting of the board. The subcommittee also must present its findings during another public meeting of the board.
Some council members worried the public wouldn’t have a chance to participate under that scenario. Others worried about not being one of the four members who worked on the spending plan.
“The main thing, I believe it should be a collective effort, and by collective I mean the entire body,” David said. “The inclusiveness is what’s driving me. … We each represent our own districts.”
Council members agreed with Chung that a charter amendment would be in order to change the way the budget is drafted. The charter specifies that the mayor presents a proposed budget March 1 and again by May 5 of each year. Most council members said they wanted more power over budgeting rather than leaving it to the administration to control the process.
Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.
Finally, Chung provides a sensible path forward: change the Charter to provide the Council greater oversight of the budget. The Kim-Okabe administration has FAILED us! If ok okabe thinks he’s going to ride Harry’s coat-tail into the 2020 mayoral race, he’s a FN IDIOT.
The council “super majority” has not provided any leadership and defers to “people’s voice” placating politics. What meaningful legislation have they produced since the last election? Go ahead and count…
Richards budget subcommittee was a great idea, but the Council’s POOR leadership, supporting one another in their status-quo, dragged their feet to the point that a subcommittee now is meaningless. The “alternative” 1-on-1 discussions with department heads and council members creates an unethical opportunity for council members to strong arm favors for special interest projects, especially if the council member is in a council chair or finance committee chair position.
Cmon Chung, use your J.D. and draft a Charter amendment that gives the Council some leverage with the budget. Poindexter has demonstrated ZERO ABILITY at legislation (but sure knows how to piss off legislators!); she’s flailing around trying to look busy but accomplishing diddly squat.
Boy howdy, the whole truth nothing but the truth but the demo rats can not handle the truth so it fell on the jackasses deaf ears.
since when does the county listen to the public ?
Add in his lazy appointed staff getting over $40k a year pay increases yet they do nothing! Pays to waive signs for Harry like a lunatic, gets you appointed to head attorney and gets you an undeserving 40k raise.
Thank you very much. You took the words right out of my mouth. And yes, you did miss a fact or two. One, this is how demo rats agenda of taxation without representation works and the other being it is all about defrauding taxpayers.
I agree, what is the point of coming and talking about the budget, none of the recommendations people make are ever taken into consideration, or am I wrong???
This county just like all governments everywhere has passed the tipping point. Once you start spending more and more and more just giving perks and benefits to everyone who ever worked for the county, there is NOTHING LEFT FOR THE PEOPLE! The County will declare bankruptcy.
It doesn’t take a broke-ass punatic to see that you all in charge need to back off stealing all the people’s money. You should be happy with a small retirement, the County is not your cash cow. Your modest retirement would still be more than most of us out here in the land of substandard subdivisions will have, and you won’t strangle the island doing it.
Imagine if Abraham Lincoln said “oh well, everybody likes and wants slaves.”
Not sure what this means, you will have to elaborate
You should go back and read your opening sentence.
“What’s the point”
If you feel our government at any level – be it local, state or federal DO SOMETHING!
Saying “what’s the point” is because you DID NOTHING.
PS – Trump was elected because “everybody” thought she would win.
“What’s the point” they said – she is a shoe in!
People are tired of the counsel and mayor. The do nothing money pigs. No one showed up at the meeting. hopefully everybody shows up Election Day.
One more fine example of the facade of democracy.
In order to have a democracy, it must be participated in by everybody.
Democracy is not a facade.
A facade of democracy is those who don’t vote or speak and then bitch and complain.
Despite its issues, especially ignorant lazy participants it’s still better than a dictatorship or Royalty.
Maybe, time will tell.
In addition, there is no requirement to vote and bitching and complaining is protected as free speech.
That’s not how democracy works.
So you are advocating for dictatorship or royalty.
Try bitching and complaining free speech under those 2 scenarios and see what happens.
Furthermore, you can not claim the benefits of having a democracy and do nothing to make democracy work.
In the long run.
Democracy works.
When you and everybody else work for it.
Democracy is not easy.
The alternative is unacceptable.
You up for Ivanka as next POTUS?
Way late and you probably won’t see this,
but if we lived in a Democracy you and I would be
screaming at each other. I don’t like your ideas,
You certainly would not like mine, so all we have is war
to settle it.
I would win.
I am sure you think like that.
I would also bet you think “god” is on YOUR side!
I prefer to live in a civilized society.
Not a free for all zoo regulated by a self appointed King or Queen and their related inbred offspring coupled by beliefs in mystical figures, “gods” and goblins.
I am sorry you make poor choices.
I would, however, win in the ultimate end.
Correct information is very important !From the comments I’ve read ,there is a lot of mis-information or people just don’t know what they are talking about.It sounds like you want to raise the GET tax.Look up ad-hoc committee and their rules,Four council behind closed doors is better than nine on public TV, I don’t think so.And Steve ,please move back to texas !
Read my lips, go to hell demo rat, clearly, you have ingested too much demo rat feces.
Read my lips you useless shit for brains asswipe republican Christian pig puke of shit, go to hell!!!
Ah Cmon!! Correct information does not equate being informed. Based on your comment it seems you misunderstand the function of an ad hoc committee and the benefits one offers, just like some council members don’t understand (despite having “correct” information). Be careful friend, you’re wading into the deeper end of the pool.
careful of what ? an ad-hoc committee ?
I don’t know if you’re joking, but “Be careful friend, you’re wading into the deeper end of the pool” is a metaphor *sigh* Next time I’ll call out the metaphor so you don’t mistake the reference.
Ad hoc committees can be useful when understood and used properly. The Council has one now for grants! To insinuate “4 councilmembers behind close doors” means less than an open process shows a lack of understanding that an ad hoc committee is accountable to the committee that created it. Accountability is our friend.
You sure do want an d hoc real bad ,don’t cha !
At this point, clearly the issue is moot. It’s not that I “want” an ad hoc committee, I just think it could have been a good tool to get to the nuts and bolts of the administration’s budget proposal. The end result is the council is going to have to trudge through the budget review and we, the community, will have to hope that our council leaders are discerning enough to produce a budget that is efficient, productive and accountable.
I trust the nine can figure this out !
I’m not convinced they are able to dive down to the intimate details across the spectrum of departments in the little time the have, with consideration of hrs 92-1. But this is what we are left with, like it or not.
THE HAIRCUT
Blessed are those that can give without remembering, and take without forgetting.
One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you; I’m doing community service this week.’ The florist was pleased and left the shop. When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a ‘thank you’ card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.
Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you; I’m doing community service this week.’ The cop was happy and left the shop. The next morning when the barber went to open up, there were a ‘thank you’ card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.
Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you; I’m doing community service this week.’ The Congressman was very happy and left the shop. The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.
And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.
As Ronald Reagan said: “BOTH POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON!”
A politician dies and ends up standing in front of the pearly gates.
Saint Peter looks at him for a second, flicks through his book, and
finds his name.
“So, you’re a politician…”
“Well, yes, is that a problem?”
“Oh no, no problem. But we’ve recently adopted a new system for people in your line of work, and unfortunately you will have to spend a day in Hell. After that however, you’re free to choose where you want to spend eternity!”
“Wait, I have to spend a day in Hell?!” says the politician. “Those are the rules,” replies St Peter, clicks his fingers, and WOOMPH, the guy dissapears. He awakes, curled up with his hands over his eyes, knowing he’s in Hell. Cautiously, he listens for the screams, sniffs the air for brimstone, and finds… Nothing. Just the smell of, is that fabric softener? And cut grass, this can’t be right?
“Open your eyes!” says a voice. “C’mon, wakey wakey, we’ve only got 24 hours!” Nervously, he uncovers his eyes, looks around, and sees he’s in a hotel room. A nice one too. Wait, this is a penthouse suite… And there’s a smiling man in a suit, holding a martini. “Who are you??” The politician asks.
“Well, I’m Satan!” says the man, handing him the drink and helping him to his feet. “Welcome to Hell!”
“Wait, this is Hell? But… Where’s all the pain and suffering?” he asks.
Satan throws him a wink. “Oh, we’ve been a bit misrepresented over the years, it’s a long story. Anyway, this is your room! The minibar is of course free, as is the room service, there’s extra towels next to the hot-tub, and if you need anything, just call reception. But enough of
this! It’s a beautiful day, and if you’d care to look outside…”
Slightly stunned by the opulent surroundings, the man wanders over to the floor-to-ceiling windows through which the sun is glowing, looks far down, and sees a group of people cheering and waving at him from a golf course.
“It’s one of 5 pro-level courses on site, and there’s another 6 just a few minutes drive out past the beach and harbour!” says Satan, answering his unasked question.
So they head down in the lift, walk out through the glittering lobby where everyone waves and welcomes the man, as Satan signs autographs and cheerily talks shop with the laughing staff. And as he walks out, he sees the group on the golf course are made up of every one of his old friends, people he’s admired for years but never met or worked with, and people whose work he’s admired but died long before his career started.
And out of the middle of this group walks his wife, with a massive smile and the body she had when she was 20, who throws her arms around him and plants a delicate kiss on his cheek. Everyone cheers and applauds, and as they slap him on the back and trade jokes, his worst
enemy arrives, as a 2 foot tall goblin-esque caddy. He spends the day in the bright sunshine on the course, having the time of his life laughing at jokes and carrying important discussions, putting the world to rights with his friends while holding his delighted wife next to him as
she gazes lovingly at him.
Later, they return to the hotel for dinner and have an enormous meal, perfectly cooked. As everyone is falling about laughing and flinging bread sticks at each other, his wife whispers in his ear… And they return to their penthouse suite, and spend the rest of the night making
love like they did on their honeymoon. After hours of passion, the man falls deep into the 100% Egyptian cotton pillows, and falls into a deep and happy sleep… and is woken up by St Peter.
“So, that was Hell. Wasn’t what you were expecting, I bet?” “No sir!” says the man. “So then,” says St Peter. “You can make your choice. It’s Hell, which you saw, or Heaven, which has choral singing, talking to God, white robes, and so on.”
“Well… I know this sounds strange, but on balance, I think I’d prefer Hell,” says the politician. “Not a problem, we totally understand!
Enjoy!” says St Peter, and clicks his fingers again.
The man wakes up in total darkness, the stench of ammonia filling the air and distant screams the only noise. As he adjusts, he can see the only light is from belches of flame far away, illuminating the ragged remains of people being tortured or burning in a sulphurous ocean. A sudden bolt of lightning reveals Satan next to him, wearing the same
suit as before and grinning, holding a soldering iron in one hand and a coil of razor-wire in the other. “What’s this??” He cries. “Where’s the hotel?? Where’s my wife??? Where’s the minibar, the golf-courses, the pool, the restaurant, the free drinks and the sunshine???”
“Ah”, says Satan. “You see, yesterday, we were campaigning. But today, you voted.”
I went down to the County Building in Hilo yesterday to attend this hearing, but when I read through all the hearing notices posted, I couldn’t find the budget hearing listed– just a long list of appointee confirmations and contingency awards. I thought I got the date wrong. Where was the notice? Just in line with all these little awards? These notices are rather difficult to find on the County website as well. Big issues like the budget could have bigger announcements!
If you are going to change the county charter, start by abolishing the Salary Commission. Spending decisions should be made by people accountable to the voters. And the people accountable to the voters shouldn’t be hide behind a Salary Commission that is doing their dirty work for them.
The salary commission should be another discussion! S/C chair Hugh Ono testified yesterday that the S/C is developing rules (it’s hard bc the rules are outdated). Ono tried to persuade the C/C that the proposed charter amendment establishing more stringent guidelines would be too burdensome for the S/C. I’m glad the C/C stood their ground despite many of them huffing and puffing to blow smoke up his ass.
If I am not mistaken the “salary commission” was “APPOINTED” by one of it’s main beneficiaries …. Harry Kim.
Please correct me if I am mistaken in this.