HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE PROPOSES SUSTAINABLE BUDGET

Projections show State budget will be balanced through 2022

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – The House Finance Committee today passed out a proposed budget that is part of a sustainable economic plan based on general excise tax collections and projections by the State Council on Revenues.

HB1900, which appropriates funds for operating and capital improvement costs of the Executive Branch for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, is scheduled for a vote next week by the full House. Upon approval, it heads to the Senate for its consideration.

The House Finance Committee made several adjustments to the Executive Budget due to a tax revenue assumption of $67 million from vacation rentals not connected to any bill and additional funding requests by the Governor, according to Representative Sylvia Luke (Makiki, Punchbowl, Nuʻuanu, Dowsett Highlands, Pacific Heights, Pauoa), House Finance Chair.

"If all the Governor's operating budget requests were adopted, by the year 2022 we would have a negative balance," said Luke. "We are not just looking out for a sustainable budget for this year but for the next six years. This budget does that."

Luke said homeless and housing initiatives are top priorities for the House. The Homeless Programs Office currently has 88 existing homeless contracts totaling $39 million. This budget includes $91.5 million for additional homeless and housing projects:

·         $5.0 million in operating funds for a coordinated property storage and debris removal system to appropriately relocate homeless individuals from public property.

·         $30.0 million in CIP funds for the establishment of Ohana Zones, statewide.

·         $21.5 million in CIP funds for development, upgrade or renovation of public housing facilities.

·         $35.0 million to finance additional affordable housing statewide.

Luke said funds for homeless initiatives that are included in pending bills such as Housing First, Rapid Re-Housing, the Family Assessment Center and Homeless Outreach, are not in the current budget but will be considered as part of the state's homeless package. Funds for kupuna care and caregivers are also being considered in other bills. This is to allow as much public transparency of the programs and spending as possible, she said

The state budget consists of two major funding allocations: Capital Improvement Projects funding (money earmarked to build and maintain the state’s physical infrastructure); and operating funds (monies used to run or operate state programs and services).

For fiscal year 2018, the budget bill includes $7.24 billion in general funds and $14.10 billion in all means of financing. For fiscal year 2019, it appropriates $7.4 billion in general funds and $14.3 billion in all financing means.

The budget also includes a total of $2.2 billion for fiscal year 2018 and $2.1 billion for fiscal year 2019 for CIP.

Funding highlights include:

OPERATING FUNDING HIGHLIGHTS

FY2018:          $7.24 billion General Funds

FY2019:          $7.40 billion General Funds

FY2018:          $14.10 billion All Means of Financing

FY2019:          $14.30 billion All Means of Financing

Department of Accounting and General Services

·         $265,000 to Hawaii State Digital Archives for server infrastructure and network-attached storage to support archival processing and preservation.

·         Addition of three positions to Central Services for maintenance and servicing of state cemeteries.

·         $150,000 to establish a motor vehicle replacement schedule for neighbor island school repair and maintenance.

·         $114,336 for two positions to perform rapid transit authority construction management audits.

·         $110,100 for two construction purchasing specialist positions for the State Procurement Office.

Department of the Attorney General

·         $50,000 for community protection and outreach in Hawaiʻi County.

·         $500,000 for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

·         $95,000 for the Hawaii Integrated Justice Information System.

Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism

·         $150,000 for the 150^th Anniversary of Japanese Immigration to Hawaiʻi.

·         $800,000 for elderly transportation services in underserved rural areas.

·         $150,000 for the PISCES aerospace program which provides hands on experience to Hawaiʻi's future scientists and engineers in the aerospace industry.

·         $2,000,000 for the Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research Federal Grant Program.

·         $500,000 to aid startup companies through an aquaculture accelerator initiative.

Department of Budget and Finance

·         $38,440 for a Deputy Public Defender II for the Maui Branch Public Defender's Office.

·         $38,440 for a Deputy Public Defender II for the Kauai Branch Public Defender's Office.

Department of Defense

• $1,646,200 in general funds for renovation, repair, and maintenance projects at facilities statewide.

Department of Education

·         $500,000 for the Early College program.

·         $1,000,000 to provide additional support to English Language Learners.

·         $183,818 for two positions to support World Languages and Health Education.

·         $400,000 for the Teacher Certification Stipend Program to help increase the number of qualified public school teachers.

·         $500,000 for the Alternative Teacher Route Program to help with recruitment and certification of potential public school teachers.

·         $850,000 for athletic travel to provide students with the opportunity to compete in interscholastic athletic competitions.

Department of Human Services

·         $1,069,494 to consolidate rental support programs for homeless and vulnerable families within the Benefit, Employment & Support Services Division of Human Services.

·         $145,056 for two positions to improve public housing services.

·         $5,000,000 for a coordinated property storage and debris removal system to appropriately relocate homeless individuals from public property.

·         $7,129,680 to increase payments supporting foster children and resource caregivers across the state.

·         $240,000 for programs to encourage rehabilitation of youths in the juvenile justice system.

·         $93,864 for two research positions to support the Commission on the Status of Women.

Department of Health

·         $2,716,006 to fund increases in direct services costs for children who qualify for early intervention services.

·         $1,500,000 to the Hilo Medical Center for the establishment of a cardiac care unit.

·         $1,700,000 to fund continued services at Aging and Disability Resource Centers.

·         $27,546 to fund one Information Specialist to assist in providing support for online and web-based resources to Hawaiʻi residents.

·         $11,230,969 for the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to support rural hospitals.

Department of Labor

·         $210,000 for the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to support the Fair Housing Assistance Program and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

·         $460,000 for Low-Income Energy Assistance Program.

·         $48,782 for Weatherization Assistance Program to help families reduce energy costs by providing financial assistance to make homes more energy efficient.

·         $43,600 for the Office of Community Services. 

Department of Land and Natural Resources

·         $92,100 for two program managers to oversee the Division of Aquatic Resources.

·         $26,478 for one fire response coordinator for the Division of Forestry and Wildlife's O'ahu Branch.

·         $84,730 for one position to oversee the state's water audit program.

·         $53,010 to establish 24/7 dispatch communications for the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.

·         $283,969 for nine positions to support essential Historic Preservation activities across the state.

·         $73,422 for three positions to monitor nearshore aquatic resources.

·         $188,820 for ten positions to improve visitor experience and preserve State Parks across the state.

·         $800,000 to combat the spread of rapid ʻō.hiʻa death on the Island of Hawaiʻi.

Department of Taxation

·         $86,170 to establish one investigator position for the Special Enforcement Section.

Department of Transportation

·         $11,000,000 for replacement of the Wiki Wiki Shuttle bus fleet.

·         $3,414,352 for airport rescue and fire fighting staff and vehicles at Līhu‘e Airport.

·         $200,000 for the establishment of a mass notification system to enhance airport communications.

University of Hawaiʻi

·         $300,000 for the Student Success Initiative to help support the wide variety of students and their individual needs at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

·         $500,000 for research on alternative healing techniques.

·         $79,000 for an Instruction and Student Support Coordinator at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

·         $130,000 for two positions to help support University of Hawaiʻi at West O‘ahu enrollment growth and campus needs.

·         $750,000 to provide professional development training at all University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges. 

CIP HIGHLIGHTS

FY2018:          $1,035,701,000 General Obligation Bond Funds

FY2019:          $682,326,000 General Obligation Bond Funds

FY2018:          $2,289,745,000 All Means of Financing

FY2019:          $2,191,629,000 All Means of Financing

Department of Agriculture

·         $750,000 for infrastructure and building of a post-harvest facility and vacuum cooling plant in Kamuela.

·         $2.7 million for improvements to agricultural infrastructure statewide.

Department of Accounting and General Services

·         $5.0 million for repairs, modernization, and expansion of critical communication systems including the statewide anuenue and Hawaiian microwave systems and land mobile radio.

·         $5.0 million for improvements and maintenance of public facilities, statewide.

·         $9.9 million for mitigation/elimination of conditions that are hazardous to health and safety at Aloha Stadium.

Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism

·         $5.0 million for the development of a shared open-access submarine fiber optic cable landing station.

·         $500,000 for the plans to remove abandoned deep seawater pipelines, Hawai'i.

·         $250,000 for the plans and design for a Kona, Hawaiʻi regional seawater air conditioning district.

·         $35.0 million to finance additional affordable housing statewide.

o   $25.0 million to finance affordable rental housing.

o   $10.0 million to finance additional affordable housing.

Department of Education

·         $90.0 million to maintain and improve facilities and infrastructure, statewide.

·         $1.8 million for the design of a classroom building at De Silva Elementary School, Hawaiʻi.

·         $2.4 million for the design of a multi-purpose building at Haaheo Elementary School, Hawaiʻi.

·         $60.0 million for the development of the new Pohukaina Elementary School, O‘ahu.

·         $3.7 million for the construction for a covered play court at Kapiolani Elementary School, Hawaiʻi.

·         $13.0 million for phase two construction of the new East Kapolei Middle School, O‘ahu

·         $10.0 million for the design and construction of a new intermediate school at Kahului, Maui.

·         $2.5 million for the design of a new library at Kapaa Elementary School, Kaua‘i.

·         $2.5 million for the design and construction for parking lot and drainage improvements for Kapaa High School, Kaua‘i.

·         $2.0 million for the design of a new classroom building at Paia Elementary School, Maui.

·         $20.5 million for phase one of a new classroom building at Waipahu High School, O‘ahu

·         $3.5 million for health and safety improvements, accessibility improvements and renovations for public libraries.

·         $3.5 million for the design for phase one renovation of the existing building at the Makiki Public Library.

·         $700,000 for the repair and renovation of the Kahului Public Library.

·         $300,000 for the planning of a new library in Keaau and Mountain View, Hawaiʻi.

·         $1.9 million for land acquisition for a public library in Waikoloa, Hawaiʻi.

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

·         $3.0 million for repair and maintenance to existing infrastructure on various Hawaiian Home Lands, statewide.

Department of Human Services

·         $21.5 million for the development, upgrade or renovation of public housing facilities, statewide.

·         $100,000 for plans to re-develop the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility.

·         $30.0 million for the establishment of Ohana Zones, statewide.

Department of Health

·         $9.6 million for improvements and renovations including new facilities for the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, statewide.

·         $1.7 million for improvements to health centers to provide health and safety, statewide.

·         $12.3 million for wastewater treatment projects, statewide.

·         $9.8 million for drinking water treatment projects, statewide.

Department of Land and Natural Resources

·         $300,000 for the construction of Nene habitat.

·         $1.0 million for state parks hazard mitigation improvements, statewide.

·         $3.3 million for construction of state parks infrastructure improvements, statewide.

Department of Public Safety

·         $39.3 million for new consolidated women's housing at the Women's Community Correctional Center, O‘ahu.

·         $2.5 million for the renovation of the Hookipa Makai Cottage at the Women's Community Correctional Center, O‘ahu.

·         $4.7 million to address backlogged repairs, health and safety, and inmate wellbeing, statewide.

·         $2.5 million for the development of a statewide ADA Transition assessment master plan.

Department of Taxation

·         $8.0 million for the Tax System Modernization (TSM) project, statewide.

Department of Transportation

·         $13.0 million for the renovation of the international arrivals building at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, O‘ahu.

·         $69.0 million for a federal inspection station at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole.

·         $22.3 million for runway 3-21 reconstruction at Lanai Airport.

·         $67.0 million for consolidated rental care facility improvements, statewide.

·         $45.5 million for airfield improvements, statewide.

·         $20.2 million for improvements to container-cargo and cruise ship operational areas at pier 1 and 2, Honolulu Harbor.

·         $19.2 million for site improvements of Keehi industrial lots including new infrastructure at Honolulu Harbor.

·         $17.0 million for the modernization program for Kahului Harbor.

·         $17.6 million for the design and construction of improvements to provide safer and more efficient use of operational areas at Kahului Harbor.

·         $43.2 million for rail/walkway improvements, rehabilitation, and/or replacement of bridges, statewide.

University of Hawaiʻi

·         $200,000 for the design of improvements to the Sinclair Library at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

·         $56.9 million for improvements to the University of Hawaiʻi System facilities, statewide.

·         $11.1 million for the renovation, refurbishment, and construction of new athletics facilities at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

·         $400,000 for the expansion of the culinary arts program at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.

·         $1.1 million for the construction of outdoor learning and dining area improvements at the Hawaii Community College, Palamanui campus.

·         $3.2 million for phase one construction and site work for the Puako Marine Center, Hawaiʻi.

·         $6.2 million for improvements, renewal, and reduction of maintenance backlog for the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges System facilities, statewide.

·         $10.0 million for minor capital improvements for the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges System facilities, statewide.

·         $3.0 million for the planning of the Mauna Kea Cultural and Educational Visitors' Center.