HILO — A beefed up county budget passed by the Hawaii County Council on Thursday will pay for 28 additional staff, a new videoconference site for North Kohala, the continuation of the Ka‘u videoconference site in Ocean View and millions of dollars worth of new computers and equipment.
The council passed the $394.3 million budget by a 7-2 vote, following a daylong session of discussion, bickering and a few minor amendments. South Kona/Ka‘u Councilwoman Brenda Ford and Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan voted against the budget because they opposed raising property taxes to pay for it.
The budget takes effect July 1.
“There’s a lot of work put into this budget by a lot of departments and a lot of us,” said North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff. “I think there’s going to be a lot of improvements in the budget and on the ground.”
Five new police officers for Puna and Ka‘u are included in the budget. It also pays for replacement fire trucks in Keaau and Honokaa, 12 new firefighter positions, two new lifeguards and six new lifeguard towers. A new Waikoloa shuttle bus route would be added, as well as expanded service to Puna and two clerks, a mechanic and a mechanic’s helper for Mass Transit.
Almost 1,000 new computers will help bring county offices up to date.
The Department of Parks and Recreation will get seven new staff ranging from a pool lifeguard to staff to help in senior programs. Maintenance equipment will also be beefed up in the department.
The budget also accounts for the ending of employee furloughs at a cost of $4.2 million. Salaries for United Public Workers and Hawaii Government Employees Association union workers negotiated at the state level will be increased about 4 percent, adding another $2.9 million to the budget .
Payments into GASB 45 will be increased to $3.1 million, after two years of no new payments going into that account. The county’s debt service, the annual payment on money it has borrowed, increased $3.9 million to $39.2 million.
Council members fought off all but one amendment taking money from their $100,000 per district contingency accounts, leaving a balance of $98,878 per council member. The contingency funds can be used within each district for unexpected projects or expenses.
Council members also almost doubled their individual travel and miscellaneous budgets to $8,500 each.
Most of the 20 people testifying at the meeting were focused on two issues: a new skatepark for Hilo and the continuation of the videoconference site for Ka‘u. A handful of people submitted written testimony, primarily opposing property tax hikes.
Testifier Tim Rees targeted the contingency account in particular. The account, which had been a staple in the county’s Legislative Branch budget for years, had been suspended during the poor economy and brought back this year by Mayor Billy Kenoi.
“The unrequested $900,000 council contingency funds are I won’t say a bribe, but a ‘pre-reward’ on your anticipated cooperation on the mayor’s budget,” Rees said. “If you believe that our county government has squeezed all the fat out of the budget … Give me a break.”
Kenoi submitted the revised $394.3 million budget that’s $27 million, or 7.4 percent, higher than this year’s budget, but still $8.9 million less than when he took office in 2008.
The expanded budget will be paid for with property tax hikes of 10.2 to 10.8 percent, which council members also approved Thursday. For the owner of a $250,000 home, that means an extra $150 a year.
In addition, motorists would see their total state and local taxes and fees rise annually by $24.70 to $176.70, the first county increase since 2004. Bus riders would pay $1 more a trip, with regular riders charged $2 and seniors, students and disabled paying $1. Those hikes require separate council votes in the coming month.
Kenoi praised the council action Thursday.
“The council has agreed to work with the departments and the administration to address the community’s concerns,” Kenoi said. “We’re just very appreciative for the council’s vote on the budget.”
The council voted 9-0, on a motion by Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi, to increase each member’s district expense account by $2,750, bringing their budgets for travel, refreshments for community events and other expenses to $8,500 each. The extra $24,750 is coming from the Pahoa district office, which is moving from a storefront to a county facility where no rent is required.
A 6-3 council vote dipped into the Legislative Auditor’s Office and took $8,400 for a new North Kohala videoconferencing site, on an amendment by Onishi.
A move by Ford to take $10,100 from the council contingency fund to provide staffing for council meetings and increased technology passed 5-4, with Kanuha, Onishi, Puna Councilman Zendo Kern and Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter voting no.
“This is the most underserved district with the largest population,” Ford said. “If you shoot this down, Ka‘u is not going to have anything.”
The council defeated, by a 3-6 vote, an amendment by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille to add $59,622 for a position in Research & Development to combat invasive species, in particular the little red fire ant and varroa mite. The money would have come from the council contingency account. Wille, Ford and North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff voted yes.
Opponents said the state is re-instituting state-level inspectors for alien species control, and noted that the county Research & Development Department didn’t request the additional staffer.
