The Kaua’i County Council released its county budget bill Tuesday, and, as previously reported, the highlights were a tax break for property owners and a return to the line-item budget. The council’s budget proposal, a response to Mayor Maryanne Kusaka’s
The Kaua’i County Council released its county budget bill Tuesday, and, as previously reported, the highlights were a tax break for property owners and a return to the line-item budget.
The council’s budget proposal, a response to Mayor Maryanne Kusaka’s supplemental budget presentation, also set aside $1.1 million of the $2.1 million she requested for Kaua’i Electric studies. The council approved half of that money and the $100,000 Kusaka sought for private janitorial help cleaning park restrooms.
But the council put the $1.2 million in a capital improvement contingency fund. What that means, according to Councilman Gary Hooser, is that the mayor can’t allocate the money without council approval.
The council also proposed a $.10 reduction in real property tax rate per $1,000 of value, for building and land in all classes of real property.
In addition, the council mandated a $.20 reduction per $1,000 in the homestead class.
The council also adopted a line-item budget, stepping away from the performance-program budget adopted three years ago.
Councilman Daryl Kaneshiro spoke for the majority when he said, “A line-item budget gives us (council) more control.”
In other alterations to the mayor’s proposed budget, the council didn’t subtract the $15,000 Kusaka sought for another year of legislative lobbyist services by former council member Billy Swain. There had been complaints about the need for a lobbyist at earlier council meetings, but when push came to shove, it remained in the council’s budget.
The council granted the Police Department $24,655 for recruitment, $12,000 more than the agency had requested.
The council meets next on the budget next Monday at 9 a.m. That’s when the mayor or her top assistant, Wally Rezentes Sr., may lobby to get certain items put back in.
Once the council adopts its final budget, probably at its May 31 meeting, Kusaka will have three options, according to the county charter: She may sign it, send it back unsigned (a tacit form of approval) or veto it.
If Kusaka chooses to veto the budget, something not done before during her administration, the council would have to hold another public hearing, but could still pass the budget. Five council members’ votes (out of seven) would be required for passage.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net
