LIHU‘E — When Mayor Derek Kawakami submitted a supplemental budget revision at the end of last week, it included a $10 million reduction in the proposed operating budget, and a $768,493 reduction in capital improvement projects for the budget period beginning July 1.
The CIP budget, which the Kaua‘i County Council will discuss in a meeting Friday, is proposed at $33,642,237, down from $34,410,730, which was submitted in early March, before the county could gauge how long-standing the coronavirus pandemic would affect revenue streams. This proposed budget is $6.2 million less than the approved FY20 budget.
The county remains unsure of how revenue streams will look in the coming months and years.
“As stated in our March 13th transmittal to the Council, the COVID-19 epidemic was already creating a dynamic and unpredictable operational and budgetary picture for our County,” Kawakami wrote in a May 7 memo.
This supplemental budget proposes $3.1 million in improvements to Ho‘olako/Ka‘ana Parcel Improvements attributed to the Bond Fund which was not in the first budget proposal.
A bikeway fund of $50,577 for the islandwide bike and pedestrian path and the development fund of $116,497 for islandwide bus stops, as well as improvements to the Koloa/Poipu intersection, remains as was proposed in March.
The $2.29 million highway fund includes a $24,448 replacement the Hanapepe Bridge pedestrian walkway and improved pedestrian safety on Moi Road in Hanapepe for $375,000. Additional improvements for Olohena Road in Kapa‘a is funded for $332,492 The fund also includes a Maluhia/Koloa improvements for $406,346 and Biennial Bridge inspections for $482,297. The county bridge inspection fund is $400,000. Additional line items include constructions, resurfacing and speed hump/traffic calming initiatives.
A special trust fund for parks and playgrounds will put $757,604 split across the districts providing equipment, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, court resurfacings and general improvements.
Initially, the county had plans to remove Ka‘alani Road, which intersects the Salt Pond, and plans to enhance Hanapepe Town Park, both of these items totaling to about $650,000 have been eliminated.
“We believe this CIP request reflects a conservative approach and does not incur additional general obligation debt,” Kawakami wrote in the initial March budget proposal.
The council held a public hearing on the FY20-21 budget on Wednesday. Residents wanting to remotely testify can do so by calling the County of Kaua‘i at 241-4188.
A special meeting and budget decision-making session will be held tomorrow, Friday, May 15. Webcast meetings can be watched at kauai.gov/Webcast-Meetings.
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Sabrina Bodon, can be reached at 245-0441 or sbodon@thegardenisland.com.
