HONOLULU — A spending blueprint for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years cleared a key legislative hurdle on Wednesday.
The House Finance Committee unanimously approved the operating and capital improvement budget for the fiscal years after holding a number of hearings throughout the legislative session. The state of Hawai‘i budget, which prioritizes deferred maintenance and natural resources, weighed in at $18.9 billion.
House Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita (District 12, Upcountry Maui) said the committee took a methodical approach in crafting the budget, which includes restoring funding to critical programs cut during the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee also tackled long standing, large, one-time funding priorities, as well as shoring up reserve funds in order to withstand an economic downturn.
“The Legislature entered (fiscal year) 2023 with a fiscal surplus, which pushed us to be very careful in developing the budget. This budget proposes to spend $1.3 billion on deferred maintenance, which not only includes a backlog in facilities repair, but our most valuable resource, our natural environment — our parks, forests and ocean resources,” said Yamashita in a statement.
“The intention is not to immediately spend the money, but to strategically tackle these projects to ensure that the state receives the best value while keeping the projects’ timetables in mind. Additionally, Medicaid, health care, kupuna care, homeless services, climate change and affordable housing remain priority issues for the residents of Hawai‘i.”
The budget, formally known as House Bill 300, now heads to the House floor, and is anticipated to make its way to the Senate next week. It will likely take weeks before the budget is finalized.
“We have much more work to do in analyzing budget proposals until we get to a final version in May,” said Yamashita in a statement.
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Wyatt Haupt Jr., editor, can be reached at 808-245-0457 or whaupt@thegardenisland.com.
Is the number a correct figure? State Legislature budget. I personally don’t see they spending anything for UH Manoa. Especially one that calls for burrowing money off the state, by the same amount with interest for the first few years, a new Aloha Stadium. This budget is not a lot. I don’t see the state burrowing money for UH football and a new stadium. Despite what Josh Green has already stated. There will be a new stadium.
And this is on Maui. Do they have any references or ties to the local economy and what’s going on? The big ticket money getters, the millionaires? Those are the ones controlling the economy and the money supply. Ben Cayetano called it the supply side economics. Though I also doubted that too. Can you see my point in bringing these things up?
In Hawai’i the entertainment business have picked up over the years. In 2007 when the new Hawai’i Five 0 started its first season, they had many people to apply for a position in the new series. Just to showcase Hawai’i and mainly Waikiki and parts of Ala Moana Beach Park. These kinds of shows always is a good advertisement for Hawai’i. I think Hawai’i Five 0 may still be on rerun on some parts of Kaua’i. Just not sure yet how these Network choose their customers. But this is a multi-million dollar industry and it relies on TVs and viewers like yourselves to watch the show. So that they can continue with it. It always more beneficial for Hawai’i to be advertised as such, so that mainland viewers can get a glimpse of our Aloha State, Hawai’i. Should we invest in this industry? It looks like a good idea too. More people coming into Hawai’i more suppliers to fill in those needs. Such as a Chick-a-Flick restaurant in your town. There are several of them here. So if you’ve got the money to start out a business, then Hawai’i has the environment to do it on. Financing through taxation rest upon the consumer. The higher up you climb the ladder of success or money, the less you pay. The prices will go up to offset other costs. Who then will collect from the businesses that run Chick-a-flick restaurants? Not the county councilmen we have now, this much is certain. That’s how businesses are operating on. Wow. Business is smart. What about taxes then? Who cares. That’s the real truth in business now and everyday. This axiom is as solid as the price gauge they go on. Learn it well. See if you can figure out who then pays taxes.