Inside Honolulu: April 14
This week at City Hall, the big focus is spending. The City Council has two special budget meetings, plus a full council meeting to urge state lawmakers not to dip into the city’s rail savings. All this, while companies that lost in their bid for a lucrative rail contract with the city are putting up a fight. Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.
Chang Turns to Djou on ‘Unfinished’ Business
1:59 p.m.
City Council member Stanley Chang recently met with former Honolulu City Council member (and, more recently, former Congressman) Charles Djou.
“I asked Charles whether there were any priorities or initiatives that he thought had been left unfinished,” Chang told Civil Beat. “And that he should feel free to contact our office if their were any priorities or loose ends left to be tied, as I have done for Chief (Lee) Donohue and other community leaders in a variety of contexts.”
City Says Waimanalo Gulch ‘Back to Normal’
11:04 a.m.
It wasn’t easy for city officials to get to this point 鈥斅燛nvironmental Services Director Tim Steinberger said earlier this year that a near-catastrophic failure at Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill led to some of the most difficult weeks he’s had 鈥斅燽ut the city landfill is back up and running as normal.
Environmental Services Spokesman Markus Owens says all six convenience centers lifted previous restrictions. The company that operates the landfill, Waste Management, is working on a final report to detail the upgrades and repairs it made in the wake of a series of destructive rainstorms in December and January.
Council Member Gabbard Tamayo Defends Possible Cuts
9:23 a.m.
“Short-sighted” was the term Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle used to describe City Council members’ proposed cuts to the city’s Culture and the Arts office.
But City Council member Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo $303,536 in salaries from the Office of Culture and the Arts’ $345,188 budget. She says it’s the council’s duty to apply close scrutiny to all city spending.
“Culture and the arts, as well as economic development, are crucial to the success of our community on so many levels,” Gabbard Tamayo wrote in an email to Civil Beat.聽“Our goal in examining and considering all areas of the budget is to make sure that the use of taxpayer dollars are maximized, and the purpose justified. The intent is good, the people are good, but in these difficult economic times, we need to ensure that every single area in government is maximizing the use of every penny spent.”
Read about the City Council’s proposed cuts to next year’s operating budget.
Read the complete transcript of Civil Beat’s April 12 interview with the mayor.
Previous Editions of Inside Honolulu
April 13, 2011: City Council Budget Chairman Ernie Martin calls mayor’s take on fuel tax “inaccurate;” Zoo considers sending rhino to hospice; Free parking for some city workers could end; City Council rejects move to reclaim some rail money.
April 12, 2011: City Council member Stanley Chang passionate about funds for roads; Council advances real property tax measure; Council on a roll with disclosures.
April 11, 2011: Two rail protests filed against city; Tom Berg speaks out against state money grab; U.S. Senate race could have ripple effect on City Hall.
April 8, 2011: City Council member Ernie Martin taps IBEW business manager for HART; Peter Carlisle distant from Big Island, Kauai mayors; Government leaders attend prayer breakfast.
April 7, 2011: Hawaii mayors issue joint response on tentative HGEA deal; Was Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle cut out of labor bargaining? U.S. Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood chats about Honolulu’s “light rail.”
April 6, 2011: City, state and other Hawaii counties agree to deal with HGEA; Council grows capital spending; City Council member asks for legal fees to fight administration.
April 5, 2011: Council member Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo says her deployment to Afghanistan is unlikely; HART nominees still not official; City cites $1.4 billion for Ansaldo contract.
April 4, 2011: Todd Apo and Don Horner surface as mayor’s possible picks for transit authority; Tom Berg nominates Panos Prevedouros for transit authority; State awaits results on more dengue cases; Losing rail bidders set for debriefs.
April 1, 2011: Gov. Neil Abercrombie taps former City Council candidate; GOP wants Nestor Garcia ethics investigation; Budget Chairman Ernie Martin schedules two special budget meetings.
