ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ

Today may be the most action-packed Furlough Friday yet. While thousands of city workers take a mandated no-work day, City Council members will work to finalize the spending plan that takes effect on July 1.

Don’t worry: Honolulu Hale is open for those who want to attend the hearing. Then again, if you’re not making the trip downtown (or if you’re stuck in another office) on this rainy morning, you can find all the latest about council deliberations right here.

Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.

Council Approves Rail Bond Float

5:55 p.m.
City Council members this evening passed , which authorizes the issuance and sale of bonds related to the city’s $5.3 billion rail project.

Rail planners say a bond float is necessary to cover the cost of the project in the expensive early stages of construction. Many council members raised concerns over spending borrowed money on the project. Ultimately, three council members voted against the measure: Romy Cachola, Tom Berg and Ann Kobayashi.

City Council Passes Operating and Capital Budgets

4:45 p.m.
City Council members passed versions of bills 13 and 14, relating to the operating and capital budgets for the fiscal year starting on July 1.

Read more about the budgets, and some of the key changes the council made to Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle‘s initial proposals.

City Council Reinstates Subsidy for Scrap Yards

2:49 p.m.

In a move that members of the public have called “confusing” and “wrong,” City Council members went back on their decision to end a subsidy that saves for-profit recycling companies more than $2 million per year. They passed a measure reinstating the subsidy in a 7-2 vote.

The reversal comes three days after Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle signed into law a bill to eliminate the lucrative city subsidy. Carlisle hasn’t said whether he’ll veto the new bill, which would gradually decrease the benefit instead of eliminating it.

Civil Beat will have a complete story on the issue later this afternoon. In the meantime, check out how your council member voted on whether to reinstate the subsidy:

Ikaika Anderson: Yes, with reservations
Tom Berg: No
Romy Cachola: Yes, with reservations
Stanley Chang: Yes
Tulsi Gabbard: Yes
Breene Harimoto: No
Ann Kobayashi: Yes
Ernie Martin: Yes
Nestor Garcia: Yes

Council Officially Asks Obama to Select Hawaii for Library

2:13 p.m.
City Council members adopted urging President Barack Obama to select a location in Hawaii for his presidential library.

City Council member Tulsi Gabbard, who introduced the measure, says a presidential library would be a source of pride for Hawaii residents, as well as an educational resource and a tourist destination.

Another Delay After Multiple Errors in Recycling Bill

2:05 p.m.
Honolulu City Council members delayed decision-making on pertaining to a city subsidy benefitting recycling companies earlier today. City Council member Ernie Martin said there were technical flaws in the bill.

(For more background: Scroll down to the post titled, “After Tough Public Testimony, Council Delays Decision on Scrap Yard Bill.”)

The mistake, City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia said, was that nonprofit groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts would not be eligible for a discount that for-profit companies would get.

Members were set to take up a corrected version of the bill — the new version would include nonprofits — when Garcia was interrupted, and alerted to another mistake in the bill.

“They found another mistake,” Inside Honolulu heard one council aide tell a colleague. “It’s making us look bad.”

City Council members Stanley Chang and Ann Kobayashi introduced the flawed bill, which has already attracted plenty of controversy.

Council Kills Parks Parking Fee

1:37 p.m.
City Council members recommitted — in essence, killed — a bill that would have raised parking fees at city parks.

The move is consistent with what City Council member Stanley Chang earlier this week told reporters and members of the public the council would do. He reiterated on Friday that it was not the right time for such a bill.

But members of the public were clearly still worried about the measure resurfacing in the future. Regular testifier Natalie Iwasa pointed out to the City Council that the Carlisle administration has cited increasing city revenue through parking initiatives as a priority.

“This issue is not going to go away,” Iwasa said.

Another member of the public expressed frustration that the bill got as far as it did — City Council members approved it repeatedly, and the measure could have passed today.

After Tough Public Testimony, Council Delays Decision on Scrap Yard Bill

1 p.m.
City Council members heard from several members of the public who are angry that the council is considering reversing its decision to eliminate a subsidy that benefits for-profit recycling companies and scrap yards on Oahu.

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle three days ago signed into a law a bill to end the subsidy. But today, the City Council could pass that would reinstate the discount.

City Council member Ernie Martin asked for decision-making to be delayed until later today so that some “technical flaws” in the langauge of the bill could be corrected.

Anthony Aalto, secretary of the Oahu chapter of the Sierra Club, read particularly strong on the matter:

“To vote in favor of this proposition, less than 50 hours after the Mayor has signed a law banning such subsidies, would call into question the transparency of our political process and raise legitimate concerns that corporations with deep pockets and well-paid lobbyists can win favors at the public’s expense.”

We’ve been tracking the council’s often-dramatic discussion of the subsidy for months. Catch up on Civil Beat‘s coverage of the saga:

• Honolulu Mayor Signs Bill Ending Recycling Subsidy May 31, 2011

• End to Subsidy for Scrap Yard Passes — With a Catch May 11, 2011

• Honolulu Closer to Ending Scrap Yard Subsidy April 20, 2011

• Former GM: Scrap Yard Doesn’t Need Subsidy March 24, 2011

• Should Private Scrap Yard Get $1.9 Million Subsidy from Honolulu? March 21, 2011

Sewer Fees Going Up, Too

12:12 p.m.
Add sewer fees to the list of ways the city could be getting more of your money. City Council members approved , which outlines the next five years of sewer fee increases.

Only City Council member Tom Berg voted against the increases, though other City Council members griped about portions of a global settlement that requires the city to make major, costly changes to its sewage infrastructure.

One woman, who said she lives in Berg’s District 1, begged City Council members not to pass the bill.

“Please, please don’t do it,” the woman said. “Don’t do it. We just can’t handle any more. People are getting depressed, scared, you know, you can’t pay the bills. My sewer and water has gone up $100 since last year… You’re feeing and taxing the productive people of this island to leave, because it’s not worth it.”

Council members also established or increased fees for admission to the Honolulu Zoo, use of city golf courses, some residential property-tax rates and use of campsites.

Council Increases Mill Levy for Some Homeowners

11:10 a.m.
City Council members approved Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle‘s proposal to increase by 8 cents the mill levy for residential property owners who live in their homes. At the same time, residential property owners who do not live in their homes will see an 8-cent decrease.

The only council member who voted against the increase was Tom Berg. City Council member Romy Cachola voted yes with reservations.

“In my district, they’ve been kind of disappointed,” Cachola said. “Catering to those investors and those who don’t even live here?… That’s the wrong signal that we’re giving to our residents.”

City Council Ignores Warning from Attorney General

10:51 a.m.
Despite a warning from the , Honolulu City Council members moved forward with seeking reimbursement from the transit fund for city money spent on rail before the transit fund was created.

Honolulu Transportation Services Director Wayne Yoshioka told City Council members he could not support Bill 35.

“The attorney general’s opinion… they don’t believe any costs incurred prior to January 2007 are eligible to be refunded,” Yoshioka said. “We cannot support Bill 35, primarily because of the AG’s opinion… We don’t believe it’s worth potential litigation from the state that might occur.”

Council Chairman Nestor Garcia appeared pleased when the council unanimously voted to pass the bill anyway, and made a reference to the likelihood of the council taking the mayor to court over a separate rail issue (read the full story about that situation).

“City Council,” Garcia mused. “Takin’ on the mayor, takin’ on the attorney general.”

The measure now goes before Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle before it can become law.

Historic Homes Bill Passes

10:45 a.m.
The City Council this morning passed a bill aimed at tightening requirements regarding visual access to historic homes.

But critics who have complained about property tax inequity — historic homeowners can pay just $300 in property taxes — say does not go far enough. Holly Huber, one of the most vocal members of the public on the matter, compared the bill to letting oil companies write environmental laws.

The only City Council member to vote against the measure was Tom Berg. City Council member Ikaika Anderson voted yes with reservations.

“The budget chair has indicated that we can always revisit this subject at a later time,” Anderson said.

Council Establishes Fees for Campsites

10:34 a.m.
Enjoy free camping while you can. Honolulu City Council members this morning passed , which establishes fees for the use of city campsites.

The bill now goes to Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle to be signed into law. If passed, campers will have to pay between $5 – $312.50 per day, depending on how big of a campsite they’re using. Those using campsites will also have to pay a $2 fee to get a camping permit.

Fireworks Storage Bill ‘Dead on Arrival’

10:28 a.m.
City Council members unanimously rejected a bill that would allow the storage of consumer fireworks on Oahu, despite a wide-reaching fireworks ban that took effect island-wide earlier this year.

The bill returns to committee for further consideration, but City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia described the bill as “dead on arrival,” saying: “It’s not passing today.”

City Council member Romy Cachola said city lawyers told him the bill was “flawed.”

HART Board Members Gather for First Meeting This Weekend

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board members will get together for their first information session on Saturday, June 4 (that’s tomorrow!).

Rail spokeswoman Jeanne Mariana-Belding says the orientation will be held at the Mission Memorial Annex next to Honolulu Hale. It runs from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

“It’s not a meeting, it’s an information orientation session, so no action,” Mariana-Belding wrote in an email to Inside Honolulu.

Read Previous Editions of Inside Honolulu

June 2, 2011: Complete script of questions from city rail poll; Rail supporters plan virtual sit-in.

June 1, 2011: City announced poll showing majority support for rail; Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle mum on veto plans; Hurricane season starts.