Inside Honolulu: June 23
Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle vetoed legislation for the first time this week, and his decision to nix the City Council’s budget for a new transit agency ratcheted up an already-tense situation. Council members could override his veto on Monday.
The countdown is on before the transfer of city oversight of the $5.3 billion rail project moves into the hands of a semi-independent transit agency.
There’s always something interesting going on at Honolulu Hale. Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.
Last Furlough Friday?
5:30 p.m.
Tomorrow could be the last Furlough Friday for Honolulu workers. Mayor Peter Carlisle has vowed to end mandated days off, but three major union contracts that could significantly affect the city’s bottom line have yet to be set.
Asked earlier this week about the status of negotiations with Honolulu’s police and fire unions, Carlisle said talks were “ongoing,” and that he couldn’t disclose more. Also up in the air is a potential deal with the United Public Workers union. All three unions’ current contracts expire on June 30.
Carlisle expressed frustration with the deal that the Hawaii Government Employees Association struck with state and county governments in April. The agreement requires workers to take a 5 percent pay cut, which the mayor supported, but also work nine fewer days, which he did not.
Chin Hopeful Lawsuit Could Be Avoided
5:23 p.m.
Honolulu Managing Director Doug Chin says the official formation of a new transit agency on July 1 could reduce tensions between Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle and the City Council.
Carlisle this week vetoed the council’s attempts to amend the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation budget. City Council members will discuss overriding Carlisle in a special meeting on Monday.
“Even if the council overrides on Monday, and we’re hopeful that they don’t, but even if that occurs, I don’t think the story ends,” Chin said. “HART will come into being on July 1, and I think from there, we’re going to have a third entity that is involved that both sides believe in very much. I think we’ll end up seeing a resolution out of this that’s satisfactory to everybody.”
Chin also predicted that Carlisle and the City Council would reach a compromise that could prevent the mayor from vetoing the council’s budget in the first place.
Last Day for Fireworks Permit
Today is the last day for Honolulu residents to obtain a permit to legally set off fireworks on the Fourth of July. A fireworks ban on Oahu went into effect in January.
about how to get the required $25 permit from the city.
Properly permitted residents will be allowed to ignite fireworks between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the holiday, which is a week from Monday.
Check out of local fireworks displays, then from KITV.
Read Previous Editions of Inside Honolulu
June 22, 2011: Mayor deliberately keeps quiet on Asia trip; Veto override votes set for Monday; Ernie Martin breaks silence on council shake-up.
June 21, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle vetoes bills; City Council member Tulsi Gabbard writes from Indonesia; Hoopili fight heating up (again).
June 20, 2011: Ethics training could be required for all city workers; Stanley Chang, mayor, back from China; Ag property-tax tweak advances; Council Budget Committee advances bond float.
June 17, 2011: City Council member Tom Berg wants commercial activity at some parks; Baby warthogs at the zoo.
June 16, 2011: Perennial mayoral candidate Panos Prevedouros‘ poetry; Opinion on Garcia ethics investigation still two months out.
June 15, 2011:: Council Chairman Nestor Garcia steps down; City offers amnesty on turned-in fireworks.
June 14, 2011: Photos released from Peter Carlisle‘s Asia trip; Carpenters Union steps up rail advocacy; Water outage on windward side.
June 13, 2011: Read the complete HUD report; Tom Berg to hold town hall on rail; Still no rail report from fact-finding trip.
June 8, 2011: Acting Mayor Doug Chin signs historic homes bill; FAA issues Record of Decision on rail; Hillary Clinton to attend APEC; Stanley Chang posts messages to Twitter from Taiwan; Precedent in the dispute between Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle and City Council members.
June 7, 2011: Two-time candidate Panos Prevedouros fundraising for 2012 mayor’s race; Tom Berg weighs in on chief of staff’s role in hacking of lawmaker’s email; Rod Tam sentencing pushed back; Ship that buried Osama bin Laden stops in Honolulu.
June 6, 2011:Creator of city rail poll says it was unbiased; More details on Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle‘s China trip; Former City Council memeber Rod Tam charged with eight counts of campaign spending violations.
June 3, 2011: City Council approves rail bond float, slew of fee increases, property-tax rate hike, operating and capital budgets; Council members reverse decision on eliminating subsidy to scrap yards.
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.
