GOVERNOR IGE’S SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HONORS OBLIGATIONS AND IMPROVES THE LIVES OF HAWAII’S PEOPLE

News Release from Office of the Governor, December 21, 2015

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige submitted his supplemental budget to the legislature today. The proposal covers the Supplemental Fiscal Year.

Link to Executive Supplemental Budget for Fiscal Biennium 2015-2017: http://budget.hawaii.gov/budget/

“When I ran for Governor, I made a promise to the people of Hawaii. I said that we would get our government house in order, honor our obligations and commitments and act to improve the lives of Hawaii’s people. The budget I am submitting this year keeps that promise.

“This is a supplemental budget year, a year when we make targeted changes to the budget adopted last year. We are focused on areas where government can make a real difference in the lives of Hawaii’s citizens,” said Gov. Ige.

The budget provides additional amounts as follows:

$729 million for to improve our basic infrastructure and economic development to support the keys to our economy.

$161 million to support affordable housing so our people can find places to live.

$247 million to address critical health care needs, particularly for those among us least able to help themselves.

$248 million for education, which remains one of my highest priorities and on which a lot more needs to be done in the years that lie ahead.

In addition, substantial monies are being set aside to honor our financial commitments and to keep the state’s fiscal house in order. The administration is proposing to act aggressively, while the economy is healthy, to pay down the debts we have to fully fund our employee retirement obligations.

“This is the part of my work that is not glamorous or exciting; it is however the only responsible act to take.

“I look forward to working with the legislature on this budget in the 2016 session, to a healthy exchange of views on these and other issues, and to my upcoming State of the State Address which will allow me to place this budget in the larger context of the bills we will introduce and the administrative actions we are taking,” said Ige.

SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

Basic Infrastructure and Economic Development

$179 million – improvements to Kona and Honolulu airports
$350 million – Honolulu Harbor modernization: $350 million in revenue bonds, $50 million in other federal funds, and $2,000 in private funds.

Housing

$25 million for the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund
$75 million for the Rental Housing Revolving Fund
We are also including $31 million in capital improvement funds to make improvements to public housing and 64 staff positions and $4.5 million in revolving funds to ensure that we have people who can do the work

Health

$160.5 million in capital improvement funds for patient care facility at the Hawaii State Hospital

Education

$26.5 million in operating funds will go to the Weighted Student Formula to allow principals to decide how to spend this portion of the DOE’s budget and how to best meet the needs of their students
$6 million in operating funds for the Preschool Open Doors to help families who need it the most send their children to preschool
$4 million in operating funds for the University of Hawaii’s Cancer Center
$30 million in capital improvement funds to keep our kids cool (heat abatement); they cannot perform to their potential if we cannot keep them comfortable
$35 million in capital improvement funds for a new classroom building at Campbell High
$60 million in capital improvement funds for renewal and deferred maintenance at UH campuses, statewide

Other Post-Employment Benefits

While resources are available, we are proposing to pay 100 percent of the annual required contribution ($163.9 million) to the other post-employment benefits – sometimes called unfunded liabilities – in FY 17 instead of FY 19.

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CB: Ige Says His Budget Proposal Keeps ‘Promise’ To Hawaii’s People

AP: Ige proposes $31B Two Year Budget

SA: Ige wants $1.8B for construction

PBN: Gov. Ige proposes a 230 percent increase in the capital improvements budget for FY17

SA: Ige aims funds at housing crisis

WHT: $50M for Kona airport in Ige budget

SA: Schools and UH get extra $250 million

SA: Gov. Ige puts lump of coal in UH’s coffers

KHON: Ige requests additional funds for UH, hot classrooms, homeless, among others

HNN: Infrastructure, education top governor's priorities in supplemental budget