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DATE: May 19, 2026 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Hilo, Hawaii <br />TIME: 1:01 P.M. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />REPORT OF THE <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />Re: Comm. No. 891Bill No. 159 <br />Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Bill No. 159, reports as follows: <br />Bill No. 159, transmitted by Committee Member Heather L. Kimball via Communication No. 891, <br />dated May 1, 2026, initiates an amendment to Articles III, V, VI, VII, VIII, and X of the Charter <br />of the County of Hawaii (2024 Edition), relating to the establishment of a biennial operating <br />budget and capital budget. <br />This bill establishes biennial budgeting for the County, with an initial primary budget to be <br />adopted every odd -numbered year and a supplemental operating budget to be adopted every <br />even -numbered year. <br />Committee Member Heather L. Kimball provided background on the matter and its intention. <br />Committee Member Dennis "Fresh" Onishi asked Finance Director Diane Nakagawa to share her <br />thoughts on the proposed amendment to the Charter. Ms. Nakagawa stated that she had told <br />Ms. Kimball that the most critical point to consider is that the current financial system was built <br />for an annual budgeting process and that shifting the system to a biennial budget would require <br />significant effort. <br />Committee Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz supported Ms. Nakagawa's statements and added that <br />the current system needs time to work through its problems before deciding to make a complete <br />change. <br />Committee Member Holeka Goro Inaba also expressed concerns, stating that he didn't see how <br />transitioning to a biennial budget would benefit the County. <br />Your Committee on Finance is not in accord with the purpose and intent of Bill No. 159, and <br />forwards it to Council with a negative recommendation. <br />lvh <br />AYES <br />NOES <br />ABS <br />I EX <br />GALIMBA <br />X <br />HUSTACE <br />X <br />INABA <br />X <br />KAGIWADA <br />X <br />KANEALI'I-KLEINFELDER <br />X <br />KIERKIEWICZ <br />X <br />KIMBALL <br />X <br />ONISHI <br />X <br />VILLEGAS <br />X <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />MA KANE LI`I-KLEINFELDER, <br />CHA <br />FC REPORT NO.: 153 <br />ADOPTED: SUN 0 3 2026 <br />