COM 0711.137 2008-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Honorable Chairman J Yoshimoto and Members of the County Council May 5, 2010 Page 6 restrictions on filling vacant positions, reducing travel and virtually eliminating equipment purchases. Significant Changes to March 1, 2010 Expenditure. Estimates General Fund • Salary & Wages — Budgets in various departments were reduced by a total of $737,392 due to the implementation of furlough days for UPW employees. • Research & Development — Budgets for agriculture and tourism development have been increased by $300,000 each to provide additional funding for stimulating these important local resources and economic engines. • Public Works — The department's budget decrease includes $4,469,049 as a result of transferring the Automotive division to the Transportation agency. • Mass Transit — The agency budget increase includes $4,461,126 as a result of the transfer of the Automotive division from Public Works. • Transfer to Solid Waste -- The subsidy to the solid waste fund has been increased by a net amount of $100,559 and will provide funding for extended hours at transfer stations island -wide. This subsidy is $5,694,189 lower than the subsidy provided in the current fiscal year. • Employee Benefits — A net increase of $1,646,000 reflects a projected 26% increase in premiums for active employee health insurance from the Employer Union Trust Fund, which is partially offset by reductions in retirement benefits and FICA costs. • Vacant Positions — We originally proposed in March to unfund 62 vacant positions, excluding the bands. This amended budget proposal includes a total of 70 positions that have been unfunded. All remaining funded positions are considered to be essential to County operations, or they have an existing incumbent temporarily assigned to a worker compensation position or in some other temporary appointment. Position Changes from March 1, 2010 Budget Proposal There have been no positions added or deleted in this amended budget proposal. CONCLUSION The County of Hawai`i continues to face great economic challenges, and no one can say with any certainty when we will enjoy a full recovery from this national and global County of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.