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Honorable Members of the Hawai`i County Council May 5, 2014 Page 2 Population vs. Budget 192,000 $430 190,000 $420 188,000 $410 $400 186,000 $390 184,000 $380 0 182,000 $370 18o,000 $360 $350 178,000 $340 176,000 $330 O� y0 1`� —f�Population OOcb 00c/ Oti0 Oti1 OtiR% O,13 ,D` t Budget Investing In Our Communities From the beginning of this administration, we have developed budgets that limit spending, but also allow for targeted investment in our communities and our future. Through carefully selected initiatives we created or improved parks and playgrounds, built or rebuilt roads and other public infrastructure, and improved public services. Our primary objective has always been to make the County of Hawai`i a better place for our families to live and work. We have used the county's borrowing power and excellent credit rating to help stimulate the economy and create jobs during a period of low interest rates and favorable bid prices. In Kona, we answered residents' calls for relief from traffic congestion by advancing projects such as the La'aloa Avenue Extension, the Ka`iminani Drive Reconstruction and the Ane Keohokalole Highway, and we will soon begin work on the Mamalahoa Bypass. In Hilo, we are repairing downtown streets starting with the Kilauea Avenue Reconstruction, followed by the Kamehameha Avenue Reconstruction project. We will continue in the months ahead with repairs and improvements to Ponahawai and Komohana Streets. We have partnered with the University of Hawai`i at Hilo, which has emerged as a critical component of our economy. Our university allows our young people to achieve better lives for themselves while providing a skilled workforce to help our island economy to grow and innovate. To help the university expand, we are advancing the Kapi`olani Street Extension to open up lands for new student housing, additional classroom space, and to alleviate traffic congestion. We are investing in parks, gyms, and playgrounds across the island where our families can engage in positive activities, and where our coaches can teach our youth respect, discipline, and teamwork. We opened covered play courts at Pana`ewa Park in Hilo, and built the Kamakoa Nui Park in Waikoloa. We have added seven playgrounds islandwide, and will soon be opening the new Ka`u District Gym & Shelter. We renovated popular recreational facilities such as the