2022 Report of the Cost of Government Commission

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transmitting internal correspondence and being copied. More direct contact between COGC and responders would have been beneficial. • The new Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) process was cumbersome, confusing and complicated communications and progress. • Several different Corporation Counsel lawyers were involved with meetings and advice. • Required biweekly and special meetings were too frequent allowing little time to prepare meaningful agendas and meaningful reports. CONCLUSIONS: Change the timing of term/deliverable to coincide with a non -lame duck legislative body. Current report is delivered to County Council that leaves office within weeks unless they're re- elected. Allow 2 years for the Commission to run during the middle 2 years of the Mayor's 4- year term. This will allow acquisition of additional specific data and vastly improve report recommendations. If this recommendation is not adopted, we recommend that the County Council conduct a thorough examination of this Commission's efficacy and value. Given the limited adoption of past COGC recommendations, the significant workload and frequency of meetings compared to other commissions and difficulties mentioned above, we question the Commission's further need. Audits by contract or the County Auditor could be more useful and effective. Transportation Commission Prior to 2021, almost all taxi license applications, renewals and revocations as submitted by the Mass Transit Agency (MTA) to the Transportation Commission (TC) were approved with little or no discussion. The TC had practically no involvement or decision -making with County bus matters and did not set rates as delineated in the County Code (see below). The lack of purpose and usefulness of the TC was brought to the County Council's attention years ago; while there was some concern, nothing was done to evaluate the TC's viability. Although "rubber-stamping" of taxi license matters still prevails, in the past year or so, the TC Chair and TC has provided valuable assistance/advice to the MTA and is much more involved in bus matters than previous commissions. Given the current, extraordinary Mass Transit Agency progress, and as long as qualified, experienced and involved commissioners are appointed, the TC should remain in force. An existing MTA clerk provides assistance to the TC; there is no full-time employee needed for support. Special knowledge of MTA business is essential here. Suggested County Code change: Section 18-9 of the Hawaii County Code (2016 Edition, as amended) states, in part, that rates are set by the Transportation Commission, and that the commission by order shall fix, prescribe, and establish rates. However, while the Commission may review and recommend revisions suggested by the Mass Transit Agency, the County Council actually authorizes/sets such changes. This and other Code modifications are being reviewed by MTA. 24 2022 Cost of Govemment Commission —County of Hawai'i - Final Report