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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0899.000 2006-2008 CASEY JARMAN wvv os KENNETH G. GOODENOW County Clerk Deputy canary clerk Lle~ COLLEEN SCHRANDT Legislative Auditor o Mailing Address: ,+r~ o~•N~Y`~ Business Address: (Former County Building) 333 Kilauea Avenue, Second Floor 25 Aupuni Street Ben Franklin Building Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 County of Hawai`i Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Office of the County Clerk Telephone: (808) 961-8255 Facsimile: (808) 961-8912 QN O V 00 C:) CID MEMORANDUM 0 Date: December 26, 2007 To: Pete Hoffmann, Council Chair Council Members vrfV From: Karl Rad, Budget Analyst xi~l rn Subject: Discussion of budget priorities I would like to request that discussion of the following regional and island-wide budget initiatives be agendized for the next Finance Committee meeting for the purpose of crafting a resolution to be submitted to the Executive Branch. Housing • Increase funding and resources for affordable housing, transitional housing, housing for battered women, and homeless shelters. • Fund the development of a pilot program to facilitate building small minimal-cost homes similar to the Kawaihi homeless shelters. Health and Public Safety • Add fifteen (15) new police cadet positions and two (2) new police positions to help with administration of the cadet program. Appropriate $100,000 for the Police Department's Cadet Program for tuition reimbursement. • Appropriate funds and resources to support programs aimed at reducing violence, substance abuse and drunk driving on Hawaii Island. • Increase funding for animal control. • Add thirty (30) new positions to the Fire Department in order to address the shortfall of seventy eight (78) positions required to meet national staffing standards. Increase the number of Ocean Safety staff. • Increase funding by $200,000 for equipment for volunteer firefighters. Gp Comm. Na. 0 L_--.® Ref. To: ___E5 Red Da#e bEC____ 6 2007 Serving the Interests of the People of Our Island flawai'i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Health and Public Safety - Continued • Increase funding for the maintenance of an All Hazards Plan. • Increase funding and resources for maintenance of tsunami warning sirens. • Fund the development of a Master Plan for Health to help coordinate and improve State and Federal health care. • Provide funds and land for public health clinics. • Fund the development of a pilot Block Nurses Program to help families meet basic health needs. • Increase funding for the Dental Van. • Increase funding of basic human services, such as the food bank. Water Quality • Fund water quality analysis to safeguard public health, fishing, and tourism in Hawai`i's rivers and coastal waters. • Add one (1) new engineer position in Public Works to secure grants for water quality improvement initiatives, such as solutions for sewage and storm water runoff. • Add funding for bathrooms at popular locations with public health and water quality concerns, such as Champagne Pond and Kehena Beach. Land Use • Appropriate adequate funding and resources to compile land use information (flood zones, flood control areas, grubbing and grading, culturally sensitive areas, burial grounds and caves, coastal setbacks, roads in limbo, historical trails, wildlife areas and environmentally sensitive areas) and develop Geographical Information Systems (GIS) maps to facilitate land use decisions. Add one (1) new planner in the Planning Department and (1) new GIS analyst position in the Data Systems Department. • Appropriate funds and resources to support the continuation of the Community Development Planning process to ensure that sufficient capacity and resources exist to bring plans in various communities around Hawaii Island to fruition. Energy Self Sufficiency • Appropriate adequate funds and resources to develop an Energy Self Sufficiency Plan for Hawaii Island, including environmentally friendly renewable energy and promoting energy efficient buildings and products. • Add one (1) new cabinet-level position to direct Energy Self Sufficiency planning and the use of energy efficient products and technology at County facilities. Parks and Recreation • Fund the acquisition and maintenance of Hawaii Island historical trails, such as the Old Volcano Trail. • Increase funding and resources for the improvement and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities, such as Machado Acres Park. • Fund the expansion of the pilot Waipi`o Valley Ranger Program to other areas. Serving the Interests of the People of Our Island Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Transportation • Fund the development of a Transportation Master Plan, including a road plan, bus service expansion, Park & Ride facilities, and Superferry considerations. • Increase funding for bus service. • Fund a pilot road roundabout. Environment • Fund programs to promote the use of reusable products, such as reusuable shopping bags instead of plastic shopping bags that end up as litter. • Fund the expansion of the pilot Waikoloa Recycling Program to additional areas. Real Property Taxation • Appropriate $2,000,000 for the independent assessment of current real property values. • Fund an independent analysis of the real property tax rates and tax exemptions. Serving the Interests of the People of Our Island Hawai'i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer