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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br /> DATE: December 6, 2011 Re: Comm. No. 477/Bill 150 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> Hilo, Hawai`i <br /> TIME: 3:11 p.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Bill 150, reports as follows: <br /> Bill 150, transmitted by Director of Finance Nancy Crawford via Communication No. 477, dated <br /> November 22, 2011, amends Ordinance No. 11-60, as amended, relating to public improvements <br /> and financing thereof for the fiscal year July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012, is hereby amended by <br /> establishing the program appropriations listed on Exhibit A, which is attached to Bill 150. <br /> Funds for this appropriation increase shall be provided from: <br /> Lapsed Fuel Tax Increase funds $7,494,973.83 <br /> This proposed Bill amends the Capital Budget by re-appropriating the lapsed fuel tax funds from <br /> past fiscal years. These funds will be appropriated back to the original districts/categories as <br /> indicated in Exhibit "A" of the proposed ordinance. The sources of lapsed funds are detailed in <br /> Exhibit `B," which is also attached to Bill 150. The total amount being re-appropriated with this <br /> bill is $7,494,973.83. <br /> Pursuant to Section 10-6(d), Hawai`i County Charter, the Council may amend the Capital Budget <br /> for this fiscal year by a two-thirds vote. <br /> Some Members questioned and commented: 1) Are these unspent funds, and why were they not <br /> applied to other projects; 2) If a large portion of these funds are applied to engineering projects, <br /> should we not adjust this and increase funds to paving; 3) Mr. Hoffmann's request for Public <br /> Works Director Warren Lee to provide Council Members with a priority list of projects, which <br /> was covered during this meeting; 4) Inability to obtain information, which of the 62 projects <br /> have committed, uncommitted, or left-over funds, from Department of Public Works Department <br /> and Finance Department; 5) Address concerns by the general public, and complaints regarding <br /> money unexpended; 6) County roads still in disrepair, and 7) Public's perception and concern on <br /> these projects lapsed over seven-plus years. <br /> Finance Director Nancy Crawford, Deputy Finance Director Deanna Sako, and Public Works <br /> Director Warren Lee appeared before Your Committee. Mr. Lee stated that the unspent funds <br /> are obligated to: 1) Engineering for new or improved road construction; and 2) Highway Fund, <br /> FC No. Report No. 168 <br />