HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP FC 096 10/01/2013 (2012-2014) REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
DATE: October 1, 2013 Re: Comm.No. 427/Bill No. 130
PLACE: Council Chambers
Hilo, Hawai`i
TIME: 8:34 a.m.
Council Chair and Members
Hawai`i County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Your Committee on Finance,to which was referred Bill No. 130, reports as follows:
Bill No. 130,transmitted by Council Member Brenda J. Ford, via Communication No. 427 dated
September 4, 2013, amends Chapter 24, Article 8, of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition,
as amended), relating to designated parking at County facilities.
The bill redefines the responsibility of the Public Works Director to comply with existing conditions;
eliminates the monthly rental charge paid by County employees and officials for parking stalls at the
Hawaii County buildings; establishes priorities for assigning reserved parking spaces; and eliminates
any shifting of reserved parking privileges.
Public Works Director Warren Lee and Deputy Public Works Director Brandon Gonzalez appeared
before Your Committee for questions. Director Lee related that approximately $5,000 a month is
collected in parking fees from the Hilo County Building,the Aupuni Center, and the West Hawai`i
Civic Center. Parking shortages continue. Director Lee attributes this parking challenge to increases
in County staff. In an effort to mitigate this challenge, reserved stalls are available for rent,parking
meters are utilized, and a Parking Control Officer is employed to oversee appropriate use of stalls.
The Council shared their concerns regarding parking rates, equitability of the issuance of reserved
stalls chronologically versus by seniority, and budgetary impacts to the Department of Public Works.
Discussion about parking solutions included decreasing the ratio of employee to publicly available
parking stalls, auxiliary parking, constructing more stalls, re-striping, installing more parking meters,
and reducing the rental charge fee per parking stall.
Finance Director Nancy Crawford appeared before Your Committee for questions. Council Member
Ford inquired about the real property tax fees collected since July 1, 2013, and its potential use for
defraying revenue lost from the elimination of parking stall rental charges. Director Crawford replied
that the real property tax increase was incorporated into the current balanced budget, and maintained
that it is reasonable to have reserved parking.
FC Report No. 96
FC-96 Page 2 October 1, 2013
Your Committee on Finance is not in accord with the purpose and intent of Bill No. 130, and
forwards it to Council with a negative recommendation.
kh
AYES NOES A&E EX Respectfully submitted,
EOFF X
FORD x COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
ILAGAN X
KANUHA X s
KERN X Ekit
ONISHI X / 4.02 1 rn t';'-�
POINDEXTER x VALERIE T. POINDEXTER, CHAIR
WILLE X FC REPORT NO.: 96
YOSHIMOTO X ADOPTED: JAN 2 2 2014