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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0313.000 2014-2016DENNIS "FRESH" ONISHI Council Member District 3 MEMORANDUM HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 DATE: May 12, 2015 PHONE: (808) 961-8396 FAX: (808) 961-8912 EMAIL: donishi@co.hawaii.hi.us © n O n Z: �rrn TO: Dru Mamo Kanuha, Council Chair And Members of the Hawaii County Council FROM:o Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Council Member SUBJECT: Minutes of the August 25, 2014, Hawaii State Association of Counties Executive Committee Meeting. Attached for the Council's review and discussion are the minutes of the Hawaii State Association of Counties Executive Committee meeting, held on August 25, 2014, in Honolulu. Please place this item on the agenda for the next available Government Relations and Economic Development Committee meeting. DO:ma Att Comm. No. 313 Hawai `i County is un Equal Opportunitv Provider and Employer. Ref' Toe 67 VzS0 L Ref. Date MAY 12 2015 Fawaii State Association of Counties Counties of Knuai, Matti, Ila-.raii rind Gih- and Counts ul'Honolulu MINUTES HSAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING August 25, 2014! Honolulu Hale, Committee Meeting Room VEp Honolulu, Hawaii CALL TO ORDER X14 SEP `9 PI2 :58 The HSAC Executive Committee was called to order by PresA4%nt Mel Rapozo at 9:10 a.m. The following members comprising a quorum.VerpVih'siif County of Kauai: President Mel Rapozo County of Hawaii: Vice President Dennis "Fresh" Onishi City and County of Honolulu: Alternate Ikalka Anderson County of Maui: Treasurer Michael Victorino Others Present: Hawaii Mayor Billy Kenoi Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa Hawaii Council Chair J. Yoshimoto Hawaii Councilmember Dru Kanuha Hawaii Cou' iOlrr ember Valerie Poindexter Kauai Council Chair Jay Furfaro Kauai Councilrnem d�`JoAnn Yukimura Maui Counc` it Chair Gladys Baisa Honolulu staff Andrew Sekine Honolulu staff Brandon Mitsuda -"',*`, Kauai staff Ashley Bunda Maui staff Kim Willenbnnk ,t Maui staff Sharon Brooksg s, Clarysse Kami Nunokawa, Office ofMayor., Kenoi Melissa Miranda -Johnson, Office of Mayor Caldwell Ricky Watanabe, Kauai County Clerk Cyndi Ayonon, Office of Mayor Carvalho Mark McGuffe, Enterprise Honolulu « (81090414/09:20NL l ' Page 1 of 8 II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The Committee approved the agenda. III. MINUTES The Committee approved the minutes of the July 25, 2014, Executive Committee meeting. IV. REPORTS A. Treasurer's Report 1. Treasurer's Report for July 2014 as submitted by the HSAC Treasurer The Committee approved the July 2014 Treasurer's Report. B. County Reports 1. Maui County Report. Treasurer Victorino introduced Sharon Brooks, who is the new Maui Office of Council Services Analyst/Attorney and will serve as back-up to Kim Willenbrink for HSAC. Treasurer Victorino reported on industrial hemp, emergency county exercise planning, Maui County legislative priorities, and Maui's GMO initiative petition. 2. Hawaii County Report. Vice President Onishi reported on Hawaii County's legislative package, the Hawaii Council's discussion on "call for the question" rules, and community development planning. Vice President Onishi also announced that his new staff assistant will be Micah Alameda. 3. City and County of Honolulu Report. Alternate Anderson reported on the Honolulu Council's adoption of a resolution approving a sister city relationship with Chigasaki City, Japan, and the Council's consideration of "sit -lie" and "urination/defecation" legislation. 4. Kauai County Report. President Rapozo introduced Kauai Council Chair Jay Furfaro and Kauai County Clerk Ricky Watanabe. Kauai Council Chair Furfaro announced that the Hawaii mayors, county councils, and residents have been invited to an Inter -island Ferry Conference in Honolulu on October 6, 2014, to discuss the pros and cons of an inter -island ferry system. Council Chair Furfaro requested that HSAC consider a resolution requesting the state Page 2 of 8 DOT to prepare appropriate environmental documents and conduct public hearings on ell the islands for an inter -island ferry system. Council Chair Furfaro also distributed materials relating to the proposed new Kauai County "pay as you throw" ordinance, which is a volume -based payment system for residential refuse service. At this point, the members discussed the potential benefits and environmental impacts of an inter -island ferry system. President Rapozo reported on the Kauai Council's approval of HSAC legislative package items clarifying county zoning authority by distinguishing single-family residential use from single-family vacation rental use and authorizing the testimony of property crime victims, who may be on the mainland, via teleconferencing. The Committee received the county reports. C. NACo Report Treasurer Victorino reported that the NACo Hoard of Directors will meet at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui from December 3-6, 2014, and invited all members to attend. Treasurer Victorino stated that he will work with NACo President Hokama to schedule an HSAC Executive Committee meeting in Maui on December 2nd or 31d. Treasurer Victorino also reported that a leadership conference will be held on September 10-12, 2014. The Committee received the NACo report. D. WIR Report Vice President Onishi reported that he and Hawaii Councilmember Kanuha will attend the WIR Hoard of Directors meeting in Malta, Montana, in October. Treasurer Victorino stated that Maui Councilmember White may attend the meeting. The Committee received the WIR report. V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. Page 3 of 8 VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Communication (August 1, 2014) from HSAC Treasurer Michael P. Victorino, transmitting for the Executive Committee's consideration a nomination form for the NACo Environment, Energy & Land Use Steering Committee. Treasurer Victorino stated that he has been asked to serve again on the Environment, Energy & Land Use Steering Committee. The Committee approved Treasurer Victodno's nomination. B. Communication (August 18, 2014) from HSAC Treasurer Michael P. Victorino, transmitting for the Executive Committee's consideration a proposed amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014-201 HSAC Annual Operating Budget relating to travel expenses for NACo Board of Directors. President Rapozo stated that Treasurer Victorino's appointment as Chair of the NACo Rural Action Caucus will require amendment of the budget to provide for the payment of additional travel expenses. President Rapozo made a motion to approve the proposed budget amendment. The motion was approved. (Item C. under "New Business" was deferred pending the arrival of the county mayors at 10:00 a.m. or thereafter.) D. Discussion regarding mid year conferences, pursuant to Section 16 of the Bylaws of the Hawaii State Association of Counties. President Rapozo stated that HSAC bylaws set forth conditions for an HSAC mid -year conference. Treasurer Victorino stated that a mid -year conference was held last year in Honolulu and suggested that another mid -year conference be held in November. Kauai Councilmember Yukimura stated that she favors having a conference for the purpose of working on the HSAC legislative package, but noted that it takes time to process ideas for the package. Treasurer Victorino stated that the HSAC annual conference in June 2015 on Maui will devote some time to the discussion of HSAC legislative priorities. Kauai Councilmember Yukimura suggested that legislative proposals be discussed at the HSAC annual conference and considered by the county Page 4 of 8 councils in the fall. President Rapozo responded that legislative proposals should be approved by the respective county councils before they are presented to the HSAC membership. Maui Council Chair Baisa stated that during council deliberations on a legislative proposal, council members often want to know how the other counties are dealing with the issue. Vice President Onishi stated that annual conferences provide an opportune time for the county councils to exchange ideas on issues. At this point, Alternate Anderson reported on the HSAC annual conference held in June 2014 in Honolulu. Alternate Anderson reported that approximately 250 people attended the conference, and a final accounting of the conference is expected before the next Committee meeting. Action on the approval of a mid -year conference was deferred. President Rapozo announced that a recess will be called, after which New Business, Item C (Discussion with the Hawaii Conference of Mayors), will be taken up. At 10:00 a.m. a recess was called. At 10:30 a.m. the meeting reconvened. C. Discussion with the Hawaii Council of Mayors (HCOM) regarding the counties strategy, legislative priorities and the 2015 HSAC legislative Package for the 2015 Hawaii State Legislative Session. President Rapozo thanked the Hawaii Council of Mayors for their attendance. President Rapozo stated the purpose of the meeting is for HCOM and HSAC to determine how to be more effective at the state legislature. Hawaii Mayor Kenoi thanked the mayors and councilmembers for their support with regard to Tropical Storm Iselle. Honolulu Mayor Caldwell acknowledged Mayor Kenoi's leadership in coordinating disaster recovery efforts with the other counties. Mayor Caldwell stated that HCOM met earlier in the morning to begin discussions on how to coordinate efforts during the coming legislative session. He said he hopes that a legislative package that both HCOM and HSAC supports can be developed before the start of the session. Mayor Caldwell stated that two items were discussed by HCOM. The first item is the general excise tax (GET). The additional 0.5 percent GET implemented for the rail project will expire in 2022, and Honolulu would like the additional tax to continue in perpetuity to provide for future work on Page 5 of 8 the rail system. Mayor Caldwell stated that he supports the efforts of the other counties to have GET applied to county infrastructure. The second item is the creation of a second major health care center in Maui in the event of a catastrophe on Oahu. Maui Mayor Arakawa stated that state plans call for a second major medical complex in the state In the event of a catastrophe. Mayor Arakawa indicated that Maui Memorial Medical Center has been suffering from significant losses in finances and personnel, and there should be an impetus for the state to address the need for better medical services. Mayor Arakawa requested that the counties ask the State either to fund adequately its medical facilities or allow the counties to seek private funding to create the needed medical facilities. Kauai Mayor Carvalho stated that there is a need for Kauai to gain another source of revenue. Mayor Kenoi stated that he is looking forward to the upcoming session. President Rapozo stated that proposals for the HSAC legislative package have been received from the counties, and HSAC will consider them in September. Mayor Arakawa expressed his apologies with regard to TAT deliberations during this past legislative session because the Maui Council's passage of a tax cut undermined the counties' efforts to increase their share of the TAT. He stated that he does not plan to lobby for the TAT this year. Mayor Arakawa stated that it will be hard for counties to make the case for TAT this coming year because state legislators will say the counties are acting prematurely in view of the two-year TAT study and because of Maui County's tax cut decision. Alternate Anderson suggested that former county councilmembers presently serving at the legislature be specifically approached. Vice President Onishi stated that the Hawaii County Council held a meeting with state legislators from Hawaii County and encouraged other counties to do likewise prior to the session. President Rapozo stated that November 14 is the deadline for the councils to approve items for the HSAC legislative package. Until then, HSAC should continue to meet with HCOM and come to a consensus on a legislative package. Page 6 of 8 Mayor Caldwell stated that getting a buy -in from the councils is important because legislators would want to know where the councils stand on particular issues, such as extending the 0.5 percent additional GET in perpetuity. Vice President Onishi suggested that HSAC legislative package proposals be sent to the mayors in September. Mayor Caldwell responded that it would be helpful to review proposals, even if they are in draft form. At this point, President Repozo invited testimony from the members. Kauai Council Chair Furfaro testified that TAT collections will amount to approximately $370 million, and before the counties commit items to be funded by a GET increase, they need to have an understanding of how far they are willing to step back on the TAT. For Kauai County, $1.5 billion In GET revenue at 0.5 percent will raise only $8 million — originally, Kauai County had requested $23 million in TAT revenue. If Kauai County is provided with $8 million in GET revenue, it would not make up for the $23 million in TAT revenues that is needed for ocean rescues, park maintenance, public safety officials, and so forth. Council Chair Furfaro expressed caution regarding a position where the counties will settle for only GET revenues because for a small county like Kauai, a combination of GET and TAT Is needed. Maui Council Chair Baisa testified that even though HCOM and HSAC didn't get what they wanted from the legislature this past year, they made an impact and demonstrated that they are a force. Council Chair Balsa stated that the Maui Council was led into a situation where they had to cut taxes, otherwise they would not have been able to balance their budget on time, and that she thinks they will still be able to make a case that additional TAT is needed. Kauai Councilmember Yukimura testified that she agrees with Council Chair Furfaro that the counties should not ask the legislature for only one source of revenue, and they should be clear about the need for TAT monies because of the possibility that the legislature may attempt to trade off tax revenue funding sources. The counties need to be dear that they are requesting a portfolio of taxing powers that they deserve. Councilmember Yukimura proposed receiving GET revenues that are earmarked for public transportation to make it less likely the monies will be used as part of a trade-off. Councilmember Yukimura stated that the counties need to develop a multi -pronged approach this coming year and not be forced by the two-year TAT study to consider only the GET. Page 7 of 8 President Rapozo recapitulated HCOM-HSAC legislative action items — drafts of legislative proposals will be circulated to HCOM, communications between HSAC and HCOM will be established, and consensus on key items will be attempted so the organizations may proceed with legislation. Mayor Caldwell stated that the mayors will be back. Mayor Arakawa stated that he assumes that this has been the first meeting and indicated that the Maui County administration will be putting together a package and will share items that may be of Interest to HSAC. Mayor Arakawa also suggested that the counties consider offering to work with the State on issues for which the State has responsibility — for example, the homeless situation, medical facilities, alien species enforcement, and schools. At 11:40 a.m., a recess was called. At 11:44 am., the meeting was reconvened. VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS A. Schedule next meeting. September 15, 10:00 a.m., at Honolulu Hale. President Rapozo stated that the HSAC legislative package will be a standing item on the HSAC agenda. B. Other announcements. There were no other announcements. VIII. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:49 a.m. ERNEST Y. MARTIN, Secretary Hawaii State Association of Counties Page 8 of 8