A $16.3 billion state budget proposed by Governor Ben Cayetano includes includes what he calls full support of schoolchildren and $1.5 billion for construction of state projects, but has no money for pay raises for public union employees. The budget
A $16.3 billion state budget proposed by Governor Ben Cayetano includes includes what he calls full support of schoolchildren and $1.5 billion for construction of state projects, but has no money for pay raises for public union employees.
The budget for the 2002-03 fiscal years beginning July 1, submitted to state legislators yesterday, calls for a combined spending increase of about 18 percent over the budget period.
In discussions with newspaper editors and reporters last Friday, Cayetano pledged his support to public schools, including the Felix consent decree. The latter, through court orders, mandates state-supported services for special-needs students. Those costs contribute heavily to the proposed budget increase.
Cayetano’s spending proposal also backs health, economic development and parks.
Left out are the state’s unionized employees. He said the state can’t afford raises at the level requested by unions without hurting public services.
“Parks.
We can take money out of there, right? Libraries. Kids can do without those, right? That gives us more money for raises,” he said last Friday in defending his no-raises position.
Capital improvements that Cayetano wants to be part of the next budget include a $70 million aquarium and a new University of Hawai’i medical school and biomedical research center that would be the showpieces of a proposed redevelopment of the Kaka’ako area in Honolulu. Money for the projects would come from general-obligation and revenue bonds, according to the governor.
He said the “world-class” aquarium would be a boost for the state’s tourism industry.
State Rep. Galen Fox (R-21st District), Minority Leader in the Democrat-controlled House, said last Friday that Republican legislators will make education one of their top priorities for the upcoming legislative session.
Editor Pat Jenkins can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 227) and [ HREF=”mailto:pjenkins@pulitzer.net”>pjenkins@pulitzer.net]
