Council approves $103 million budget

The Kaua‘i County Council yesterday passed a $103 million budget for fiscal year 2004-2005.

The budget is 5.4 percent greater than last year’s $97.7 million budget.

The new budget now awaits the signature of Mayor Bryan Baptiste, who said Friday that he was prepared to sign.

“The budget is the most important legislation a council can pass,” said Councilman Joe Munechika.

Each councilmember made closing comments about where they agreed and disagreed on budget specifics, but all agreed that this year’s budget will produce some excellent benefits for the people of Kaua‘i.

Specifically, a reduction in expected real property taxes, the addition of five new vice square officers for the Kaua‘i Police Department, five new firefighters for the Kaua‘i Fire Department along with two lifeguards and four part-time lifeguards.

Kauaians will pay 9.2 percent more in property taxes to pay for those new positions, along with arbitrated union pay raises, among other things.

But that’s a far cry from the 24.2 percent real property assessment increase that would have resulted had the council — in conjuction with the administration — not offered the cuts.

Specifically, by granting a 15-cent reduction on land property taxes (not on buildings), the council cut $1.8 million more in taxes over the mayor’s budget.

The council also passed the mayor’s recommended 20-cent property tax cut per $1,000 of assessed value on all classes.

The council signed off on two existing tax relief measures:

• The “circuit breaker” tax, which limits increases to no more than 3 percent of a household’s taxable income.

• A six percent tax break for “homestead status” homeowners.

The need for a bigger budget this year was obvious, said one councilmember.

“This is a growing county,” said Councilmember Jay Furfaro.

“With the kind of growth Kaua‘i is experiencing,” he said, the county will have to find other means of revenue, or cuts, or see that cycle expanded “to every 12 years.”

“The math doesn’t work, folks,” he said.

Any spending on infrastructure is important to the future of Kaua‘i, he suggested.

“After the ’92 hurricane (‘Iniki), the economy was not healthy,” he said. “Many things did get deferred,” especially infrastructure.

Ever since the mayor submitted his budget to the county on March 14, the council has been embroiled in the specifics of how to spend what, when and where. Literally countless hours have been invested in the process this year, which Councilmember Tokioka described as “a long process” that looked little like last year’s.

The council seemed particularly concerned with recent criticism that government — particularly Kaua‘i county — spends too much.

“When people say county government — this county government — is too big, I have to disagree,” Tokioka said.

With the help of a computer presentation, Tokioka and the council pointed out that the council pays only 17 clerks, legislative assistants and other council services compared to Maui’s 47, Hawai‘i County’s 34, and Honolulu’s 97.

“I don’t think we overspend,” Tokioka said.

Furfaro echoed Tokioka’s sentiment.

Councilmember JoAnn Yukimura said that there was “an urgent need for better park planning.”

For example, the Lydgate Park soccer field, for which the county budgeted $100,000, was not in the area’s best interest.

“A soccer field is not right for that area,” she said. Instead, the area should be developed to promote more “ocean-oriented” activities.

Business Editor Phil Hayworth can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) and phayworth@pulitzer.net