21 charter amendments heading to 2020 ballot
Which is a more important attribute for the director of the county Department of Public Works? Technical know-how or administrative...
Political
Council members’ budget moves aimed at gaining more power over spending in districts
Hawaii County Council members plan to spread a lot of aloha throughout their districts, even as the county nears the...
County Council approves budget
The County Council on Wednesday added $1.6 million and two more positions to the 93 new positions in Mayor Harry...
Growing the budget: Final council reading Wednesday
The County Council has already added $1.1 million to Mayor Harry Kim’s record-setting $573.5 million operating budget. On Wednesday, council...
Council seeks to tweak polystyrene law
When is recyclable not recyclable? A bill coming up aims to redefine recyclable in the context of the upcoming July...
Ige sounds off By Bill Buley The Garden Island
KOLOA — The first question posed to Gov. David Ige at Thursday’s Kauai Chamber of Commerce luncheon stumped him —...
County preps for all-mail election
HILO — Hawaii County, like the rest of the state, is preparing for a totally mail-in election next year, and...
Breaking down the budget
KAILUA-KONA — A contemporary New York City poet a couple decades back in a now-famous lyric exclaimed that more money...
Council wants to increase annual amount given to nonprofits
Hawaii Island nonprofits could soon see a big boost in county grants thanks to action taken Tuesday by the County...
As budget process continues, council learns more property owners are appealing assessments
Apparently, it’s not how the county spends the money, it’s how it raises the money. A public hearing for the...
Bill to cut pensions for convicted government employees stalled for years
KAILUA-KONA — Lawmakers failed this session to pass legislation that would strip state or county employees of retirement benefits if...
District 9 Update & Budget Update
BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 – 2020 Budgets. (approx) 2016-2017 $463 million 2017-2018 $491 million 2018-2019 $518 million 2019-2020 $583...
May 2019 update by Rep. David Tarnas
Aloha! I am very grateful to be your State Representative. Today I am reporting on the work of the 2019...
Commissions and boards could go nonpartisan
A ballot initiative making county boards nonpartisan was advanced Friday by the Charter Commission. The amendment, which passed first reading...
Senators convene working group to address water use By Sophie Cocke
Sens. Kai Kahele and Jarrett Keohokalole will begin overseeing monthly meetings with officials from the Department of Land and Natural...
Gabbard sunscreen measures could help bolster efforts to project Hawaii’s coral reefs
KAILUA-KONA — Two Hawaii politicians are taking the issue of reef safe sunscreens national. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, 2020 Democratic presidential...
Public weighs in on state DOT’s proposed road usage charge demonstration project
State Department of Transportation officials had their last informational meeting on a road usage charge demonstration project Thursday evening in...
State House capital improvements list includes nearly $250M for Hawaii County projects ($13.7m impact Kohala)
The state House of Representatives passed its list of proposed capital improvement projects for the next two fiscal years, including...
Council scraps plan for behind-the-scenes budget panel after getting state’s opinion
The County Council dropped its plan to work on the budget out of public view, after the state Office of...
Proposal to levy surcharge on electric vehicle owners passes Hawaii Legislature By Nina Wu
Hawaii legislators have approved a bill this session that would charge owners of electric and alternative fuel vehicles an additional...
