Mayor proposes nearly $829 million budget
Project funding bumps budget about $6M higher
Purchasing Wailuku Water Co.’s systems, renovating War Memorial Gym and upgrading West Maui wastewater systems are among Mayor Michael Victorino’s priorities in his proposed $829 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Victorino formally delivered his version of the budget to the Maui County Council during a virtual presentation on Thursday afternoon. The mayor’s budget for fiscal year 2022, which starts July 1, is about $6 million higher than the current approved budget of $822.6 million. His version calls for $669.6 million in operating costs — down $13.2 million from the current budget — and $159.3 million in capital improvement projects — an increase of nearly $20 million.
Although COVID-19 has forced government departments to slash budgets, Victorino said that the increase in project funding is because many were already “in motion” and are extensions of projects that have been ongoing this past year.
He also pointed to aging infrastructure, such as water and sewer lines in Kahului that were installed more than 60 years ago and now declining.
“We need to continue to maintain and upgrade,” he said, noting Maui does not want to be like Oahu, which has had major water main breaks that disrupted traffic and communities.
However, the mayor said that “flat is where I’m at” in terms of operating expenses and pointed out that the proposed budget would shave some costs.
“Given the seriousness of the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, the proposed budget focuses on maintaining operations without significant operational expansions,” Victorino said in a letter Wednesday to council members.
He added, “our departments will be tasked with ‘doing more with less’ while being creative to accomplish the needs of our community.”
Victorino wrote that he and his administration “have taken a conservative approach” to the proposed budget, noting that there continue to be “many uncertainties” as the county enters the post-pandemic economic recovery phase.
Even with the latest round of federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act,
Mayor Michael Victorino is proposing a nearly $829 million budget for fiscal year 2022, which starts July 1. While the proposal outlines a decrease in operating costs, it calls for about $20 million more in capital improvement projects than the current budget. Some of those projects include:
• $15 million for War Memorial Gym repairs and replacing gym flooring, bleachers and air conditioning.
• $13 million for the West Maui Recycled Water System expansion.
• $12 million to stabilize the eroding slopes in Haiku and Kahakuloa and prevent future rockfall at Kalepa Point.
• $10.5 million for the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility R1 process expansion.
• $10 million for countywide recovery and relief efforts for COVID-19.
• $4 million for a new Lanai Youth Center and Skate Park.
• $3 million for county service improvements at Old Hana School.
• $3 million for the county’s emergency fund.
• $2 million for a Lanai Agricultural Park.
• $1.5 million for the Maui Visitors Bureau.
• $1.5 million for the Agricultural Micro Grants Program.
• $1 million for the Climate Change, Resiliency and Sustainability Office to implement recommendations from various studies and plans.
• $400,000 for the creation and implementation of a master plan and management strategy for Moku’ula and Mokuhia.
• $200,000 for Halau Ke‘alaokamaile’s building fund capital campaign for an educational and community facility.
• $150,000 for the restoration of Ka‘ahumanu Church.