Mayor Blangiardi submits budget focused on economic recovery and commitment to communities

News Release from Office of the Mayor, March 2, 2021

HONOLULU – Exactly two months after taking office, Mayor Rick Blangiardi has submitted the Fiscal Year 2022 operating budget and capital improvements program (CIP) budget to the Honolulu City Council today. The key priorities in the budget include funding core City and County of Honolulu services, without employee furloughs, and focuses on affordable housing and homelessness, rail, infrastructure and the distribution of funds.

“We are entrusted with an incredible responsibility and the community should feel confident that we are committed to doing the right thing at the right time,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We will continue to adapt and adjust to improve government efficiency as we navigate through the pandemic and face the challenges and sacrifices ahead.”

The FY22 proposed operating budget of $2.9 billion is approximately $73 million less than the proposed operating budget in FY21. The FY22 proposed CIP budget is approximately $1 billion, which is lower than last year’s submitted budget of $1.27 billion.

Some of the highlights include:

• No employee furloughs
• Commitment to work closely and strategically with HART
• $37.5m for renovation and/or development of low income affordable housing
• $10.7m for homeless programs including the Housing First initiative, Hale Mauliola Housing Navigation Center, and services at the Pūnāwai Rest Stop in Iwilei
• $10.4m for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) improvements targeting underserved communities like Wai‘anae, Nānākuli and Mā‘ili
• $9.7m for electrification of transportation infrastructure
• $35m on rehabilitation roadways
• $6.9m to upgrade traffic controls and signals
• $36m for various park improvements across the island
• $485.7m for solid waste, sewer and wastewater facility improvements
• $3.4m for flood control improvements
• $4.5m for HPD station improvements
• $3.8m for HFD station improvements
• $1m for EMS Ocean Safety station improvements
• $2.1m for telecommunications facilities upgrades
• $6.5m for park improvements in areas where there is 51% low and moderate income households

“We are incorporating zero based budgeting where every dollar spent must be justified,” said Mayor Blangiardi. “Our guiding principle is that every community deserves equity and fairness as we invest the funds to make the City better for all.”

The City has made the difficult decision to defer payment of the pre-payment portion of the cost of future health benefits for retirees for FY21 and defer a portion of the payment in FY22. The retirees and their benefits will not be impacted. The move will free up nearly $140 million to be used for current operational needs.

The City has implemented a hiring freeze, with the exception of health and safety positions and those necessary to complete key priorities. The hiring freeze translates into nearly 2,000 positions that will remain vacant which will create approximately $42 million to be invested in city operations.

The executive summary with additional information is attached for reference.

To view the operating budget (more than 400 pages) please click here.

To view the CIP budget (more than 560 pages) please click here.

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