The Committee on Budget, chaired by Councilmember Okimoto, convened on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 10:04 AM to consider five action items and one informational briefing. The meeting addressed the creation of a fire prevention fund, approval of federal housing grants, a police radio equipment transfer, a telecommunications lease, hazard pay for Teamsters, and a detailed update on the fiscal impact of recent Kona Low storms. All action items except one were advanced; the lease was postponed.
Aloha and good morning, everyone. It is Tuesday, March thirty-first, twenty twenty-six, and the time is ten oh four AM. Will the committee on budget please come to order? I'd like to welcome to the committee to the committee members who are present in the chamber today, Committee Vice Chair Nishimoto, Council Chair Waters, Council Members Tolba, Cordero, and Floor Leader Kia Aina. Although remote oral testimony is being permitted, this is a regular in-person meeting and not a remote meeting by interactive conference technology under HRS section ninety-two-three point seven. Therefore, the meeting will continue notwithstanding loss of audiovisual communication with remote testifiers or loss of the public broadcast of the meeting. As both English and Hawaiian are official languages of the state of Hawaii, pursuant to Article 15, section four of the Hawaii State Constitution and Section One-13 of the Hawaii revised statutes, members of the public may testify in either language. For oral testimonies offered in Olalo Hawaii, additional time as may be necessary will be allowed for the testifier to provide an English translation of their testimony. Persons who have not registered will be given an opportunity to testify following the register testifiers. After in-person testimony has concluded, I will proceed to remote testimony via video conference or phone. When I call your name, please monitor your screen and follow the prompt to unmute. For those who are joining us by telephone only, please press star nine if you wish to testify, and I will identify you by the last three digits of your phone number. When your number is called, please listen for the prompt to unmute and press star six. Some friendly reminders and tips. Video conference from a quiet location if possible. If you're also watching the proceedings on Olelo, please mute your television at the time you're called to testify. When the timer on screen reaches zero, please conclude your remarks promptly. Written testimonies, including the testifiers' address, email address, and phone number will be available to the public as described on the posted agenda. As a courtesy, please turn off or silence all cell phones for the duration of this meeting. Members moving on to agenda item number one for action. Bill 8 2026 creates a fund to receive and expend monies to support fire prevention activities. This morning with us from the department of the Honolulu Fire Department, we have Battalion Chief Jean-Claude Bish and Patalin Chief Pao Ching Wang. Aloha and good morning. Good morning, um committee chair Okimono, Vice Chair Dishimoto, and committee members. I'm Battalion Chief Pau Chi Huang with the Honolulu Fire Department. Honolulu Fire Department is currently in support of Bill Eight. I'm available for any questions you may have. Thank you, Battalion Chief Wang. Members, do we have any questions for the fire department? Thank you so much for being here. Seeing no questions, we'll now proceed with in-person oral testimony in the council chamber. Clerks, do we have any in-person testifiers for this item? Chair there, none. Thank you. Proceeding on with remote testimony, clerks, do we have any remote testifiers for this item? Chair there and thank you. Seeing no further testimony members, we are in discussion. Seeing no further discussion, the chair recommends that Bill 8 2026 be reported out for second reading and scheduling of a public hearing. Any further discussion, any objections or reservations? Hearing none so ordered. Moving on to agenda item number two, resolution 26-36 approves the city and county of Honolulu's 32nd year action plan for community development block grant, home investment partnerships, emergency solutions grants, and housing trust fund programs, and authorizing its submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. With us from the administration and from the Department of Community Services, Director Anton Kruckey. Good morning, Director Kruckey. Good morning, budget chair. Anton Crockey, Director of Department of Community Services, here to answer any questions you may have on this. Thank you, Director Cruckey. Members, do we have any questions? Councilmember Kia Aina. I I do have comments.