The Budget Committee of the Honolulu City Council met on April 28, 2026, at 9:04 AM HST to consider a range of fiscal matters, including fund transfers, bill amendments, collective bargaining costs, property tax compromises, and committee reports. The meeting was chaired by Councilmember Okimoto, with Vice Chair Nishimoto and Council Members Cordero, Kia Aina, Talba, and Waters present. Most agenda items were approved, often with amendments, while one bill was postponed for technical adjustments.
Aloha and good morning, everyone. It is Tuesday, April 28, 2026, and the time is nine. Oh four AM. Will the committee on budget please come to order? Like to welcome to the committee. Committee Vice Chair Nishimoto, Council Members Cordero, Kia Aina, Talba, and Chair Waters. In person in the council chamber and remotely via video conference or phone. Remote and in-person oral testimony will be allowed when each agenda item is taken up. Before testifying, each person shall state their name. Each speaker may not have anyone else read their statement and is limited to a one-minute presentation on each item. 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 Three of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, members of the public may testify in either language. Members of the public may testify in either language. For oral testimonies offered in Olelo Hawai'i, additional time as may be necessary will be allowed for the testifier to provide an English translation of their testimony. All persons who have registered to testify in person will be called upon first. When your name is called, please come up with to the testifier podium. Persons who have not registered will be given an opportunity to testify following the registered 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 Olalo, please mute your television at the time you are 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. Moving on to agenda item number one, resolution 26-87. This resolution authorizes a transfer of funds not to exceed 222,000 in general fund monies from the provision for energy costs activity, current expenses, character of expenditure to the Department of Enterprise Services, Auditoriums, and Golf Courses. Activities, current expenses, character of expenditure for fiscal year 2026 required to cover the department's fuel and electricity shortages. Members, we have distributed a hand-carried proposed CD1 OCS 2026-0237 slash 4 slash 24 slash 2026 at 302 p.m. Submitted by myself. The CD1 makes the following amendments. A amends the third whereas clause to specify the receiving activities and characters of expenditure. B, in the be it resolved clause, amends the table to correct the name of the originating activity, provision for energy costs. C in the be it finally resolved clause, adds the director of enterprise services as a recipient of a copy of the resolution. And D makes miscellaneous technical and non-substantive amendments. Before we bring up the administration, we'll proceed first 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 now with remote testimony. Clerks, do we have any remote testifiers for this item? Chair there, none. Thank you. We'd like to now welcome from the Department of Enterprise Services, Director Dita Holyfield. Aloha, good morning, Director. Aloha and good morning. Dita Holyfield, Director of Enterprise Services, and I just appreciate the opportunity to be considered to access the 220,000 dollars for the pro from the provisional account for the energy cost to support our energy needs at the Playsdale and our golf courses. With regards to the Playsdale, we have a current electricity budget of 1.2 million, in which this year I believe we're going to actually reach 1.5 million.