{"id":849,"date":"2026-06-02T07:05:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T07:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=849"},"modified":"2026-06-02T07:05:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T07:05:17","slug":"honolulu-mayor-threatens-budget-veto-over-cut-to-economic-revitalization-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=849","title":{"rendered":"Honolulu mayor threatens budget veto over cut to economic revitalization office"},"content":{"rendered":"
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi is threatening to veto the city\u2019s $5 billion budget over a $1.4 million cut to the Office of Economic Revitalization.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t want it to even be a threat. It\u2019s a a matter of fact, because I am in such strong opposition to this,\u201d Blangiardi said.<\/p>\n

The dispute comes after a city audit released in January found after five years, the office met less than 40% of its mission to promote agriculture, technology and small businesses.<\/p>\n

Council proposes staff cuts<\/h1>\n

Budget chair Val Okimoto proposed a 70% cut to the office in the budget, which would lay off three-quarters of its staff.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn any other sector, meeting less than 40% of your core mission will result in a reorganization,\u201d Okimoto said.<\/p>\n

Office director Amy Asselbaye said the cuts would eliminate 18 filled positions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would have to cut 18 positions that are filled today with, as we call them, live bodies \u2014 real humans who are dedicated public servants working for the city,\u201d Asselbaye said.<\/p>\n

Mayor defends office\u2019s role<\/h1>\n

Blangiardi acknowledged the audit found important issues but opposes defunding the office.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a problem there. You don\u2019t defund it. We move forward. We solve it. We make it better. I don\u2019t understand that in the least,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

On Friday, Blangiardi sent a letter demanding the office be restored or he would veto the entire budget bill.<\/p>\n

He said the office has been essential in organizing and streamlining emergency aid during the pandemic for rent and family support, and for farms and businesses after recent storms.<\/p>\n

Read more Are you prepared? Active hurricane season prompts emergency kit reminders<\/a><\/p>\n

At a hearing in May, Hunter Heaivilin of the Hawaii Farmers Union said the office provides critical support.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf we are now proposing to remove that at a critical juncture where farmers are facing unprecedented losses and do not have federal backstops, it is critical for the county to step in and provide that support,\u201d Heaivilin said.<\/p>\n

Political stakes<\/h1>\n

Council chair Tommy Waters backed Okimoto\u2019s decision. He and Okimoto did not respond to requests for an interview Monday, but council staff pointed to comments she made a month ago defending the cut.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouncil oversight is not an obstruction. It is oversight,\u201d Okimoto said. \u201cWe are not gutting an office. We are performing a long, overdue fiscal right sizing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blangiardi said the cut is politically motivated.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s driven politically for whatever reasons, and maybe people feel like, somehow, this will be a badge of honor. I don\u2019t even understand that. This makes no sense,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Asked how would answer those who say saving money is important Blangiardi brought up large pay raises granted the council over the last three years.<\/p>\n

\u201cSave money for what? For pay raises?\u201d Blangiardi said. \u201cYeah, where\u2019s that coming from?\u201d <\/p>\n

Both Waters and Okimoto are up for re-election this year. The budget is scheduled to pass in two days.<\/p>\n

Read more Repairs underway of massive Maui sinkhole after March storms<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The dispute comes after a city audit found the office met less than 40% of its mission to promote agriculture, technology and small businesses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":848,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nHonolulu mayor threatens budget veto over cut to economic revitalization office - Hawaii Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=849\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Honolulu mayor threatens budget veto over cut to economic revitalization office - 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