{"id":935,"date":"2026-06-04T11:06:55","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T11:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=935"},"modified":"2026-06-04T11:06:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T11:06:55","slug":"council-passes-budget-over-mayors-veto-threat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=935","title":{"rendered":"Council passes budget over mayor\u2019s veto threat"},"content":{"rendered":"
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Honolulu City Council approved a $5 billion budget Wednesday that includes a $1.4 million cut to the Office of Economic Revitalization, prompting the mayor to threaten a veto.<\/p>\n

Read more Hawaii News Now selected as official broadcast partner for UH Athletics<\/a><\/p>\n

The mayor\u2019s proposed budget and the council-approved plan differ little overall, but the reduction to the economic office created conflict between the two branches of government.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo just take this thing down to nothing is going to hurt a lot of people, and I am not saying this is in a threatening way. This is going to be on you. This is illogical to me, so yes I will veto that,\u201d Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said.<\/p>\n

Budget chair Val Okimoto said the council is not eliminating the office.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe are not defunding the Office of Economic Revitalization. We are right sizing to focus on the units that work,\u201d Okimoto said.<\/p>\n

Role of economic office<\/h1>\n

The Office of Economic Revitalization was conceived as a planning and coordination office for growth of ag tech and small business. During the pandemic and after recent floods, it became the agency with flexibility to get hundreds of millions in federal aid to families, small business and farmers.<\/p>\n

City auditor Troy Shimasaki found that role delayed meeting most of its primary goals.<\/p>\n

Council member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam asked the auditor whether the audit recommended eliminating positions within the office. The answer was no.<\/p>\n

The issue led council members Tam, Augie Tulba and Matt Wyer to vote against the budget.<\/p>\n

Police funding concerns<\/h1>\n

Interim Honolulu Police Chief Rade Vanic raised concerns that restrictions meant to reduce vacancies would make it harder to maintain patrols.<\/p>\n

Read more Incoming police chief provides timeline on transition to Oahu<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cLast year, a similar unfunded requirement forced the department to redirect funding from core patrol and operational priorities. Those impacts were real,\u201d Vanic said.<\/p>\n

Council chair Tommy Waters said the budget still directs money to pay for 460 vacant police officer positions.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s funded. It\u2019s in your budget. I\u2019m saying, can you use some of that vacancy money?\u201d Waters said.<\/p>\n

Council member Andria Tupola said the chief has flexibility to move funds from different categories to cover the department needs.<\/p>\n

Okimoto defended the council\u2019s priorities and blamed the mayor\u2019s team for her decision about the economic revitalization office.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had failed to take the council\u2019s suggestions seriously. As a budget chair, how can we allow a team to move forward if their coach is not receptive to making changes, does not possess a strategic playbook?\u201d Okimoto said.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The mayor said he hopes to prevent the office from being reduced.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they were to succeed in this, despite our veto, if they were, it\u2019s gonna be on their hands. There are going to be thousands of people affected by that,\u201d Blangiardi said.<\/p>\n

The council\u2019s 6-3 vote to pass the budget is enough to override any veto. The mayor may still have the power to save the staff jobs and fund them from other sources.<\/p>\n

Read more Maui animal lovers irate after Home Depot net traps, kills birds<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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