Advocacy Updates

A Message from City Councilmember Trevor Ozawa

Councilman Trevor Ozawa

Earlier this month, Mayor Kirk Caldwell submitted his budget for Fiscal Year 2016 to the Honolulu City Council. His proposed FY16 Operating Budget is approximately $2.28 billion, reflecting a $139 million increase from the previous year. This represents an increase in spending by approximately 6.5%. The City Council has begun its briefings with city departments to review each department’s budget and assess proposed expenditures for the upcoming year.

 

You know firsthand the importance of real property taxes and how they account for a significant portion of funding the operations of our city. Real property taxes account for about $1 billion (or 34%) of the city’s revenues. It is expected that in the coming fiscal year, collection of real property taxes will increase by about eight percent, largely due to increases in assessed valuation of property.

As the City Council reviews the administration’s proposed budget, here are a couple of things I’ll keep in mind: Are there any additional cost savings that we can consider to reduce government expenditure? Are we being as efficient as possible when it comes to government operations? And how will the city prioritize essential services versus non-essential services?

In the first several months of the year, we’ve seen numerous proposals for housing and commercial developments, with a number of them already under construction. Many of these developments are in Council District 4 (which spans from Ala Moana to Hawaii Kai). I support developments that take into consideration the surrounding community and the housing needs for local residents. These housing developments will add to a limited housing market, ultimately adding to the inventory and thus providing for more affordable homes for potential buyers.

I encourage you to participate in the legislative process and contact your respective Councilmember to let him or her know where you stand on the issues. If you reside in Council District 4, I look forward to hearing from you.

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