Rising revenues lead to bigger 2015 budget

HILO » Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi has presented a revised operating budget for fiscal year 2015 that takes advantage of additional revenues and is nearly 6 percent higher than last year.

Kenoi sent the budget Monday to the Hawaii County Council, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.

Additional revenue is coming from an extra $1.7 million in property taxes after property values rose. There is also an extra $1.86 million in the county’s share of the state transient-accommodations tax.

An additional $770,000 is being carried over from the previous year and from other sources.

Kenoi’s spending plan totals $416.9 million for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1. There are no increases in property taxes or fees in the proposal, which is 5.7 percent higher than the previous budget.

Falling tree puts 2 in hospital

A large pine tree fell and struck three people Saturday in Hana, Maui, police reported Wednesday.

The accident occurred at 11:02 a.m. Saturday on Mill Street.

A man and one woman were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Another woman was treated for her injuries and released at the scene, police said.