The Hawaii Legislature’s session begins Wednesday, with an agenda packed full of pressing issues, led by recovery from the Maui fires and devastation of Lahaina. State House recommendations for the session focus on needs arising from the fire response, and the Senate has “emergency preparedness, recovery and resiliency” at the top of its legislative priority list.
The upcoming fiscal year’s budget also prioritizes relief and recovery for West Maui. That means tough decisions will be necessary on spending in other areas, such as University of Hawaii infrastructure maintenance needs.
Spending on rental support for those displaced by the Lahaina fire will be necessary, along with funds to bolster emergency preparedness statewide. The House and Senate agree on a need to add funding and personnel for fighting wildfires, and for mitigating risks by eliminating dry overgrowth and addressing water allocation. Close scrutiny of the state’s emergency management structure and effectiveness, as well as the governance of other departments with responsibility for oversight, will be crucial.
Spending on the state’s burgeoning needs is dependent on the health of Hawaii’s economy, and tourism is the single largest contributor. That makes the upcoming, inevitable debate over the future of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) a key aspect of the session. Held over from last session, House Bill 1375 proposes that the HTA be disbanded, with a state Office of Tourism and Destination Management formed to take over marketing and management. With HTA’s CEO position open and Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association CEO Mufi Hannemann newly appointed as board chair, the agency remains in transition; the Legislature’s action will largely determine what happens next.
In July, HTA’s board green-lit the creation of a new, co-equal branch for destination stewardship. It also inaugurated a quality assurance program, under the direction of HTA finance Vice President Isaac Choy, a respected former Hawaii tax director. Given these steps forward, and HTA’s commitment to build legislative trust, the HTA should continue to lead tourism management and spending.
It’s important to manage tourism so that it provides the benefits Hawaii expects from its success, including affordable workforce housing that serves industry employees, and preservation and protection of Hawaii’s natural assets. The Legislature must match tourism spending with measurable targets in these areas to produce the necessary results.
Affordable housing, and access to educational and training opportunities providing the opportunity to earn a living wage, are statewide needs that deserve laser-focus in the coming session. Properly, there is general agreement that the state must press forward with expanded access to early childhood education, funding education and supporting housing for Hawaii’s teachers.
The Senate has prioritized support for two additional housing development projects, each for 10,000 units, administered by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. and Hawaii Community Development Authority. Moving forward with these projects is crucial.
Housing for the homeless must also be addressed, on all islands. A new willingness to expand housing into business and industrial zones, as with Iwilei and other transportation-oriented developments, may bring fresh approaches — but as always, the state must carefully link spending with targeted results.
It’s ultimately important, too, that the state protect and conserve Hawaii’s unique and fragile environment, turning the tide on the state’s status as endangered species frontrunner and preparing for inevitable effects of climate change. Ignoring these needs would be catastrophic, and here, too, any discussion of government programs and spending must be tied to environmental effects.
Legislators will again consider a “green fee” — a new visitor impact fee on tourists that’s intended to offset the impact on state lands, and to help address climate change. This is an idea whose time has come. In order to fund maintenance of public lands, including conservation efforts, the Legislature should authorize forward movement on an impact fee this year.
Other initiatives that serve Hawaii residents and are affected by climate change include improving access to potable water, expanding alternative-energy infrastructure, such as new electric vehicle charging stations, and continued exploration of island-generated energy alternatives. Funds needed to eradicate or manage invasive species are small relative to the overall budget, but are of the utmost importance to the islands’ environment.
To further the state’s goals for self-sufficiency and reduced energy outlay, it’s also crucial to reform the Agribusiness Development Corp., which so far has not produced a sufficient return on investment. More measurable progress is needed on the Senate’s commitment to restore and preserve local agriculture, and with it, food security for Hawaii.
