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County now faces daunting task of fi nding funds to cover $5M budget shortfall
Tropic Care 2018 o ering
free health care services
through the end of the month
County, legislators working on plan for special session
Index
Big Isle History B4
Classified B6
Comics B5
Commentary A4
‘If they come
here, we’ll
treat them’
Issue No. 171
16 Pages in
2 Sections
Today’s
weather
Page A2
Crossword B4
Cryptoquote B4
Dear Abby B4
Horoscope B4
Letters A4
Nation A3
Obituaries A2
Sports B1
State A3
Stocks A2
Surf Report A2
Volcano Watch A6
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Internet
Visit us on the Web at:
www.hawaiitribune-herald.com
Find out who our most recent honoree is on PAGE B1
By NANCY COOK LAUER
West Hawaii Today
Close swimming pools
on weekends. Shutter gyms
and other county facilities
two days a week. Suspend
the county recycling program.
Stop funding community
events such as the
Cherry Blossom Festival.
Those are among county
administration recommendations
to plug a $5 million
volcano-blasted hole in the
budget as the County Council
on Tuesday voted against
instituting a temporary quarter
percent general excise tax
surcharge that would have
expired Dec. 31, 2020.
The council voted 4-5
on Bill 159, a compromise
after a half-percent measure
seemed doomed to failure.
Some council members voted
no because they wanted the
full half-percent allowed by
the state Legislature, with
a 2030 expiration date.
“This was never intended
to be some stopgap measure,
which it has become,”
said Hilo Councilman Aaron
Chung, a consistent supporter
who voted yes.
Others voted no because
they think the county can
find the money without raising
taxes. And some wanted
more details on how the
money would be spent.
The $5 million shortfall
is attributed to a loss
of property tax revenues in
Puna, where lava has swallowed
almost 6,000 acres
and more than 500 homes.
Finance Director Deanna
Sako said she’d soon be
“We’ll have to meet with each and every department again.
To cut $5 million is not going to be easy.”
DEANNA SAKO, Hawaii County Finance Director
See GET Page A5
HOLLYN JOHNSON/Tribune-Herald
Capt. Estella Ruiz looks at 16-year-old Kyle Lagadon’s ears while doing a sports physical examination
Tuesday during Tropic Care 2018 at Keaau High School.
By MICHAEL
BRESTOVANSKY
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Although the school
year has ended, Keaau
High School will be
bustling with activity
throughout the end of
June as state and county
agencies offer free medical
care to residents.
Tropic Care 2018 is
a nine-day event wherein
residents will have
access to free health
care services ranging
from health screenings,
physicals, dental exams,
tooth extractions,
eye exams, hearing
screenings, nutritional
services and more.
The event, a collaboration
between the state
Department of Health,
Hawaii County, the
University of Hawaii
at Hilo and the U.S.
Army Reserves, began
Monday. Col. Melody
Quesenberry, officer in
charge of Tropic Care,
said the first day of
KILAUEA ERUPTION
By NANCY COOK LAUER
West Hawaii Today
A special session of
the state Legislature to
help lava-ravaged Puna is
being mulled for mid-August
as Hawaii County
works with legislators to
put a plan together.
Sen. Russell Ruderman,
D-Puna, said Tuesday that
first the state and county
must come up with a plan to
present to legislative leadership.
It’s likely to be a
mix of funding requests and
changes to law, he said.
“We don’t have a proposal
at this point in time,”
Ruderman said. “We
have to build the ask.”
Ruderman said he met with
Senate leadership Monday
to discuss a possible timeline
for a special session,
which could last a week.
Rep. Joy San
Buenaventura, D-Puna,
said either legislative
leadership or the governor
can call a special session.
“They’re waiting for
the county to make a
specific plan,” she said.
A spokeswoman for
Gov. David Ige said there’s
no immediate information
on a special session.
“The governor has been
working very closely with
Mayor Kim and knows that
See SESSION Page A7
INSIDE
>>> There have been discussions
about a possible public viewing area
for the eruption, but the county’s
not making any promises. A8
See TROPIC CARE Page A7
/www.hawaiitribune-herald.com