Community Budget Meeting in Lahaina Tonight

Budget Chair Joe Pontanilla (seated left) accepts a copy of last year’s proposed budget from Mayor Alan Arakawa (standing right). File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

The next in a series of community meetings will be held tonight to discuss the county’s 2013-2014 budget.

The meetings are hosted by Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and his administration, and are intended to provide an opportunity for the public to share their priorities.

Budget Director Sandy Baz will present the projects and initiates of the administration, specific to the communities where the meetings are being held.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Lahaina Civic Center.  A separate meeting will be held in Central Maui at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center tomorrow (October 2, 2012).

There are also meetings planned on the outer islands of Molokai on Wednesday, October 17 at the Mitchell Pauole Center, and on Lanai on Tuesday, October 23 at Lanai Senior Center. Both meetings begin at 5:45 p.m.

Input from the community meetings will be taken into consideration when the administration constructs the fiscal year 2013-2014 budget.

“I encourage people to participate in these community meetings as much as possible,” said Mayor Arakawa. “This is their time to voice their opinions and tell us their priorities for their communities. Putting together the Maui County budget is a process in which everyone should have a part.”