After six weeks, eight district meetings and 27 meetings in the council chambers, the Maui County council approved on first reading yesterday its version of the 2011 fiscal year budget.  The vote was unanimous at 8-0. Budget Committee Chair Joseph Pontanilla said the budget committee recommendation decreases the Mayor’s proposed $530 million by an estimated [...]

By Wendy Osher The council’s Budget and Finance Committee continues to fine tune details of their FY 2011 Budget.  The majority of public testimony Wednesday morning focused on calls for restoration of funds for farming programs. In his testimony yesterday, Maui County Farm Bureau Executive Director Warren Watanabe said, “A proposal to take $50,000 away [...]

By Wendy Osher The council’s budget committee continues deliberations today (Wednesday, April 28, 2010) following several hours of testimony yesterday on the 2011 Budget.  Department heads expressed concern over recently announced plans to cut an additional 60 positions that were reported as vacant by the Department of Personnel Services. Several of the departments sighted discrepancies [...]