Senator McKelvey announces $250M for South and West Maui in Senate Draft of Supplemental State Budget

Sen. Angus McKelvey (District 6, West Maui, Mā‘alaea, Waikapū, South Maui) announced that approximately $250 million in capital improvement project (CIP) funding has been secured in the Senate draft of the state budget bill, HB 1800 HD1 SD1. The funds will support critical infrastructure, recovery, and community investment projects across South and West Maui.

The funding package prioritizes rebuilding efforts in West Maui following the devastating 2023 wildfires, as well as addressing long-standing infrastructure needs in South Maui, including harbors and public facilities that residents have consistently identified as priorities.

“I want to thank my colleagues, especially Sens. Lynn DeCoite and Troy Hashimoto, for their support of these critical projects, which represent not only a continuation of our commitment to rebuilding West Maui, but also critical investments in our South Maui community,” McKelvey said.

The CIP funding included in HB 1800 HD1 SD1 is structured through a mix of financing mechanisms commonly used by the State. According to the lawmaker, this includes both direct appropriations for projects that can begin immediately, as well as bond-funded investments, “similar to a long-term loan the State takes out to pay for large infrastructure projects over time,” McKelvey noted. “This allows the State to move forward on urgent needs now while spreading the cost responsibly across future budgets.”

Harbor improvements are a central component of this package. The Senate budget includes $12.5 million for Lahaina Small Boat Harbor to support rebuilding efforts, $5.5 million for Māʻalaea Small Boat Harbor, $5 million for the Kīhei Small Boat Harbor, and $600,000 for the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) Boat House Expansion. “Together, this $23.6 million investment in our small boat harbors will help to restore functionality, improve safety, and expand access for local fishermen and ocean users,” McKelvey said.

“Education and transportation projects form the backbone of the region’s recovery strategy,” McKelvey said. “The Senate draft of the budget allocates $146 million to rebuild King Kamehameha III Elementary School in Lahaina, restoring a critical community anchor for families impacted by the fires.”

On the transportation side, the budget includes a significant investment in the Honoapiʻilani Highway corridor, with $76.7 million in state funding dedicated to coastal mitigation improvements between Ukumehame and Launiupoko—an area repeatedly flagged by residents for safety concerns, congestion, and evacuation vulnerability. Additional funding is also included for repairs to Lahaina’s state highway system as part of ongoing recovery efforts.

In addition to these projects, the funding package supports broader efforts to reduce congestion, improve infrastructure reliability, and strengthen long-term resilience against climate-driven disasters, all of which have been consistently raised as priorities by the community.

The Senate draft of the budget also reflects broader policy priorities aimed at easing financial pressure on local families. “The fact that we were able to accomplish this while ensuring meaningful support for working families, by putting more money back in their pockets through extended tax relief for lower- and middle-income households, while targeting special-interest tax credits and preserving our safety net, speaks volumes,” McKelvey said.

“While the figure reflects approximately $250 million in state CIP funding for South and West Maui, the full project list, including federal support, represents a significantly larger coordinated investment in the region’s recovery and long-term resilience,” McKelvey added.

HB 1800 HD1 SD1 marks a significant step forward, but the process is not yet complete. The budget bill now goes to a conference committee with members from the Senate and the House before being approved by both chambers and sent to the Governor.