$150 million for county tops senators' list

The Maui News
Sunday, May 06, 2007

By CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS, Staff Writer

WAILUKU – With nearly $150 million in capital improvement projects earmarked for Maui County, the Maui legislative delegation rated the 2007 session a success in both big and little things.

The allocations include two new elementary schools in communities where the existing campuses are being squeezed.

Other appropriations are small, yet significant, said Sen. J. Kalani English, citing an appropriation of less than $10,000 that will increase pension payments for the 36 Hansen's disease patients at the Kalaupapa Settlement on Molokai.

"They're getting a raise for the first time in a long time. It may be small, but it really makes a difference," English said.

One of the largest Maui appropriations falls in the 4th District represented by Sen. Shan Tsutsui, vice chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Lawmakers appropriated $41.3 million for construction of a second Wailuku elementary school. Educators and parents in Central Maui lobbied intensively for another Wailuku campus, citing not only the crowding at existing schools but the expected growth with hundreds of new houses being built or planned at Waikapu, the 500-acre Kehalani project district and around Waiehu and Waihee.

In West Maui, planning funds are included for another elementary campus, to relieve crowding at campuses that have no room to expand and to accommodate expected enrollment growth. King Kamehameha III Elementary School has 750 students squeezed onto a 5-acre campus, on which tents have been set up for lack of classroom space.

Sen. Roz Baker, the Ways and Means chairwoman who represents West Maui and South Maui, won approval for $650,000 for planning and design of a new elementary school. Baker indicated that two developers with planned projects in West Maui have indicated an interest in providing land for it.

Along with the CIP allocations, English pointed out that Maui received tens of millions of dollars more for programs and projects under proviso portions of the state budget approved this week. A proviso item requires a project to go forward before money is released.

In his district, English said, the nonprofit Ohana Makamae has received $83,515 to create a safe haven for residents returning to the East Maui community after undergoing drug rehabilitation. Some of these individuals may not have a home to return to and need a temporary place to stay while they get themselves settled.

Money also has been set aside for harbor improvements in Kalaupapa as well as Hana.

There are other appropriations worth pointing out, Baker said, including $20 million in "fallback" money for the construction of a new Kihei high school. The Legislature passed a new bill that enables the state Department of Education to enter into financing agreements that provide for public-private partnerships in the development of new schools.

The $20 million CIP appropriation for fiscal year 2009 may need to be shifted since one plan for a new high school would have a developer build the school to be leased to the Department of Education.

"We went ahead and put it in there so that the DOE could know how serious we are about wanting a new high school in Kihei," Baker said.

All three Maui senators agreed that the most significant piece of legislation affecting the county this year was the hospital governance bill providing for regional boards with decision-making powers for 13 medical centers managed by the Hawaii Health Systems Corp.

In Maui County, a regional board will take over direct management of Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital.

English pointed out that the original law that created the Hawaii Health Systems Corp. 12 years ago initially included regional boards to have oversight of community hospitals in different areas of the state.

"It's not a new concept," English said about Senate Bill 1792.

"In hindsight, it maybe should have been done in one motion a long time ago. It didn't, but now it has."

Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.

Maui County legislators say they have won nearly $150 million in capital improvement projects for Maui County in the state's fiscal 2008-09 budget.

Projects and dollar amounts include:

• Upcountry Maui Watershed, $3 million
• King Kamehameha III Elementary School sinkhole remediation, $1 million
• Lahainaluna High School cafeteria, $6 million
• Maui High School multipurpose center, $1.08 million
• Paia Elementary School cafeteria, $5 million
• Pukalani Elementary School electrical upgrade, $909,000
• Waihee Elementary School renovations, $2.6 million
• Wailuku II Elementary School, new campus, $41.3 million
• West Maui Elementary School, new school planning, $650,000
• Kalaupapa Settlement, harbors improvement, Molokai, $1 million
• Kalaupapa Settlement, nursing facility improvements, $510,000
• Lanai Women's Center, $500,000
• Molokai General Hospital, $1.7 million
• Maalaea Small Boat Harbor, $6 million
• Mala Small Boat Harbor, boat launching ramp improvements, $200,000
• Hana Boat Ramp improvements, $906,000
• Maalaea Small Boat Harbor electrical improvements, $1.3 million
• Kahului Airport terminal improvements, $9.02 million
• Kahului Airport access road, $22.3 million
• Kahului Airport parking lot expansion, $1 million
• Kahului Airport storm water permit compliance, $4.1 million
• Molokai Airport flight instrument improvements, $6.9 million
• Lanai Airport general aviation apron, $3.4 million
• Barge terminal improvements, Kahului Harbor, $1 million
• Kahului West Harbor development plan, $200,000
• Wharf Street shed demolition and site improvements, $3 million
• Honoapiilani Highway widening/realignment, Honokowai to Launiupoko, $4 million
• Puunene Avenue widening, $500,000
• Kawela Stream Bridge replacement, Molokai, $3.5 million
• Maunaloa Highway slope stabilization, Molokai, $1.75 million
• Kamehameha V Highway drainage improvements, Molokai, $450,000

Copyright © 2005 The Maui News.

Original article URL: http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=30099

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