County Council opens key FY 2026-27 budget talks with mayor remotely

Mayor Kimo Alameda appeared by Zoom from South Korea as the Hawaiʻi County Council opened its FY 2026-27 budget talks, setting up a review that will decide how much money goes to roads, police, housing, parks, wastewater work and other services residents notice every day.

The first round of discussion began as the county moved into special Finance Committee meetings scheduled for April 14, 15, 16 and 17. County records show budget and program reviews for county departments and agencies were set to begin April 14, placing the operating plan and capital spending package under immediate scrutiny.

The mayor’s proposal comes in two bills: Bill No. 135 for the operating budget and Bill No. 136 for the capital budget. County budget materials say the FY 2026-27 proposals were submitted March 1, and the county’s budget office says it plans, directs and coordinates the formulation, preparation, execution, review and analysis of the county’s operating budget and program. The Department of Finance also monitors budget appropriations and actual expenditures to ensure compliance with the law, making the budget process one of the county’s main accountability tools.

The biggest money question this year is the capital side. County records dated February 27 show the proposed capital budget includes 45 projects requiring a total appropriation of $358.74 million. That figure gives a sense of how much is at stake for roads, facilities, wastewater systems and other long-term projects across the island, from Hilo to Kailua-Kona and beyond.

The county is also pointing residents toward information on the proposed general excise tax surcharge, a reminder that financing for housing-related infrastructure remains part of the broader debate. Those discussions matter because the county budget does more than set spending targets. It determines whether capital projects move ahead, whether departments have room for salaries and maintenance, and how much flexibility remains for housing pressure, emergency services and disaster recovery.

Last year’s proposed FY 2025-26 operating budget was described in county records as balanced, with estimated revenues and appropriations of $937,740,471, a 1.8 percent increase over the current fiscal year. This year’s review began with that larger financial backdrop, and the council’s early meetings will show which priorities rise to the top before the final spending package is set for the coming fiscal year.