Maui’s Cost of Government Commission released a report calling for major reforms to county boards and commissions, citing chronic attendance problems and structural inefficiencies. The review found widespread quorum failures and recommended eliminating or restructuring multiple county bodies.
- County boards face universal recruitment problems, with some having 7 of 11 seats vacant and others meeting with quorum only twice in 2024.
- The Real Property Tax Review Board handles over 1,000 annual appeals in marathon sessions that the chair describes as a part-time job for volunteers.
- Multiple boards recommended for elimination in 2010-2011 remain active under the same problematic conditions today.
- The commission identified fraud risks due to lack of background checks for board applicants and inadequate oversight systems.
- Sunshine Law compliance costs disproportionately burden low-frequency advisory boards regardless of meeting volume.
Source: Hawaii Free Press
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