A former Maui County Council chair is calling for greater transparency as the county budget has grown from $823 million to over $1.6 billion in six years, with new spending proposals including $30 million in bonds for Molokai property acquisitions and over $100 million in potential water system purchases.
- Maui County’s budget has roughly doubled in six years, from $823 million in FY2021 to more than $1.6 billion today.
- Mayor Bissen has requested $30 million in bond authorization for Molokai property acquisitions without first presenting a detailed acquisition plan.
- The county is pursuing multiple former plantation water system purchases that could collectively exceed $100 million, costs that would fall on ratepayers and taxpayers long-term.
- The Office of Economic Development has awarded $75 million in grants over three years, but no clear public accounting of outcomes has been released.
- Critics argue residents and businesses — the source of nearly all county revenue — deserve detailed cost-benefit information before major borrowing is approved.
Source: Hawaii Free Press
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