City leaders engage with west side residents in mayor’s first town hall
More than two dozen city leaders answered questions from the public tonight in Ewa Beach. More than two dozen city leaders from more than 20 different departments were present at the mayor's first town hall in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, to answer questions from the public. The mayor and his team discussed integrating the rail and bus system that will soon begin running from Kapolei to Aloha Stadium, and residents lined up with questions and concerns, for instance, taxes. The city is also looking to integrate the rail, bus system, and increase homeowner's exemptions, and lower income taxes. Officials said they are focused on building more housing and getting people off the streets, and the mayor’s next town hall is Thursday at Waianae District Park.
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - More than two dozen city leaders answered questions from the public tonight in Ewa Beach.
Officials from more than 20 city departments were present at the mayor’s first town hall.
“We’re excited as a team to learn from you and engage with you,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
They were prepared to answer any questions from west side residents.
“It’s really exciting to see you’re all here,” said one Ewa Beach Resident. “You keep our city moving, you’re doing a great job.” The mayor and his team discussed integrating the rail and bus system that will soon begin running from Kapolei to Aloha Stadium.
Mike Formby, the city’s managing director, said they’re also closer to developing Varona Village.
And residents lined up with questions and concerns, for instance, taxes.
“Somebody’s got to step forward and put some guardrails on our property taxes. You don’t get to spend more money just because housing costs more on Oahu,” said an Ewa Beach Resident. “You’ve got to be able to find the dollar amount; the percentage can top it out.”
“Beyond the one-time tax credit that we’ve been talking about within there, we’re going to look at increasing the homeowner’s exemption and for our tax program that has been developed over many, many years,” said Andrew Kawano, director of the City’s Department of Budget and Fiscal Services. “We also are going to look at the lower income taxes.”
Some residents asked the city to revisit the plan to extend Makakilo Drive.
“You’ve got to work with the members of OMPO and get them to prioritize that project. Otherwise, it never moves to the top of the list and actually ends up in an appropriation in the budget,” said Formby. “So, we’re happy to talk to you about that.”
Officials said they’re focused on building more housing and getting people off the streets.
“I do see that there has been an increase, and that is a major concern for me because I don’t want to see our community become, I guess, as difficult as some of these other places have become,” said Mike Kitchens of Stolen Stuff Hawaii. “And I think that’s a big problem.”
“The key for us is just to have the services, the beds, the different facilities to service those decisions,” said the Director of Community Services, Anton Krucky. “And so we’ve had meetings recently with Councilmember Tupola on doing something here in Kapolei and that area to try to do some sort of rest stop.”
The mayor’s next town hall is Thursday at Waianae District Park from 7-9 p.m.