Newswatch

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, February 20, 1997

At this point, the Ways and Means Committee hasn't yet determined how much money might be available, said Co-Chairwomen Lehua Fernandes Salling (D, Kapaa) and Carol Fukunaga (D, Makiki).

The draft of the bill surfaced yesterday at a hearing in which Fernandes Salling and Fukunaga expressed reservations about Gov. Ben Cayetano's proposed $51.5 million payroll lag, which public-workers unions oppose.

Fernandes Salling said that if the Ways and Means panel decides to quash Cayetano's payroll lag proposal, a key element in the administration's budget-balancing plan, the measure raiding special and revolving funds could be a substitute revenue source.

Budget Director Earl Anzai said he favors the bill that Ways and Means is considering because it would centralize the accounting of state funds. But he doubted that the measure can replace the payroll lag proposal because the administration has already tapped nearly all of the special and revolving funds that it can.

Several years ago, a state auditor's report concluded that millions were stashed away in several special and revolving funds, and a number of those funds had excess balances that were supposed to revert to the general fund.

The funds targeted for elimination would have their balances transfered to the general fund.

"It's the first case that challenged the restrictions, and in a dramatic way, it creates a standard," said Victor Geminiani, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii executive director.

"We are very pleased."

Kay issued a preliminary injunction last week blocking the U.S. Legal Services Corp. from putting new guidelines into effect that would prohibit legal aid organizations from using any funds - even nonfederal funds - for lobbying or challenging federal or state welfare laws.

Federal funds will account for about 28 percent of the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii's projected $2.8 million budget for 1997, Geminiani said.

Thirty-five percent of the remaining total will come from the state and the rest from private sources.

Kay's ruling means the federal government can only dictate how it wants its money used. "We've always segregated our funds anyway," Geminiani said.

Kay's decision applies only to the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii and four other legal aid organizations based in California and Alaska that filed suit last month to block the new guidelines.

The committee made its recommendation following a confirmation hearing yesterday.

During the hearing, Kaneshiro said Hawaii's crime problem keeps coming back to one thing - a lack of prison bed space.

He said he will be satisfied when the state doubles its prison capacity, and said he hopes to reach that goal by the year 2000.

The state now has 2,760 prison beds, he said.

Funding for new prison facilities is included in Gov. Ben Cayetano's proposed capital improvements budget.

Kaneshiro said he is looking for sites but the funding will be up to the Legislature.

The state has sent 300 inmates to prisons in Texas, and may have to send 300 more to comply with court-ordered prison population limits.

Sending inmates out-of-state is not something he wants to do but something he has to do, Kaneshiro said.

Police/Fire


By Star-Bulletin staff

The 1 a.m. crash on Kamehameha Highway forced police to close the highway from the pineapple variety garden to Whitmore Avenue until 8 a.m. today. Whitmore Avenue remained open to local traffic.

Motorists were urged to take alternate routes, such as Wilikina Drive for those northbound. Those headed into Wahiawa and those headed into Honolulu were rerouted onto Kaukonahua and Wilikina Drive.

One person died at the scene and two men, both active duty Army soldiers stationed at Schofield Barracks, were flown to Tripler Hospital.

A 19-year-old suffered head and facial trauma and is in serious condition.

A 24-year-old suffered a shoulder injury and is in satisfactory condition.

Details of the crash were not available.

Meantime, a young man flown to Queen's Hospital last night after he apparently was hit by a car near Waialua District Park was reported in fair condition today.