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Council OKs
Bill bans bidi cigarettes By Gordon Y.K. Pang
budget with no
tax-rate increases
Star-BulletinA $5.2 million appropriation for purchase of the Aiea Sugar Mill site for a town center is a top item in budgets passed by the City Council for the 2000-2001 year.
The controversial project was in a $299 million capital improvement budget. The Council approved a $1.02 billion operating budget that contains no increase in tax rates -- nor any major controversies.
The operating budget represents an increase of less than 1 percent over the current year while the capital improvements budget is up about $32 million.
"We're spending what we can afford," Budget Chairwoman Rene Mansho said.
Dissident Councilwoman Donna Mercado Kim criticized the budget process, accusing Mansho of limiting questioning and the Harris administration of refusing to answer many of her queries.
Also yesterday, Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura introduced a bill that would give raises to the police and fire chiefs, their deputies and the bandmaster of the Royal Hawaiian Band, but not other city agency chiefs or Council members.
The Salary Commission last month proposed across-the-board pay raises for all department heads and Council members. The Council has the authority to reject all, or a portion, of the recommendations.
Yoshimura said while all the recommended raises are deserved, the timing is wrong in light of falling property tax revenues.
Council bill bans
Star-Bulletin staff
bidi cigarettesThe City Council has approved a bill banning bidi cigarettes on Oahu.
"They're clearly targeted toward kids and if we could keep tobacco products out of the hands of kids, that stops the whole cycle of addiction," said Councilman Steve Holmes, who introduced the measure.
The cigarettes, which originate in Asia, come in flavors such as grape, strawberry and chocolate.
One of the reasons health experts think bidis are worse than regular cigarettes is because they don't have filters, said Julian Lipsher, of the state Health Department's Tobacco Prevention and Education Project.
The bill is expected to be signed by Mayor Jeremy Harris.
http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us
