Raising Cane
By Rob Perez
Wednesday, May 9, 2001
GOV. BEN CAYETANO asked for it. So did the Board of Education. The Kapolei library
wait continuesFor both, it was the top construction priority in the state's library system. It was deemed the library project most in need of building funding at this year's legislative session. Legislators, however, didn't buy it.
With limited funds to dole out, they decided to omit from the state budget the money Cayetano requested to finish construction of the new Kapolei library.
They decided the state for now can't afford the $1 million needed to furnish and equip the first phase of the new library, which is scheduled to be completed next year.
Nor did they approve another request for $1.5 million to purchase books and hire staff for the new library.
Nor did they authorize another $11 million in construction money for phase two, which will consist mostly of offices and meeting space.
That means when the 35,000-square-foot main library building is completed in July 2002, it basically will be a shell of a complex -- with walls and a roof but little else.
It will stay that way -- Kapolei's own white elephant -- for a minimum of a year, and that's assuming legislators appropriate money in their 2002 session to finish the project. If they don't, the elephant will remain even longer.
Although legislators didn't fund the project, they did approve $2.5 million to acquire land so the Aiea library can be relocated -- years from now.
Ironically, library policy makers and Cayetano didn't even ask for that money. Relocating the Aiea facility isn't even among their top new-project priorities, although it is on the education department's master plan, which identifies projects to be done at some unspecified time in the future.
Sen. Brian Taniguchi, chairman of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, said the Aiea money was included in last year's budget but Cayetano vetoed the funding. Legislators wanted to restore the project because Aiea community members have long pushed for it, he said.
Some legislators also felt Kapolei, Oahu's so-called second city, in recent years has been getting a disproportionate share of state construction funds, including $18 million this session for Kapolei High School.
That's in addition to $50 million appropriated previously for the school.
"We struggled with the allocation of resources, trying to create a certain amount of fairness," Taniguchi said.
John Penebacker, the state's deputy librarian, said he realizes legislators have the prerogative to decide which projects to fund, even if the projects are not on the department's priority list. "I'm not taking issue with that," he said.
Neither is Makakilo resident Evelyn Souza, a long-time supporter of a library for the West Oahu community.
With all the pressing needs in the state, and with money for the new Kapolei school a top priority, she realizes other projects could be affected.
"We've waited 30 years," Souza said. "We can wait a little longer" for the library.
Star-Bulletin columnist Rob Perez writes on issues
and events affecting Hawaii. Fax 529-4750, or write to
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. He can also be reached
by e-mail at: rperez@starbulletin.com.
