Lingle calls Gov. Linda Lingle slammed state House Democrats yesterday for cutting the funding for her office, a move she called "a terrible distraction and childish."
cuts ‘childish’
The governor scolds House members
for approving only half what she
requested for her officeBy Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.com
Lingle, in the sternest condemnation of the actions by the House yet, said the Legislature should be focused on the serious issues of homeland defense and education and not play games with her budget.
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"It is childish, and the Legislature needs to get focused. We even had one House Finance (Committee) staff member ask to schedule a walk-through to see my furniture," Lingle said at a news conference in her state Capitol office.
She asked that the Legislature restore the funds cut from her operating budget.
The governor said she was reserving her comments for state House members and not the Senate. Senate President Robert Bunda said he would not comment on the House action to cut the governor's budget.
Earlier this month, the Democratic-controlled state House cut to $500,000 a $1 million emergency request from Lingle to staff her office between January and June 2003. Democrats said Lingle could use donations or personal furniture for the governor's residence.
And House Finance Chairman Dwight Takamine (D, North Kohala-South Hilo) argued that in a tough economy with education taking multimillion-dollar cuts, the reduction to the emergency request "was appropriate."
House Republicans had argued that Lingle's office staff of 66 is much smaller than the past two administrations, which once had more than 240 each.
The House approved House Bill 1077, HD1, yesterday, which provides emergency funds to replace the funds cut from the office budget. The entire request was $1 million, but the House gave Lingle and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona a total of $500,000.
Out of that, Lingle had requested $93,000 for furniture for the new governor's mansion, which was built, but not furnished, with private funds by the previous administration.
"It is important to understand that the budget we are requesting is not one dollar more than that of the previous governor," Lingle said.
She said she assumes the reason the House is slicing her budget is because she is a Republican.
"I am being treated differently than any other governor in the history of Hawaii has been treated. It is not fair, and it is something that the people of Hawaii would never support," Lingle said.
She said that if the Senate does not restore the funds needed to hire staff for her office, she is prepared to move money around from other departments to cover the costs.
"We will continue to operate. I think it is unfortunate that people in the House bogged down on this," Lingle said.
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