Maui County short $13.9M

WAILUKU » Maui County's mayor says the economic downturn has hit county finances sooner than expected in the form of a $13.9 million deficit.

Mayor Charmaine Tavares said in a letter to the Maui County Council that revenues for the current year are coming in lower than budgeted for four key county funds.

The general fund is being hit hardest, with a shortfall of $5.5 million. The water supply fund, highway fund and solid waste fund are also coming up short.

Tavares said in the letter last week that she already has taken steps to curtail expenditures.

County Finance Director Kalbert Young said he expected to see revenues decline through at least 2013.

The projected shortfall represents just over 2 percent of the county's $563.7 million budget this year.

Office refutes claim of welfare limits

The Hawaii Department of Human Services is rebutting claims that its proposed reorganization would inhibit access to welfare and food stamp services.

The department wants to save money by consolidating some 50 welfare eligibility offices to two processing centers, which led the Hawaii Government Employees Association, lawmakers and social service agencies to believe the needy would not be able to get face-to-face service.

But Human Services Director Lillian Koller wrote in a letter to the union that residents could still apply for assistance in person at the department's offices and community social service agencies.

Union officials have said the poor might lose access to services and up to 400 state employees could be laid off.

Unmarried mates claim discrimination

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a complaint alleging that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is discriminating against unmarried couples who want to live together on boats in state-run harbors.

The ACLU says the department will not allow Bruce Lenkeit and Susan Carstenn to obtain live-aboard and parking permits, or other benefits afforded to spouses of boat harbor tenants.

The group contends that violates Hawaii law prohibiting marital status discrimination.

The complaint was filed with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission after almost a year of unsuccessfully discussing the case with state officials.

Students urged to 'Step Up' standards

An initiative that encourages public school students to sign up for a more rigorous course of study to earn a high school diploma has extended its pledge deadline for eighth-graders until May 31 and is now recruiting ninth-graders until March 15.

The Step Up Diploma includes more rigorous requirements than the regular high school diploma in science, math and English, as well as the completion of a senior project.

The first Step Up diplomas will be awarded to graduates in the Class of 2013.

Big Isle halts electronics recycling

HILO » E-waste recycling centers on the Big Island are no longer accepting old computers, TVs, microwaves and printers.

Hawaii County's agreement with a recycling contractor expired Dec. 31, and government officials are looking for money to fund a new contract extension. The county spent $320,000 last year subsidizing residential e-waste recycling.

The contractor, Recycle Hawaii, stopped accepting e-waste last week because its warehouses are full and it cannot afford to ship the excess to the mainland.

The county wants to keep electronic equipment out of landfills because it contains heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium, all of which can contaminate groundwater.

Big Island residents are being asked to keep their old electronics rather than illegally dump them.