Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 8, 1 August 1993 — OHA FY93-95 budget reflects eeonomie crunch [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA FY93-95 budget reflects eeonomie crunch

bv Deborah L. Ward The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is entering a new fiscal hiennium (July 1993 through June 1995) with the largest operating budget approved by the Legislature to date — $7,826,090 in fiscal year 1993-94 and $7,616,162 in fiscal year 199495. In scrutinizing the two-year OHA budget request, the Legislature expressed the need to halanee that support for Hawaiian programs with eoneem over Hawai4i's continuing slow eeonomie growth rate, the fiscal impact of Hurricane 'Iniki, and the effect of "continuing national recession, loeal downtums in the visitor industry, shifts in foreign investment policies and federal mandates." OHA's original budget request was cut 23 percent, reflecting the state's eeonomie projections. A legislative conference committee report called the final budget a "fiscally responsible" and a "real-

istic alloealion" of finite resources to OHA to meet its immediate needs. Ceded land revenues used The allocation of funds in OHA's budget also reflects the state Legislature's growing attention to how OHA spends its speeial funds, whieh are derived from OHA's share of revenues from state ceded lands. While the Legislature held the line on requests for general funds except in limited areas, it increased spending from special funds, citing OHA's own criteria for use of this money. Since it began, OHA has been receiving general funding from the state to match its ceded land funds and to enable OHA to provide services to both native Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians. State law restricts use of special funds to better the conditions of native Hawaiians, defined in the 1920 Hawaiian Homes eonūnueā on page 4

Legislators and OHA trustees joined Gov. Waihe'e June 30 to accept the state's payment of past-due ceded land revenues to OHA . Photo by Patrick Johnston

OHA budget

from page 1 Commission Act as persons of 50 f>ercent or more native blood. OHA's trustees are clarifying how these-funds ean be used under the law, now that OHA has received payment from the state of $136.5 million in the first settlement of OHA's past-due entitlement from ceded land revenues (see article in June 1993 Ka Wai Ola O OHA). The Legislature this year identified a number of program activities that could use special funds, for example: • salaries of culture division program staff and certain culture programs. • OHA's 'Aha Kupuna program and kūpuna volunteer recruitment

• a survey of lawmakers, the publie, trustees of private trusts and Hawaiians on Hawaiian reparations. • $20,000 for a Pacific lsland nations conference in FY94 to strengthen international relationships with native people of Pacific nations. In FY 95 OHA will sponsor its own conference The board of trustees at its July 2 meeting appropriated $126,049 in special funds to make up the difference between program requests and legislative appropriations (see Board Business article this issue, page 19). These funds are not included in the discussion of the legislative budget figures but are shown in discussion of specific programs. Inter-agency cooperation To maximize efficient use of its resources and as part of the fulfillment of its master plan, OHA will continue to identify and assist existing community agencies and institutions that serve Hawaiians and native Hawaiians, before creating its own programs. Alu Like and the University of Hawai'i-Hilo Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children (Nā Pua No'eau) are some examples of programs receiving OHA support. They have proven track records, access to additional sources of financial support and effective service delivery to Hawaiians and native Hawaians. OHA BUDGET/DIVISION PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES — This division seeks to promote the heahh and well-being of Hawaiians by providing information about public and private health and human service programs, supporting the develop-. ment of new services or expansion of existing ones, and working with agencies and eommunities focused on heahh and human services. Continuing programs — • OHA will receive $596,000 for FY 94 and $626,000 for FY 95 to support Alu Like's statewide service centers and its research, planning and evaluation depart-

ment. Alu Like serves approximately 18,000 Hawaiians eaeh year through a wide range of programs that include job training and placement, entrepreneurship training, business and eomputer career skills, offend-er/ex-offender programs, traveling library programs and other services. • $100,000 in FY94 and $100,000 in FY 95 to continue support to the Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive HeaUh Center's Native Hawaiian Diet Program, to ensure that more eommunities ean participate in the program and promote healthy diet and lifestyles. PLANNING/RESEARCH

— This division coordinates OHA's planning, research, program development and implementation, resource identification and evaluation. It also conducts training sessions to enable Hawaiians to develop skills in planning, grant-writing and eommunity organization. New programs — • $13,860 in FY94 to conduct a new seven-part pilot training program on Maui and Kaua'i to develop community leadership and job skills for community planners. The program will coordinate with OHA's self-help housing projects on these islands. • $120,000 in FY 94 for independent evaluations of OHA programs funded by the legislature. CULTURE — This office seeks to increase awareness and understanding of Hawaiian culture, language and the arts through promotion, support and advocacy, and assists in preservation of sites and significant cultural/historical artifacts. Continuing programs — • Development, maintainance and updating a cultural resources databank and one-stop genealogy research center. • Development of a comprehensive cultural resources directory to identify all cultural practitioners in Hawai'i. New programs — • $75,000 in FY 94 and $125,000 in FY 95 (special funds) will be earmarked for an 'Aha No'eau conference for artisans, crafters and practitioners in FY 94 and two conferences in FY 95 to bring together Hawaiian artisans, crafters and practitioners to share and discuss their respective disciplines. • $25,000 in FY 94 and $25,000 in FY 95 (special funds) for an audio/video documentation of individuals considered to be living Hawaiian treasures. • $5,000 in both FY 94 and FY 95 (special funds) for a Ho'omau Mea Pa'ani program to encourage and promote traditional Hawaiian sports and games. • $4,000 in both FY 94 and FY 95 to develop an OHA cultural

protocol and for other cultural assistance services. GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY AFFAIRS — This office seeks to facilitate and implement OHA's legislative activities at the federal, state and county levels of government; promote increased participation of Hawaiians at all levels of government, including as

voters; and to monitor and support OHA's sovereignty, selfdetermination and self-gover-nanee efforts. Continuing programs — • $31,805 in FY 94 and $31,086 in FY 95 to conduct the Hui Ho'ala Hawaiian voter education and registration project. New programs —

• $25,000 special funds in both FY 94 and FY 95 were appropriated for OHA to conduct comprehensive surveys of lawmakers, the public, trustees of private trusts and Hawaiians on the issue of Hawaiian reparations. LAND/NATURAL RESOURCES — This division acts to assure effective and efficient monitoring of all government and private agencies that affect ceded land, native Hawaiian rights and natural resources; to acquire, recover and manage land; and to advocate on issues related to land and natural resources whieh may impact native Hawaiians or their communities. Continuing programs — • $80,000 in FY 94 and $80,000 in FY 95 to advocate for federal responsibility for established native Hawaiian frn<it>i and federal reenpnitinn nf

native Hawaiian rights • $80,000 in FY 94 and $50,000 in FY 95 for Phase II of Operation Blueprint to extend informational and advocacy efforts nationally and to federal leaders. • $677,548 for the Native Hawaiian Land Title Project for continued page 15

OHA budget continuedfrom page 4

legal assistance to Hawaiians in clearing or protecting title to land and to protect Hawaiians against loss of lands without compensation due to laek of notice or adverse possession. This project contract is carried out by the Native Hawaiian Legal Coiporation. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT — This division seeks to strengthen the eeonomie status of OHA beneficiaries by encouraging expansion of existing or creation of new Hawaiian businesses. community-based eeonomie projects, and by providing management and leehnieal assistance. Continuing programs — • $270,000 in FY 94 and $270,000 in FY 95 to Alu Like for a business management and technical assistance program. New programs — • $88,488 in FY94 and $88,488 in FY95 was approved for three new staff for the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund, whieh is being reauthorized by the federal Administration for Native Americans, and is funded by federal and special funds. • $30,530 in both FY 94 and FY 95 was approved for a new eeo-

nomie development specialist, due to the growing workload in this division. EDUCATION — This division advocates for the educational needs of Hawaiians by providing information on educational services and scholarships; making educational scholarships available; and supporting the integration of the teaching of Hawaiian cultural values in the public education system. Continuing programs — • $50,000 in both FY 94 and FY 95 for OHA scholarship awards • $191,504 in FY 94 and $182,964 in FY 95 for tutoriaI programs in selected DOE schools to assist Hawaiian students with their studies and to help them raise their test scores. New programs — • $149,586 in FY 94 and $142,915 in FY 95 for the Maui Early Education Center. • $79,000 in FY94 and $136,000 in FY 95 to the UH-Hilo, Nā Pua No'eau Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children as a grant-in-aid to expand the program to Maui and Kaua'i. The center also receives federal funds.

HOUSING — This division aims to provide safe, decent and affordable housing for OHA's native Hawaiian and Hawaiian beneficiaries by developing various housing opūons singularly or jointly with other agencies and organizations, and providing housing information and referral service to beneficiaries. It is eompleting a long range housing and

community development plan whieh will serve the OHA board as a blueprint for aeūon. This plan is being proposed as an OHA initiative, but has not yet been adopted by the board, nor been funded. Continuing programs — • $63,355 to assist communitybased self-help housing projects on Hawai'i, Maui and Kaua'i.

• This division is continuing to work with community organizations and other public agencies to: help plan and develop both transitional and permanent housing needed by Hawaiian families following Hurricane 'Iniki; and to provide advocacy relocation of Hawaiian families displaced by the Kalapana lava flows and to help settle claims of DHHL lessees in Keaukaha

whose homes were damaged during construction of a sewer line •New programs — • $18,778 in FY 94 and $27,828 in FY 95 to hire a housing counselor to establish and formalize a housing information and referral service in OHA. • $66,648 was approved to assist a qualified nonprofit community-based organization on Kaua'i plan and develop affordable housing projects for Hawaiians. • $40,000 in FY 94 for a comprehensive analysis of the "territorial homestead" or "999-year" leases to clarify title and tenancy rights of Hawaiians and native Hawaiians.