Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 1 March 1983 — BUDGET LIVABLE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BUDGET LIVABLE

The 1983 Hauaii State Legislature with its long hours of committee hearings, floor speeches and all night conference committee sessions is pau, and it's time now take a look at how OHA and its beneficiaries fared. As we all know from reading the papers and watching the news, the 1983 Legislature operated under some tough spending limitations because of lowered ineome projections. Many worthwhile programs in all state agencies w ere cut back. Others were funded at about the same level as last year. OHA too felt the pineh. We had asked the Legislature to appropriate from the state general fund about 1.5 million dollars over the next two years for operations and programs. Legislative appropriations are matched dollar-for-dollar by OH A with money it receives from the ceded land trust. We also requested approximately 4.6 million dollars i"or the OHA capital improvement budget. This money was for planning and construction of an OHA office tacility and a eanoe halau at Waimanalo Beach. When the smoke of battle had cleared, we found that •he Legislature had cut OHA's operating budgettoabout <>ne-million dollars, and the building funds had disappeared completely. However. Joseph Kealoha, Chairman of OH A's Board of Trustees, told Ka Wai Ola "We're aware of the spending constraints under whieh the Legislature operated. We ean live with this budget since it will enable us at least to retain our current level of staffing and operations." In addition to the budget. a number of other measures, supported or introduced by your Office of Hawaiian (Continued on Page 6)

OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS 567 So. King Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

OHA C'hairman Joseph Kealoha and staff testify on the budget bill before a legislative committee. (I. to R in foreground) Martin \Vilson, administrative services officer. ( hairman Kealoha and T.C. Yim, OHA administrator.

Budget Livable (Continued from Page 1) Affairs, received legislative approval. One of these is a bill concerned with so-called "quiet title actions". lt provides additional safeguards for Hawaiians who may have an interest in land occupied by others who elaim title to the property by "adverse possession". This bill requires that quiet title actions be advertised in an English language publication with statewide circulation. This will eliminate the practice of publishing such notices in small foreign language newspapers where they are not likely to be seen. The bill also makes it more difficult to take land by adverse possession. It requires a "good faith" showing on the part of anyone attempting to gain title to land by quiet title action. A Senate resolution calling for a special task force to evaluate the state's Historic Preservation Program, grew out of a bill introduced by OH A. The original bill would have made it more difficult to develop or make changes to historic property in Hawaii by establishing minimum requirements for archaeological surveys on state land. OH A notes with great satisfaction that both the House and Senate adopted a joint resolution "Urging the Congress of the United States to acknowledge the illegal and immoral actions of the United States in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i in 1 893. and to indicate its commitment to grant restitution for the losses and damages suffered by native Hawaiians as a result of those wrongful actions." Testifying in favor of the resolution, Chairman Joseph Kealoha said that the measure "... clearly and relentlessly documents the dishonorable actions of the United States in seizure of the Kingdom of Hawai'i in 1893, and subsequent annexation in 1898." Kealoha also congratulated the Legislature for its "willingness to approve this definitive statement of support for an issue of paramount importanceto Hawaiians." There were a number of other measures, receiving considerable support from individuals, OHA and other organizations whieh failed to make it through this session. However, these bills are still alive and may be reconsidered next year. One example is a bill introduced by the state Legislative Auditor requiring that the proceeds and ineome from certain public lands be included in the ceded land trust. This is the trust to whieh OHA is entitled to a 20% share. The bill also provides funds to allow the Auditor to complete the inventory of lands in the trust and to study issues relating to the use of those lands. During the next legislative session OHA again will work for passage of this measure.