Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 6, 1 June 1993 — "Back rent" from 1980- 1991 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

"Back rent" from 1980- 1991

OHA to receive payment of ceded land revenues

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs expects to receive payment by July 1, 1993 from the state for OHA's 20 percent share of revenues generated by the ceded land trust between June 16, 1980 and June 30, 1991. On April 16 Gov. John Waihee signed into law House Bill 2006 (Act 35), whieh appropriates $136.5 million in general obligation bonds to fund the state's obligation to pay the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for its share of past-due revenues from ceded lands. The administration-backed measure was passed by the regular session of the 17th Hawai'i legislature. The $136.5 million is intended to the negotiated settlement of most issues related to the OHA entitlement, plus interest owed. State ceded land revenue comes from the use and or disposition of public trust lands that includes rents, leases and licenses for the

use of trust lands, minerals and rurtway landing fees. The Senate committee on Ways and Means recommended passage of this act as "a fiscally prudent method of meeting the state's obligation to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs" in a time of limited state budgetary resources. It allows the state to pay OHA and to avoid further accumulation of interest on the unpaid balance. At its regular business meeting on April 28, the OHA Board of Trustees unanimously approved a memorandum of agreement with the state that formalized last year's $111.8 million agreement on revenues owed by the state to OHA. OHA has asserted that it is owed additional monies, but the Office of State Planning has not agreed to payment. Issues OHA considers still outstanding may be resolved in further discussions with the state. (See article, page 2 of this issue)

OHA Trustees received the first $5 million down payment from the Office of State Planning April 30 as part of the state's forthcoming payment to OHA of past-due ceded lands revenues. OHA chair Clayton Hee, left, on behalf of the board, accepted the eheek from Norma Wong of OSP, along with Trustees Kanahele, Akaka, Keale and Aiona.