HILO — For several Big Island lawmakers, Hawaii’s $11.2 billion budget could be boiled down to one word: jobs.
The 2012-2013 budget, adopted by the state Legislature Thursday, increases spending by about $200 million.
But that’s not wasted money, according to local representatives, who said Friday that capital project spending will help spur employment.
“We’re trying to get the economy moving,” said Sen. Gilbert Kahele, D-Ka‘u, Puna, Hilo.
The budget includes $428 million in new bond-financed projects, according to the government watchdog group, Sunshine Review.
Sen. Josh Green, D-Kohala, Kona, said it makes sense to borrow now while rates are low and it can have the most impact.
“I think it’s the right decision because if we spend prudently on projects that we have to have, then we are actually going to create the jobs right now on the spot,” he said.
“For every large project, we know that hundreds of people will get jobs for a period of time.”
One of those big projects is Green’s district.
The budget includes $7.5 million for constructing a West Hawaii Community College campus on a development north of Kona International Airport.
The funding will be enough to complete the campus’ first two phases. Construction is expected to begin this fall with the first classes being held fall semester 2014.
Green and other Big Island lawmakers say the project will provide a much-need higher education outlet for West Hawaii.
“It was an unprecedented investment in West Hawaii,” he said.
The two phases will establish 30,000 square feet of classrooms, over twice the size of the college’s current Kealakekua campus, which hosts about 450 students.
Once fully built, the new campus will host up to 1,400 students.
East Hawaii lawmakers also bet big on education.
They sought $38 million for a new facility to host University of Hawaii at Hilo’s pharmacy program but came up short.
Rep. Mark Nakashima, D-Kohala, Hamakua, Hilo, said the project was just too big to receive funding this year.
But Nakashima said that the proposal is still alive, adding that lawmakers made a lot of ground work this session.
“I think we will be looking fairly good going into next year,” he said.
Nakashima said projects approved for East Hawaii include: $9.4 million for renovation of Hilo International Airport’s air rescue and fire fighting station, $750,000 for coral mitigation for a new pier in Hilo Bay, and $25,000 for a bee research facility run by the university’s Agriculture Department.
But it wasn’t all about capital projects this year.
Big Island lawmakers also secured funding for invasive species detection and passed legislation protecting homeowners from foreclosure.
Among the new protections, House Bill 1875, introduced by Rep. Robert Herkes, increases penalties for banks who violate the mortgage foreclosure law, prevents foreclosures from beginning without the home owner’s knowledge, and makes the mortgage foreclosure dispute resolution program permanent.
“Banks have just been getting a free ride for way too long,” said Herkes, D-Puna, Ka‘u, Kona.
