Maybe not paychecks, but Hawaii services survived shutdown

KAILUA-KONA — West Hawaii was not immune to the effects of a 35-day government shutdown, which forced federal employees into furlough or to work without the promise of a paycheck.

On Friday, a short-term deal was reached between President Donald Trump and congressional leaders who have been at an impasse on funding a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The legislation passed allows the government to reopen for three weeks and continue talks over funding. It also includes back pay for some 800,000 federal workers who have gone without paychecks.

In announcement from Washington, D.C., the president said he would make sure all employees would receive their back pay “very quickly or as soon as possible.”

Gov. David Ige stated Friday’s agreement to temporarily reopen the federal government brings great relief to thousands of working families in Hawaii and across the country.

“I urge our lawmakers to work together to permanently reopen our federal government and keep our country running,” he added.

Employees impacted in West Hawaii have been those working at the national parks: Puuhonua o Honaunau, Kaloko-Honokohau and Puukohola Heiau. News of overflowing trash bins and desecration to Honaunau’s sacred grounds upset many people in the community. As a result, volunteers came together to clean up and watch over the South Kona park.

Transportation Security Administration agents at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole have continued to come to work and not get paid.

Tim Sakahara, spokesman for Hawaii Department of Transportation, said the department is grateful of TSA along with FAA employees and Coast Guard for continuing to show up for work despite not receiving their paychecks.

“We’re grateful to the employees for protecting the traveling public,” Sakahara said.

While there have been some increased wait times through TSA checkpoints at Daniel K. Inouye Airport in Honolulu, Sakahara said, KOA hasn’t been significantly impacted and there was no significant increase in wait times.

“The workers here in Hawaii did continue to show up,” he said. “I have know doubt there was a hardship. It is to their credit that they continued to work and showed up for duty.”

Amidst the shutdown, Sakahara said, they wanted and hoped the traveling public to show extra “aloha” and patience. In Kona that was true. The community took care of its federal workers. The Food Basket hosted an Ohana Drop at the airport for furloughed and still working federal workers.

The Denny’s in Kailua-Kona, has been offering free meals off the restaurant’s “$2 $4 $6 $8” value menu to federal workers when they show ID.

“All that goes to show how Hawaii works,” Sakahara said.

Sakahara said he hopes come Feb. 15 the government will stay open. He doesn’t know when Hawaii’s federal employees will receive their paychecks.

While federal employees have felt the brunt of the shutdown, there have been perceived murky outlooks on other government services.

Madison Wanner, officer manager and tax advisor at Block Advisors, said about 30 percent of people coming into their office are concerned about getting a timely refund.

“Some people believe that they won’t receive their return until after the government reopens,” Wanner said prior to the president’s announcement. “We’re told it (shutdown) shouldn’t affect the returns at all.”

Wanner added that a few people think they don’t need to file their taxes until the government reopens, which is not the case.

“They still need to file their return and the deadline is still April 15,” she said.

If people have concerns, Wanner suggests they seek advise from those who prepare their taxes.

“Block as a whole, we’re really trying to educate people,” she said.

There were also concerns about the stalling of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps. Earlier this month, The U.S. Department of Human Services confirmed it was working with states to issue February benefits earlier than usual. States had until Jan. 20 to request and implement the early funds. Once those were issued, the February benefits would be made available to SNAP participants.

The USDA indicated no mention of funding beyond February should the shutdown continue in a Jan. 8 press release.

Hawaii’s lawmakers, Sen. Brian Schatz and Sen. Mazie Hirono commented on the reopening of the federal government Friday.

“I want to express my sympathy and my solidarity with all of the workers in Hawaii who had to go through this experience,” Schatz said. “A huge thank you must also go to Hawaii’s banks, credit unions, utilities, and nonprofits that stepped up to help federal workers in our state. Shutdowns don’t work, and I’m hopeful that everyone has learned this lesson for the last time.”

Hirono said Friday’s announcement was a welcome, albeit temporary, end to the “unnecessary, unconscionable Trump shutdown.”

“Over the past 35 days, Donald Trump took hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors, and indeed the entire country, hostage – all because of his obsession with building his vanity wall,” Hirono stated. “It was telling that even in announcing an end to the shutdown, Donald Trump resorted to lies and distortions to justify his vanity wall in anticipation of negotiations over the next three weeks.”

While the debate continues on border security, Hirono added, lawmakers need to pass a bill to fully fund all government operations through the end of the fiscal year.

“Come Feb. 15, there cannot be another government shutdown,” she said. “Donald Trump has proven time and again that his word is no good and he changes his mind on a whim. It’s up to Congress to step up to its responsibility as a separate branch of government, do its job, and keep the government open.”