Enough with the handouts to nonprofits—Maui AIDS organizations, churches, environmental groups, and others—while residents struggle to get by. Do you understand what many people on this island deal with every day? You don’t see ordinary residents standing in front of the council asking for taxpayer money to cover their bills, and certainly not asking for it tax-free.
The county’s first responsibility is to the basic functions of government and the residents who fund it. Strengthen and support the departments you are actually responsible for—public works, infrastructure, permitting, safety, and services that people rely on every day.
It’s time for leadership that focuses on core responsibilities instead of dispersing public money without clear accountability. Either take that responsibility seriously or step aside. Enough is enough.
I submit this testimony in opposition to the proposed FY2027 budget as currently structured. A county budget approaching **$1.6 billion—roughly $10,000 per resident annually—should produce measurable improvements in infrastructure, housing delivery, public safety, and economic stability, yet many residents do not see those results in daily life. The proposal to expand government staffing while dozens of positions remain vacant and more than $170 million in funds remain unused raises serious concerns about financial discipline and priorities. Before expanding spending or programs, the County should focus on infrastructure, housing execution, and the basic systems that sustain life on Maui.
Aloha Council members, my name is Daniel Southmayd, and I am the newly appointed housing director for Maui AIDS Foundation, after spending over five years as a medical case manager for the agency.
The wrap-around services that Maui AIDS Foundation provides – STI testing and prevention, linkage to care, insurance navigation, case management for people living with HIV (which itself encompasses a wide range of assistance, including financial assistance to qualifying individuals), harm reduction programs, food pantries, and a housing program that serves Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island – are critical supports to not only people living with HIV, but to the underserved population and to the community at large concerned with their sexual health and well-being.
Maui AIDS Foundation has approached the concerns surrounding this well-being with a moderate yet deliberate approach that observes the traditional values of the Hawaiian culture with discretion and sensitivity. Compassion and care are not radical concepts, but the cornerstone of our agency and our community.
I was informed by our Executive Director, Linda Puppolo, that our agency request for funding for the upcoming year has been included in the County budget proposal. Three day later, our agency learned that our federal housing funds were in serious jeopardy. Our agency housing program currently serves 50 clients and their families across 3 islands at a time when simply having shelter is a daily challenge for many due to a housing shortage and a difficult economic climate.
In 2020, when I started at MAF, the agency had 6 clients living in unstable housing situations (which includes houseless, transitional living and shelter living.) When I left case management recently, the agency had approximately 24 individuals living in unstable housing.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Council for its recognition and support of the work that Maui AIDS Foundation does, which is needed more than ever. The MAF team is working tirelessly now to identify and apply for grants to shore up resources needed to keep our community safe and healthy. The Council’s continuing assistance towards achieving these fundamental goals is a testament to its commitment to its citizens and to its compassion and care.
Mahalo nui to all of you for your dedication, your support, and your aloha.
Enough with the handouts to nonprofits—Maui AIDS organizations, churches, environmental groups, and others—while residents struggle to get by. Do you understand what many people on this island deal with every day? You don’t see ordinary residents standing in front of the council asking for taxpayer money to cover their bills, and certainly not asking for it tax-free.
The county’s first responsibility is to the basic functions of government and the residents who fund it. Strengthen and support the departments you are actually responsible for—public works, infrastructure, permitting, safety, and services that people rely on every day.
It’s time for leadership that focuses on core responsibilities instead of dispersing public money without clear accountability. Either take that responsibility seriously or step aside. Enough is enough.
I submit this testimony in opposition to the proposed FY2027 budget as currently structured. A county budget approaching **$1.6 billion—roughly $10,000 per resident annually—should produce measurable improvements in infrastructure, housing delivery, public safety, and economic stability, yet many residents do not see those results in daily life. The proposal to expand government staffing while dozens of positions remain vacant and more than $170 million in funds remain unused raises serious concerns about financial discipline and priorities. Before expanding spending or programs, the County should focus on infrastructure, housing execution, and the basic systems that sustain life on Maui.
Aloha Council members, my name is Daniel Southmayd, and I am the newly appointed housing director for Maui AIDS Foundation, after spending over five years as a medical case manager for the agency.
The wrap-around services that Maui AIDS Foundation provides – STI testing and prevention, linkage to care, insurance navigation, case management for people living with HIV (which itself encompasses a wide range of assistance, including financial assistance to qualifying individuals), harm reduction programs, food pantries, and a housing program that serves Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island – are critical supports to not only people living with HIV, but to the underserved population and to the community at large concerned with their sexual health and well-being.
Maui AIDS Foundation has approached the concerns surrounding this well-being with a moderate yet deliberate approach that observes the traditional values of the Hawaiian culture with discretion and sensitivity. Compassion and care are not radical concepts, but the cornerstone of our agency and our community.
I was informed by our Executive Director, Linda Puppolo, that our agency request for funding for the upcoming year has been included in the County budget proposal. Three day later, our agency learned that our federal housing funds were in serious jeopardy. Our agency housing program currently serves 50 clients and their families across 3 islands at a time when simply having shelter is a daily challenge for many due to a housing shortage and a difficult economic climate.
In 2020, when I started at MAF, the agency had 6 clients living in unstable housing situations (which includes houseless, transitional living and shelter living.) When I left case management recently, the agency had approximately 24 individuals living in unstable housing.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Council for its recognition and support of the work that Maui AIDS Foundation does, which is needed more than ever. The MAF team is working tirelessly now to identify and apply for grants to shore up resources needed to keep our community safe and healthy. The Council’s continuing assistance towards achieving these fundamental goals is a testament to its commitment to its citizens and to its compassion and care.
Mahalo nui to all of you for your dedication, your support, and your aloha.