### Resolution 26-88 — Emergency Appropriations ⚠️
**Position: SUPPORT WITH A CONCERN — request reporting safeguard**
Aloha Chair Batangan and Members of the Committee,
I testify in conditional support of Resolution 26-88. Allowing the Mayor, with Council approval, to pass emergency appropriations for a line-of-credit application is a reasonable tool during genuine emergencies — and clarifying that the 1% emergency appropriation cap does not apply to funds already designated to an emergency fund is a sensible technical fix, since that money was already set aside for exactly this purpose.
My concern is process, not intent: I ask the Committee to confirm this resolution retains Council approval as a real check — not a rubber stamp — and that emergency appropriations under this provision are publicly reported to beneficiaries promptly, not just retroactively buried in a budget document months later. With that understanding, I support this resolution.
Mahalo,
Shelby "Pikachu" Billionaire
---
### Resolution 26-89 — Transfer of Appropriations ⚠️
**Position: SUPPORT WITH A CONCERN — request a hard cap, not just "Council to establish by ordinance"**
Aloha Chair Batangan and Members of the Committee,
I testify in conditional support of Resolution 26-89. Giving the Mayor flexibility to move unencumbered funds within the same department, subject to a reporting requirement, is reasonable budget management — departments often have legitimate reasons to shift money between line items within their own walls.
My concern is that the "maximum amount" of this authority is left to be set later by Council ordinance rather than defined now in the Charter language itself. I ask the Committee to either specify a cap directly in this resolution or commit publicly to passing the implementing ordinance before this reaches voters, so beneficiaries are not asked to approve open-ended authority without knowing its actual limit. With that clarification, I support this resolution.
Mahalo,
Shelby "Pikachu" Billionaire
---
## Quick reference — sources used
- County of Maui FY2025 Financial Summaries, Revenue Overview: https://www.mauicounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/149023/040-03-Revenue-Overview
- Civil Beat, "This Maui Board Was Created To Improve Transparency. Now It's Accused Of Doing The Opposite," Sept. 2024: https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/09/this-maui-board-was-created-to-improve-transparency-now-its-accused-of-doing-the-opposite/
- Civil Beat, "Maui Voters Set To Vote On 11 Changes To County Government," Apr. 2022: https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/04/maui-voters-set-to-vote-on-11-changes-to-county-government/
- Maui County GREAT Committee submission: GREAT.committee@mauicounty.us | eComment: mauicounty.us/agendas
### Resolution 26-88 — Emergency Appropriations ⚠️
**Position: SUPPORT WITH A CONCERN — request reporting safeguard**
Aloha Chair Batangan and Members of the Committee,
I testify in conditional support of Resolution 26-88. Allowing the Mayor, with Council approval, to pass emergency appropriations for a line-of-credit application is a reasonable tool during genuine emergencies — and clarifying that the 1% emergency appropriation cap does not apply to funds already designated to an emergency fund is a sensible technical fix, since that money was already set aside for exactly this purpose.
My concern is process, not intent: I ask the Committee to confirm this resolution retains Council approval as a real check — not a rubber stamp — and that emergency appropriations under this provision are publicly reported to beneficiaries promptly, not just retroactively buried in a budget document months later. With that understanding, I support this resolution.
Mahalo,
Shelby "Pikachu" Billionaire
---
### Resolution 26-89 — Transfer of Appropriations ⚠️
**Position: SUPPORT WITH A CONCERN — request a hard cap, not just "Council to establish by ordinance"**
Aloha Chair Batangan and Members of the Committee,
I testify in conditional support of Resolution 26-89. Giving the Mayor flexibility to move unencumbered funds within the same department, subject to a reporting requirement, is reasonable budget management — departments often have legitimate reasons to shift money between line items within their own walls.
My concern is that the "maximum amount" of this authority is left to be set later by Council ordinance rather than defined now in the Charter language itself. I ask the Committee to either specify a cap directly in this resolution or commit publicly to passing the implementing ordinance before this reaches voters, so beneficiaries are not asked to approve open-ended authority without knowing its actual limit. With that clarification, I support this resolution.
Mahalo,
Shelby "Pikachu" Billionaire
---
## Quick reference — sources used
- County of Maui FY2025 Financial Summaries, Revenue Overview: https://www.mauicounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/149023/040-03-Revenue-Overview
- Civil Beat, "This Maui Board Was Created To Improve Transparency. Now It's Accused Of Doing The Opposite," Sept. 2024: https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/09/this-maui-board-was-created-to-improve-transparency-now-its-accused-of-doing-the-opposite/
- Civil Beat, "Maui Voters Set To Vote On 11 Changes To County Government," Apr. 2022: https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/04/maui-voters-set-to-vote-on-11-changes-to-county-government/
- Maui County GREAT Committee submission: GREAT.committee@mauicounty.us | eComment: mauicounty.us/agendas