Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 10, 1 October 1994 — Community mana‘o to guide OHA budget preparation for FY95-97 [ARTICLE]

Community mana‘o to guide OHA budget preparation for FY95-97

Last month, OHA went to Hawaiian communities statewide to invite input from Hawaiian beneficiaries on constructing its two-year budget for fiscal years 1995-1997. Thirteen meetings were held over a two-week period, from Waimea, Kaua'i to Hilo, Hawai'i. It is the first time OHA has gone out to the community before preparing its budget, whieh represents OHA's work plan for the next two years. The meetings were a ehanee to gather comments on existing programs and services and to determine the community's needs for enhanced or new programs. Hawaiians at the meetings brought forth many useful eoncerns and suggestions. These ideas are presented as they were contributed by community members in a special section on pages 9-13 of this month's Ka Wai Ola O OHA. Ideas in bold type were voted the most important by participants at eaeh meeting, and the number of votes for eaeh idea is shown at the beginning of the statement. Working with the community input, OHA staff will construct the budget and present it to OHA's administration for final review and forwarding to the Board of Trustees. Onee the budget is approved by the board, whieh is expected some time in November, OHA staff plan to return to the community with the approved budget and to discuss concerns and issues for the 1995 Legislature. It is anticipated that midway

during next year's Legislature, OHA will onee more return to the community with a status update and further discussion of legislative issues. Following the Legislature, in about Apnl or May, OHA will again retum to the community to report on the final approved hiennium budget and outcome of any legislation affecting Hawaiians.