FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2009

Contact Person: Hunter Bishop, Public Relations Specialist, 961-8565

REVISED ADMINISTRATION BUDGET INCORPORATES EMPLOYEE FURLOUGHS

Hawai’i County Mayor Billy Kenoi will present an amended budget proposal to the Hawai’i County Council today that includes savings from furloughs planned for the mayor and his executive staff.

As the State Legislature nears adjournment, Mayor Kenoi thanked state lawmakers for their assistance in preserving the counties’ share of the hotel room tax revenue, but said the fiscal challenges confronting the state and counties are far from finished.

“We must continue to plan and prepare for the difficult economic times that we know lie ahead,” Mayor Kenoi said. “I have asked my executive staff to lead this effort by accepting a furlough day each month during the next fiscal year as part of their contribution to solving our budget problems. They stepped up without hesitation.”

Mayor Kenoi explained that his top staff will be reporting to work as usual on their “furlough” day each month, which means the furlough program in effect amounts to a salary reduction of about 4.6 percent.

“In the months ahead, we will be asking all of our hard-working public employees to do more with less, and it is only fair we should lead by example,” Mayor Kenoi said.

The executive staff furloughs will affect about a dozen employees including the mayor, managing director, deputy managing director and executive assistants. The furloughs will save the county $41,714 for the fiscal year.

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