Arushi Kumar has been appointed to the role of Honolulu city auditor.
The Honolulu City Council approved Kumar to head the office that conducts financial and performance evaluations of city departments, programs, activities and services. The vote Wednesday was 7-1.
Councilmember Carol Fukunaga voted no, saying Kumar's five years as an auditor with the U.S. Government Accountability Office in Seattle, and her two years as a fiscal and policy analyst for the city of Seattle were not enough experience for the role.
Kumar testified before the council Wednesday and explained how the lessons she’s learned during the pandemic will inform her thinking as Honolulu’s auditor.
“I've heard the analogy that have we're all in this, in the same boat together with COVID-19 or when we’re in the same storm, but the reality is that we're all in different scenarios," Kumar said. "So I think within the city of Seattle, for example, I have had the opportunity to work on issues that have been in packages that have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis."
"I think that that experience of working within an uncertain environment and uncertain resources was a wonderful learning opportunity in how we can use the government to best serve the people in times of crisis," she said.
Kumar will take over as auditor on Dec. 1 and serve a six-year term. Prior to the city council vote, her nomination was unanimously approved by the council’s Budget Committee on Sept. 22.
Kumar will replace Troy Shimasaki, who has served as interim auditor since Edwin Young retired in 2019.
Kumar has a master's degree in public policy and a bachelor's in economics.
