The Honolulu City Council voted to move another $8 million in federal funding to finance pandemic hazard pay for city workers.
The federal government gave the city $1.9 billion through the American Rescue Plan to alleviate the burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I greatly appreciate the city administration’s willingness to have an open dialog about their budget needs for the coming year," said Budget Committee Chair Radiant Cordero in a press release.
"Needless to say, it was a challenge to balance fixed cost increases, such as employee health care, retirement benefits and providing hazard pay for those who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic, with prioritizing the needs of our residents and maintaining our city infrastructure and services — all while achieving a balanced budget," Cordero continued.
That money was originally supposed to go toward other projects. All funds must be tied to contracts by the end of the year.
But the city has been moving that money to cover post-employee benefit payments and anticipated hazard pay for city workers. The $8 million that was approved was supposed to go toward an agricultural grant program.
“As councilmembers, we have an abiding kuleana to ensure that we are utilizing the resources of this city appropriately, so that we can deliver the highest levels of services to the community," said Council Chair Tommy Waters in a press release.
"This year we were keenly focused on prioritizing, among other things, our long-term need for affordable housing, increased public safety, improved public parks and facilities, and measures that address ever-increasing climate impacts to ensure that we mālama our ‘āina," he said.
However, the council agreed with the city’s administration that the money would not be processed for the project by the deadline — and that it would be better used for hazard pay.
This comes after the city already moved $107 million to pay for similar reasons.
The city is still negotiating with public worker unions on the pandemic hazard pay.
