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A

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>> Chair Dela Cruz: I think

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we have someone from the

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governor's office.

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You can unmute.

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Good afternoon.

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>> thank you, would you like

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me to get started?

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>> Chair Dela Cruz: yes,

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please.

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Good afternoon.

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>> thanks.

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Do you want to turn off the

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music.

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I could sing it, I guess.

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>> Chair Dela Cruz: I'm not

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sure whose that is.

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Can everybody mute?

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Except for chief of staff.

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>> Chair Dela Cruz: I think

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there's a tv echoing.

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>> do you have a tv on, linda?

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>> oh, you know what?

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That might be me.

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[Laughter]

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>> Chair Dela Cruz: thank you

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for joining us.

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>> I will get started.

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>> Chair Dela Cruz: okay.

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>> chair dela cruz, vice

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chair agaran and members of

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the committee.

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My name is linda takayama.

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I'm here on behalf of

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governor ike.

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Providing executive

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direction, policy

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development, program

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coordination and planning and

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budgeting.

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the governor is the chief

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executive officer of the

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state of hawaii's executive

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branch and is the head of

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state, representing hawaii in

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national and international

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afars.

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-affairs.

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In addition to the oahu

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office there are four island

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offices to serve constituents

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across the state.

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The governor's senior staff

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includes myself as chief of

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staff, -- of operations and

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directors of communication,

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executive administrative

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services, inter-governmental

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relations and policy and a

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protocol officer.

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One of the functions of the

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governor's office includes

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developing and maintaining

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inter-governmental

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relationships.

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As such, the office includes

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developing and maintaining

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those relationships.

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We are requesting $13,000 in

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each of the next two fiscal

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years to support efforts to

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develop and maintain

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inter-governmental programs

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and relationships that

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advance the various interests

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of the state.

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In addition, the 157th

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anniversary of washington

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place will be occurring in

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2021.

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Funding to support this has

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been requested for fiscal

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year 2022.

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We appreciate the

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consideration you have, and

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will be available to answer

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your questions.

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Thank you for your continued

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support of the governor's

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budget.

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in addition to our testimony

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there were some questions

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submitted by the committee.

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We are prepared to answer

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those questions if you would

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like me to do that now.

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>> Chair Dela Cruz: yes,

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please, go ahead.

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>> okay.

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It was noted that the

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governor's office identified

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seven vacancies.

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Two of which were expected to

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be filled by the end of the

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year.

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And the question on a was had

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those two positions been

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filled.

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The answer is yes, they have.

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For the five positions that

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remain vacant, are they

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included in the 550 de-funded

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positions the governor is

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proposing to eliminate.

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The answer is no they aren't

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included in the 550 because

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the positions are funded and

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we are intending to fill them.

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Second question, in addition

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to cabinet, will senior staff

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in the governor's office be

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subject to proposed salary

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cuts.

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The answer is that the

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governor's office, including

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the governor himself and all

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of the cabinet members will

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follow the same cuts and

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furloughs that are imposed on

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any of the executive branch

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employees.

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So we will all be in the same

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boat together.

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Third question, somewhat

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related.

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Will the governor's proposed

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furloughs also affect staff

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and functions within the

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governor's office.

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And the answer to that is

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yes, of course, we will.

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Please provide details on the

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functions and roles of the

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constituents service office

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and protocol on community

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affairs office under the

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chief operating officer.

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The constituent services

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office is meant to respond to

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constituent concerns in a

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timely and accurate manner to

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ensure that the governor, the

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office and various state

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departments are responsive to

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the needs and concerns of the

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general public as well as

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broad range of private and

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public sector organizations.

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It interacts and develops

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relationships with

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constituents and community

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leaders and represents and/or

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staffs the governor at

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meetings or events in the

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community.

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Primarily, this is the role

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of the offices.

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Maintains and manages the

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governor's neighbor island

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offices state-wide and

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facilitates from state

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department to constituent

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concerns.

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This office receives about

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600-1,000 emails and phone

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calls to the governor's

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ofoffice each week.

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We keep track and the number

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hasn't really gone down very

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much in all the time I've

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been here.

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The other is the protocol and

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community affairs office.

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The overall objective of this

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office is to manage and

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coordinate the coordination,

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preparation, execution and

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staffing activities to ensure

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events involving the governor

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or first lady are supported

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and executed.

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If the rec coordinates

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staffing, coordinating,

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public events and appearances.

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Talking points for all events.

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Provides on site support at

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the events.

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Understands and provides

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guidance including diplomatic

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etiquette, customs and

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background for v.

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Ip's at events.

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Protocols with regard to

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exchanging of gifts and other

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items for dignitaries.

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The unit is also responsible

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for overseeing and managing

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the commemorative messages by

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the governor's office.

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I think that was the extent

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of the questions directed to

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us.

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I'm happy to answer any

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questions you May have.

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>> Chair Dela Cruz: members,

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any other questions?

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Do you see anybody?

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Senator moriwaki.

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>> hi, linda.

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Happy new year.

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>> happy new year to you.

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>> the senate met with the

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governor.

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You mentioned the strike

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force meeting with government

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efficiency.

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I see that's effectiveness,

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one of the things the

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governor should be overseeing.

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I am wondering whatever or

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have you followed up with

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that, is there a strike force

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that is overseeing working

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with D.N.F. Or dags with

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either agencies.

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>> it ended up not being a

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formally-organized group.

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We did it kind of informally,

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given all of the things that

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have been occurring and

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coming at us at a pretty

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rapid pace with regard

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particularly to the pandemic

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and the issues related to

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safe travels.

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So we did it kind of more an

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informal basis.

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The court room being

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basically the budget folks,

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which included myself, the

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governor, budget and finance

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folks.

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Dfr and others as we went

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through the review process of

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the departments separately.

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So we ended up, in the

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interest of time, not being

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able to do a formal kind of a

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review.

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But you will see evidence of

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that, I think, in the budget

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that's been prepared for the

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session.

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>> so has there been any

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follow-up in terms of looking

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at government efficiency and

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effectiveness, the support

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agencies like H.R.D., B.N.F.

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And dags as they support all

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the line departments so they

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can serve the public faster

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and better in

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>>

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>> like I mentioned before,

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we only did it in the course

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of the programmatic reviews.

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I think when things settled

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down a little bit more, it

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might be possible for us to

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get enough breathing room to

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actually do a good job of

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going through all those

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things.

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In the course of the last, I

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guess, six months or so, we

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just, we barely had enough

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time to address the issues

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that were flying at us from

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the pandemic side.

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And really did not have an

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opportunity to do it as well

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as we could have.

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>> but you know, during the

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pandemic, it sort of was an

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opportunity to also pause and

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see what we are not doing so

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well.

298
00:11:57,367 --> 00:11:59,170
We heard a lot from the covid

299
00:11:59,170 --> 00:12:01,570
committee, from the public,

300
00:12:02,707 --> 00:12:04,241
that hopefully your

301
00:12:04,241 --> 00:12:07,241
departments had heard a lot

302
00:12:08,746 --> 00:12:09,680
and maybe they are coming up

303
00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:11,680
with procedures, processes

304
00:12:12,516 --> 00:12:14,184
where it could be fast

305
00:12:14,184 --> 00:12:15,220
tracking federal funding.

306
00:12:15,220 --> 00:12:16,754
Ways in which they serve the

307
00:12:16,754 --> 00:12:18,754
public better.

308
00:12:18,790 --> 00:12:20,558
How they make decisions.

309
00:12:20,558 --> 00:12:22,627
Has any of that come up to

310
00:12:22,627 --> 00:12:25,630
you folks to look at how you

311
00:12:25,630 --> 00:12:27,131
can be more efficient in the

312
00:12:27,131 --> 00:12:28,766
way the agencies support the

313
00:12:28,766 --> 00:12:31,735
people who are really on the

314
00:12:31,735 --> 00:12:33,735
line.

315
00:12:35,673 --> 00:12:38,730
>> yeah, I suppose hindsight

316
00:12:38,209 --> 00:12:40,645
is a lot easier to deal with

317
00:12:40,645 --> 00:12:44,245
as opposed to when we are

318
00:12:45,149 --> 00:12:46,650
dealing with an issue that

319
00:12:46,650 --> 00:12:47,551
unprecedented in the whole

320
00:12:47,551 --> 00:12:48,786
world, essentially.

321
00:12:48,786 --> 00:12:51,786
We were making decisions on

322
00:12:51,990 --> 00:12:53,258
the fly, as best we could.

323
00:12:53,258 --> 00:12:55,627
It was very challenging at

324
00:12:55,627 --> 00:12:57,627
times.

325
00:12:57,862 --> 00:13:00,862
Because, as I said, decisions

326
00:13:01,132 --> 00:13:02,133
were being made on the fly.

327
00:13:02,133 --> 00:13:04,533
And unfortunately, there were

328
00:13:06,700 --> 00:13:07,739
a lot of folks out there in

329
00:13:07,739 --> 00:13:10,139
community and deservedly so.

330
00:13:10,308 --> 00:13:10,675
Everybody wanted to be at the

331
00:13:10,675 --> 00:13:11,209
table.

332
00:13:11,209 --> 00:13:12,244
Everybody wanted to know

333
00:13:12,244 --> 00:13:14,244
first.

334
00:13:14,746 --> 00:13:17,348
And it wasn't always possible

335
00:13:17,348 --> 00:13:20,284
to give them that opportunity.

336
00:13:20,284 --> 00:13:22,687
So we learned a lot of

337
00:13:22,687 --> 00:13:24,655
lessons as a result of that.

338
00:13:24,655 --> 00:13:26,910
And there were things maybe

339
00:13:26,910 --> 00:13:27,659
in retrospect we could have

340
00:13:27,659 --> 00:13:28,260
done better.

341
00:13:28,260 --> 00:13:30,260
particularly on the

342
00:13:32,130 --> 00:13:33,598
communication side.

343
00:13:33,598 --> 00:13:36,134
But ultimately, I think, you

344
00:13:36,134 --> 00:13:39,734
have to look at the results.

345
00:13:44,710 --> 00:13:46,178
It wasn't always pretty.

346
00:13:46,178 --> 00:13:50,148
But if you look at where we

347
00:13:50,148 --> 00:13:51,616
were in the last week, hawaii

348
00:13:51,616 --> 00:13:54,219
had the lowest infection rate

349
00:13:54,219 --> 00:13:56,219
of the country.

350
00:13:56,288 --> 00:13:58,790
Hawaii has the second lowest

351
00:13:58,790 --> 00:14:00,726
infection rate in the country.

352
00:14:00,726 --> 00:14:01,794
Only vermont has a lower

353
00:14:01,794 --> 00:14:03,794
infection rate.

354
00:14:04,363 --> 00:14:06,365
And for the last week, hawaii

355
00:14:06,365 --> 00:14:07,332
had the lowest death rate in

356
00:14:07,332 --> 00:14:09,332
the country.

357
00:14:09,635 --> 00:14:11,336
And for the entire pandemic

358
00:14:11,336 --> 00:14:14,336
period, we had the lowest

359
00:14:16,374 --> 00:14:16,741
death rate in the country, as

360
00:14:16,741 --> 00:14:18,444
a whole.

361
00:14:18,444 --> 00:14:20,146
Yeah, it wasn't always pretty

362
00:14:20,146 --> 00:14:21,714
and we regret that.

363
00:14:21,714 --> 00:14:24,149
We are trying our best to try

364
00:14:24,149 --> 00:14:25,384
to fix some of those things

365
00:14:25,384 --> 00:14:28,384
now that things have settled

366
00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,120
down a little bit.

367
00:14:34,325 --> 00:14:37,925
But I think the end result

368
00:14:40,766 --> 00:14:42,340
was that what decisions were

369
00:14:42,340 --> 00:14:43,435
made kept us safe.

370
00:14:43,435 --> 00:14:44,436
There are things people could

371
00:14:44,436 --> 00:14:45,270
grumble about.

372
00:14:45,270 --> 00:14:48,270
There are folks who would

373
00:14:48,807 --> 00:14:50,676
like to open the doors and

374
00:14:50,676 --> 00:14:51,610
let all the travelers come in.

375
00:14:51,610 --> 00:14:55,210
But there's a price to be

376
00:14:55,214 --> 00:14:57,820
paid for that.

377
00:14:57,820 --> 00:15:00,820
For very good reasons, our

378
00:15:02,355 --> 00:15:05,355
state and the public health

379
00:15:05,724 --> 00:15:08,124
officials made decisions that

380
00:15:08,660 --> 00:15:10,797
kept us from going that route.

381
00:15:10,797 --> 00:15:11,731
And I think the end result

382
00:15:11,731 --> 00:15:14,131
was we are safe.

383
00:15:14,166 --> 00:15:16,670
>> I think in terms of the

384
00:15:16,670 --> 00:15:17,803
covid and attacking the

385
00:15:17,803 --> 00:15:19,405
covid, is one thing.

386
00:15:19,405 --> 00:15:21,807
My question was, in terms of

387
00:15:21,807 --> 00:15:23,409
of your processes and

388
00:15:23,409 --> 00:15:25,644
procedures how you operate so

389
00:15:25,644 --> 00:15:27,681
that government can be more

390
00:15:27,681 --> 00:15:28,315
nimble, can be more

391
00:15:28,315 --> 00:15:30,830
responsive, more quickly

392
00:15:30,830 --> 00:15:32,786
respond to the needs of the

393
00:15:32,786 --> 00:15:34,120
public, whether it was

394
00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:36,120
unemployment or housing

395
00:15:39,192 --> 00:15:41,227
relief or as well as health

396
00:15:41,227 --> 00:15:43,227
and health information.

397
00:15:47,767 --> 00:15:49,703
What have you learned so we

398
00:15:49,703 --> 00:15:50,770
can take that forward a new

399
00:15:50,770 --> 00:15:52,639
way of operating for the

400
00:15:52,639 --> 00:15:53,273
government so we can be a

401
00:15:53,273 --> 00:15:54,707
better government operating

402
00:15:54,707 --> 00:15:55,775
for the people that expect

403
00:15:55,775 --> 00:15:57,710
that of us.

404
00:15:57,710 --> 00:15:58,811
If you have some of that, I

405
00:15:58,811 --> 00:15:59,979
think that's the kind of

406
00:15:59,979 --> 00:16:01,914
stuff we should be building

407
00:16:01,914 --> 00:16:03,914
on.

408
00:16:04,784 --> 00:16:07,487
Either one of the lowest in

409
00:16:07,487 --> 00:16:08,788
terms of covid and covid

410
00:16:08,788 --> 00:16:10,356
positivity and death.

411
00:16:10,356 --> 00:16:12,292
And that's a good thing.

412
00:16:12,292 --> 00:16:14,961
But we really need to learn

413
00:16:14,961 --> 00:16:17,430
how we provide those services

414
00:16:17,430 --> 00:16:19,799
that people are really crying

415
00:16:19,799 --> 00:16:23,999
for in a better way, a faster

416
00:16:29,490 --> 00:16:29,301
way, whether affordable

417
00:16:29,301 --> 00:16:29,555
housing, homeless, housing

418
00:16:29,555 --> 00:16:29,806
relief, all of that should be

419
00:16:29,806 --> 00:16:30,570
really looked at.

420
00:16:30,570 --> 00:16:30,443
And I hope the governor's

421
00:16:30,443 --> 00:16:31,878
office is really pushing the

422
00:16:31,878 --> 00:16:33,878
departments, encouraging the

423
00:16:34,914 --> 00:16:37,314
departments to think little

424
00:16:40,387 --> 00:16:42,220
bit more outside their

425
00:16:42,220 --> 00:16:42,856
restricted silos how we can

426
00:16:42,856 --> 00:16:44,291
better serve the public.

427
00:16:44,291 --> 00:16:46,291
>> absolutely.

428
00:16:47,427 --> 00:16:49,329
And I think to a large extent

429
00:16:49,329 --> 00:16:51,764
we will, we hope, we will be

430
00:16:51,764 --> 00:16:52,532
able to work with the

431
00:16:52,532 --> 00:16:54,467
legislature on making some of

432
00:16:54,467 --> 00:16:56,437
those changes.

433
00:16:56,437 --> 00:16:57,438
You will see that some of the

434
00:16:57,438 --> 00:16:59,473
legislation we will be

435
00:16:59,473 --> 00:17:02,442
sending to you this year.

436
00:17:02,442 --> 00:17:04,378
And we can't change the world

437
00:17:04,378 --> 00:17:05,479
overnight but we have

438
00:17:05,479 --> 00:17:06,546
identified some things that

439
00:17:06,546 --> 00:17:09,546
could work a little bit

440
00:17:09,950 --> 00:17:11,950
better.

441
00:17:14,455 --> 00:17:15,856
we have chosen some areas

442
00:17:15,856 --> 00:17:17,491
that don't cost a whole lot

443
00:17:17,491 --> 00:17:18,892
of money to do it.

444
00:17:18,892 --> 00:17:19,994
Like I said, you will see

445
00:17:19,994 --> 00:17:22,296
some of that in the

446
00:17:22,296 --> 00:17:22,663
legislation we will be

447
00:17:22,663 --> 00:17:24,663
sending to you.

448
00:17:24,932 --> 00:17:27,932
There are some things that

449
00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:34,600
are urgently needed.

450
00:17:34,442 --> 00:17:35,843
One of the things we hope you

451
00:17:35,843 --> 00:17:38,243
will consider early and

452
00:17:39,790 --> 00:17:42,679
quickly is a change in the

453
00:17:46,587 --> 00:17:47,989
way the rates are formulated

454
00:17:47,989 --> 00:17:49,989
for unemployment insurance.

455
00:17:50,992 --> 00:17:53,861
That's one of my biggest

456
00:17:53,861 --> 00:17:56,397
concerns right now because we

457
00:17:56,397 --> 00:17:58,532
had to take out a loan of

458
00:17:58,532 --> 00:18:01,468
more than a few dollars.

459
00:18:01,468 --> 00:18:03,300
And probably more to come to

460
00:18:03,300 --> 00:18:04,973
pay the unemployment benefits.

461
00:18:04,973 --> 00:18:08,977
That loan gets paid back by a

462
00:18:08,977 --> 00:18:10,977
tax on business.

463
00:18:16,550 --> 00:18:18,352
At the rate we will have to

464
00:18:18,352 --> 00:18:20,487
reimburse it, this is state

465
00:18:20,487 --> 00:18:21,455
and federal law, the

466
00:18:21,455 --> 00:18:23,855
reimbursement comes from a

467
00:18:23,958 --> 00:18:25,958
tax on business.

468
00:18:27,595 --> 00:18:31,195
At a billion dollars we will

469
00:18:32,433 --> 00:18:32,867
go from rating level c, to

470
00:18:32,867 --> 00:18:34,100
highest rating h.

471
00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:35,569
That essentially will be a

472
00:18:35,569 --> 00:18:37,400
tripling of the taxes on

473
00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:39,400
business.

474
00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,510
At a time when business has

475
00:18:41,510 --> 00:18:42,477
been taking some really big

476
00:18:42,477 --> 00:18:44,477
hits all along.

477
00:18:44,512 --> 00:18:46,180
Some of them are just on the

478
00:18:46,180 --> 00:18:48,383
edge, barely able to survive.

479
00:18:48,383 --> 00:18:50,551
We don't want to have to hit

480
00:18:50,551 --> 00:18:51,685
them with yet another

481
00:18:51,685 --> 00:18:53,685
gigantic tax burden.

482
00:18:53,888 --> 00:18:54,688
So one of the most important

483
00:18:54,688 --> 00:18:56,424
pieces of legislation that

484
00:18:56,424 --> 00:18:59,424
will come before you this

485
00:19:01,290 --> 00:19:03,932
year is the request to change

486
00:19:03,932 --> 00:19:06,567
the rate of taxation, the way

487
00:19:06,567 --> 00:19:09,103
the formula is produced and

488
00:19:09,103 --> 00:19:10,738
asking for a staggering of

489
00:19:10,738 --> 00:19:13,700
how that formula, that rate

490
00:19:13,700 --> 00:19:15,700
is applied.

491
00:19:17,546 --> 00:19:17,846
so that it is less of a

492
00:19:17,846 --> 00:19:19,348
burden.

493
00:19:19,348 --> 00:19:20,615
It will still be a burden,

494
00:19:20,615 --> 00:19:22,615
any tax is.

495
00:19:22,918 --> 00:19:24,319
But it won't come all at once.

496
00:19:24,319 --> 00:19:26,540
There are tweaks like that

497
00:19:26,540 --> 00:19:29,540
that need to be made.

498
00:19:29,523 --> 00:19:31,159
As I said, there's a bunch of

499
00:19:31,159 --> 00:19:33,559
others that we have

500
00:19:35,630 --> 00:19:36,665
identified and will be

501
00:19:36,665 --> 00:19:38,900
sending down to you over the

502
00:19:38,900 --> 00:19:40,168
course of the next two years.

503
00:19:40,168 --> 00:19:41,703
We aren't going to send it

504
00:19:41,703 --> 00:19:44,103
all down at once.

505
00:19:46,474 --> 00:19:50,740
Some of it we are still

506
00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:53,882
trying to figure out the best

507
00:19:53,882 --> 00:19:55,170
way of handling.

508
00:19:55,170 --> 00:19:58,170
We look forward to working

509
00:19:58,190 --> 00:19:58,420
with you how to handle some

510
00:19:58,420 --> 00:19:59,921
of that stuff.

511
00:19:59,921 --> 00:20:01,890
>> looking forward as well as

512
00:20:01,890 --> 00:20:03,570
procedural changes you can do

513
00:20:03,570 --> 00:20:04,993
administratively as well.

514
00:20:04,993 --> 00:20:06,327
Not everything is legislative.

515
00:20:06,327 --> 00:20:09,927
But we would like to get

516
00:20:12,835 --> 00:20:13,402
reports what you are doing

517
00:20:13,402 --> 00:20:13,669
administratively as well.

518
00:20:13,669 --> 00:20:13,918
>> thanks.

519
00:20:13,918 --> 00:20:14,770
P

520
00:20:14,770 --> 00:20:16,905
>> Chair Dela Cruz: members,

521
00:20:16,905 --> 00:20:17,306
any questions for the

522
00:20:17,306 --> 00:20:17,673
governor's office.

523
00:20:17,673 --> 00:20:19,673
Okay, thank you.

524
00:20:23,879 --> 00:20:25,140
>> thank you.

525
00:20:25,140 --> 00:20:27,650
>> Chair Dela Cruz: next on

526
00:20:27,650 --> 00:20:30,190
the agenda we have office of

527
00:20:30,190 --> 00:20:32,190
the lieutenant governor.

528
00:20:38,126 --> 00:20:39,527
Good afternoon.

529
00:20:39,527 --> 00:20:41,630
>> chair, good to see you.

530
00:20:41,630 --> 00:20:42,300
>> Chair Dela Cruz: good to

531
00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:44,300
see you.

532
00:20:45,201 --> 00:20:45,668
>> I will just make a couple

533
00:20:45,668 --> 00:20:47,103
general comments.

534
00:20:47,103 --> 00:20:48,237
Is that what you would prefer?

535
00:20:48,237 --> 00:20:50,439
Good to see everybody.

536
00:20:50,439 --> 00:20:51,974
I think everyone is pretty

537
00:20:51,974 --> 00:20:53,742
aware that obviously the year

538
00:20:53,742 --> 00:20:56,142
has been very tough.

539
00:20:58,113 --> 00:20:58,680
We have been living within

540
00:20:58,680 --> 00:20:59,616
our means, obviously.

541
00:20:59,616 --> 00:21:02,118
we did not fill some

542
00:21:02,118 --> 00:21:04,518
positions that we have.

543
00:21:05,521 --> 00:21:06,956
And over the last 2-4 years

544
00:21:06,956 --> 00:21:09,910
there's been a steep

545
00:21:09,910 --> 00:21:10,192
reduction in resources for

546
00:21:10,192 --> 00:21:12,192
the lieutenant governor's

547
00:21:12,461 --> 00:21:14,396
office but we make due.

548
00:21:14,396 --> 00:21:14,997
We have seen about a 30%

549
00:21:14,997 --> 00:21:16,498
decrease.

550
00:21:16,498 --> 00:21:17,267
I will race through these

551
00:21:17,267 --> 00:21:19,667
questions that we received

552
00:21:20,403 --> 00:21:20,670
because I know you have had a

553
00:21:20,670 --> 00:21:21,571
long day.

554
00:21:21,571 --> 00:21:25,171
Happy to help in any way.

555
00:21:25,241 --> 00:21:26,943
A question about the proposed

556
00:21:26,943 --> 00:21:28,544
10, 15, 20% reduction

557
00:21:28,544 --> 00:21:30,450
scenarios in the budget.

558
00:21:30,450 --> 00:21:33,450
We gave those scenarios over

559
00:21:33,182 --> 00:21:35,182
to the team.

560
00:21:35,652 --> 00:21:38,520
Difficult because we are

561
00:21:39,422 --> 00:21:41,558
small, we are exempted for

562
00:21:41,558 --> 00:21:42,759
being a tiny department.

563
00:21:42,759 --> 00:21:44,270
Under $4 million he didn't

564
00:21:44,270 --> 00:21:46,270
want those applied.

565
00:21:46,162 --> 00:21:47,563
But we faced those cuts down

566
00:21:47,563 --> 00:21:49,665
and didn't fill a couple

567
00:21:49,665 --> 00:21:51,534
positions we would have liked

568
00:21:51,534 --> 00:21:53,637
to have in capacity for us.

569
00:21:53,637 --> 00:21:56,206
The next question was given

570
00:21:56,206 --> 00:21:59,109
the fact that our staff has

571
00:21:59,109 --> 00:22:00,110
not been fully staffed, our

572
00:22:00,110 --> 00:22:02,578
department how we have been

573
00:22:02,578 --> 00:22:03,680
able to meet our demands.

574
00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,615
Basically we have been

575
00:22:05,615 --> 00:22:05,982
working harder in spreading

576
00:22:05,982 --> 00:22:06,682
out the work.

577
00:22:06,682 --> 00:22:09,218
But the decrease in staff

578
00:22:09,218 --> 00:22:10,153
with the loss of funding for

579
00:22:10,153 --> 00:22:12,550
the senior advisor position

580
00:22:12,550 --> 00:22:14,455
has been a challenge.

581
00:22:16,459 --> 00:22:16,709
Basically we do more with

582
00:22:16,709 --> 00:22:18,709
less.

583
00:22:19,295 --> 00:22:20,230
We have taken on a lot of

584
00:22:20,230 --> 00:22:21,831
large roles from covid just

585
00:22:21,831 --> 00:22:22,732
from circumstance.

586
00:22:22,732 --> 00:22:25,132
Does our office receive

587
00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,724
funding for any of our aux

588
00:22:32,724 --> 00:22:34,724
-- auxiliary roles.

589
00:22:35,579 --> 00:22:37,647
We don't have any we make due.

590
00:22:37,647 --> 00:22:38,748
Any status changes.

591
00:22:38,748 --> 00:22:41,148
there's been extensive talk

592
00:22:41,651 --> 00:22:43,850
about the safe travels

593
00:22:43,850 --> 00:22:45,850
program for sure.

594
00:22:49,192 --> 00:22:50,761
I think has been pretty well

595
00:22:50,761 --> 00:22:53,597
documented to succeed, to get

596
00:22:53,597 --> 00:22:55,310
our state open and restore

597
00:22:55,310 --> 00:22:57,100
some economic activity as we

598
00:22:57,100 --> 00:22:57,349
continue to wrestle with

599
00:22:57,349 --> 00:22:59,349
covid.

600
00:23:00,103 --> 00:23:03,103
We have had some successes

601
00:23:05,776 --> 00:23:06,744
with the smaller programs

602
00:23:06,744 --> 00:23:08,679
like kahalei.

603
00:23:08,679 --> 00:23:10,180
We haven't asked for any

604
00:23:10,180 --> 00:23:10,714
resources or we haven't

605
00:23:10,714 --> 00:23:12,616
received any resources.

606
00:23:12,616 --> 00:23:14,351
We asked.

607
00:23:14,351 --> 00:23:16,219
But times were tough.

608
00:23:16,219 --> 00:23:17,887
For

609
00:23:17,887 --> 00:23:19,887
for appropriations.

610
00:23:20,191 --> 00:23:22,193
The last question how much

611
00:23:22,193 --> 00:23:24,593
strain do these assigned

612
00:23:26,363 --> 00:23:27,364
above function of the L.G.

613
00:23:27,364 --> 00:23:28,765
And staff have?

614
00:23:28,765 --> 00:23:30,670
Well, everyone is just doing

615
00:23:30,670 --> 00:23:31,201
their best.

616
00:23:31,201 --> 00:23:33,601
Do we feel strained?

617
00:23:33,970 --> 00:23:35,572
We kind of enjoy the work.

618
00:23:35,572 --> 00:23:36,873
It's no strain at all.

619
00:23:36,873 --> 00:23:39,873
Would we like more resources

620
00:23:41,212 --> 00:23:42,380
of course but we are in the

621
00:23:42,380 --> 00:23:43,681
throws of a deep, deep

622
00:23:43,681 --> 00:23:45,681
recession.

623
00:23:46,317 --> 00:23:49,686
If we had our way we would

624
00:23:49,686 --> 00:23:51,588
ask for additional positions

625
00:23:51,588 --> 00:23:53,988
or restoration of positions.

626
00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:55,426
We know that's not feasible.

627
00:23:55,426 --> 00:23:57,328
We would like resources for

628
00:23:57,328 --> 00:23:59,230
projects.

629
00:23:59,230 --> 00:24:01,165
There are minor things we

630
00:24:01,165 --> 00:24:02,990
haven't had resources for

631
00:24:02,990 --> 00:24:02,900
computer systems and

632
00:24:02,900 --> 00:24:05,102
carpeting and things like

633
00:24:05,102 --> 00:24:07,271
that to make the office

634
00:24:07,271 --> 00:24:08,839
appear, you know,

635
00:24:08,839 --> 00:24:10,174
quintessentially professional.

636
00:24:10,174 --> 00:24:13,774
But again, we are a working

637
00:24:14,612 --> 00:24:16,614
office and it's been a

638
00:24:16,614 --> 00:24:17,849
pleasure to do that.

639
00:24:17,849 --> 00:24:19,117
All things being equal we

640
00:24:19,117 --> 00:24:21,517
accept what we got.

641
00:24:21,885 --> 00:24:23,487
the last thing we are

642
00:24:23,487 --> 00:24:25,956
providing a ton of support

643
00:24:25,956 --> 00:24:26,223
for covid, the response and

644
00:24:26,223 --> 00:24:27,358
so on.

645
00:24:27,358 --> 00:24:28,726
If cares resources become

646
00:24:28,726 --> 00:24:30,295
available and you need to

647
00:24:30,295 --> 00:24:32,864
place them somewhere we could

648
00:24:32,864 --> 00:24:33,164
augment our staff and

649
00:24:33,164 --> 00:24:34,165
continue.

650
00:24:34,165 --> 00:24:37,335
We kick butt pretty well in

651
00:24:37,335 --> 00:24:39,403
our office and we can magnify

652
00:24:39,403 --> 00:24:41,839
the effects of what we do

653
00:24:41,839 --> 00:24:42,540
pretty much going from 4:00

654
00:24:42,540 --> 00:24:45,540
A.M. Until late, library

655
00:24:45,709 --> 00:24:47,709
everybody.

656
00:24:48,346 --> 00:24:50,482
But we magnify a lot of that

657
00:24:50,482 --> 00:24:51,950
because of the influence on

658
00:24:51,950 --> 00:24:53,840
emergency response and other

659
00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:54,385
pieces with the healthcare

660
00:24:54,385 --> 00:24:55,720
system is good.

661
00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:57,720
It's very effective.

662
00:24:58,289 --> 00:24:59,857
But we end up doing it just

663
00:24:59,857 --> 00:25:00,992
with me and my chief of staff

664
00:25:00,992 --> 00:25:02,193
and our small team.

665
00:25:02,193 --> 00:25:03,861
We just make it happen.

666
00:25:03,861 --> 00:25:05,497
So I thought I would just

667
00:25:05,497 --> 00:25:05,864
stop there and answer any

668
00:25:05,864 --> 00:25:07,864
questions.

669
00:25:08,733 --> 00:25:09,768
>> so you can't get cares act

670
00:25:09,768 --> 00:25:11,200
moneys to supplement your

671
00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:12,370
staffing at least to get

672
00:25:12,370 --> 00:25:13,538
through the pandemic and what

673
00:25:13,538 --> 00:25:13,872
you are doing with the

674
00:25:13,872 --> 00:25:15,600
network?

675
00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:17,600
>> we could.

676
00:25:17,475 --> 00:25:19,510
The very nature of being L.G.

677
00:25:19,510 --> 00:25:21,947
Is not ask outside of

678
00:25:21,947 --> 00:25:24,749
whatever is the pleasure of

679
00:25:24,749 --> 00:25:25,160
the governor and senate, and

680
00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:26,451
the house.

681
00:25:26,451 --> 00:25:28,553
If you decided though, we do

682
00:25:28,553 --> 00:25:30,321
have some space, right.

683
00:25:30,321 --> 00:25:32,230
We can do a lot more.

684
00:25:32,230 --> 00:25:34,259
Of course the pandemic

685
00:25:34,259 --> 00:25:35,260
created this new role.

686
00:25:35,260 --> 00:25:37,660
It didn't exist beforehand.

687
00:25:44,403 --> 00:25:47,873
So it's kind of a one-off.

688
00:25:47,873 --> 00:25:49,274
But if anyone need today

689
00:25:49,274 --> 00:25:50,608
place meaningful work

690
00:25:50,608 --> 00:25:51,760
alongside us, we will embrace

691
00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:53,760
it.

692
00:25:53,411 --> 00:25:54,979
>> Chair Dela Cruz: any

693
00:25:54,979 --> 00:25:56,281
questions from zoom?

694
00:25:56,281 --> 00:25:57,383
Go ahead.

695
00:25:57,383 --> 00:25:59,383
>> for a vaccine.

696
00:26:02,588 --> 00:26:06,188
A lot of people are asking

697
00:26:06,291 --> 00:26:06,541
how much more we will be

698
00:26:06,541 --> 00:26:08,526
needing.

699
00:26:08,526 --> 00:26:10,562
A lot of our seniors are

700
00:26:10,562 --> 00:26:12,970
getting sick and passing

701
00:26:12,970 --> 00:26:14,970
away, I'm hearing.

702
00:26:14,367 --> 00:26:14,616
What more can we do as a

703
00:26:14,616 --> 00:26:16,616
state?

704
00:26:26,859 --> 00:26:27,229
>> brilliant question.

705
00:26:27,229 --> 00:26:27,482
For the vaccine, we will be

706
00:26:27,482 --> 00:26:27,731
having a press conference

707
00:26:27,731 --> 00:26:27,982
tomorrow outlining a ton of

708
00:26:27,982 --> 00:26:28,547
this but I can tell you, the

709
00:26:28,547 --> 00:26:30,480
more resources to implement

710
00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:30,849
that program the faster we

711
00:26:30,849 --> 00:26:33,386
will get the vaccines out the

712
00:26:33,386 --> 00:26:35,540
door.

713
00:26:35,540 --> 00:26:37,540
We have 91,000 vaccines.

714
00:26:37,356 --> 00:26:38,357
We will be in partnership

715
00:26:38,357 --> 00:26:39,291
with the healthcare

716
00:26:39,291 --> 00:26:40,626
association and the hospitals

717
00:26:40,626 --> 00:26:41,527
to push out a lot of this

718
00:26:41,527 --> 00:26:43,527
vaccine.

719
00:26:44,129 --> 00:26:45,630
And some of the legislative

720
00:26:45,630 --> 00:26:48,330
leadership is helping us to

721
00:26:48,330 --> 00:26:51,330
use some big facilities here.

722
00:26:53,372 --> 00:26:54,307
We are already in one deeply,

723
00:26:54,307 --> 00:26:56,307
healthcare community and

724
00:26:57,900 --> 00:26:57,510
nursing homes are getting

725
00:26:57,510 --> 00:26:59,278
vaccinated right now.

726
00:26:59,278 --> 00:27:00,612
The next groups of people are

727
00:27:00,612 --> 00:27:02,612
critical infrastructure and

728
00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:04,483
75 plus.

729
00:27:04,483 --> 00:27:06,853
So that's also happening now

730
00:27:06,853 --> 00:27:10,560
but it's going to be very

731
00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:10,623
vibrant as we can open up

732
00:27:10,623 --> 00:27:12,158
these additional pods.

733
00:27:12,158 --> 00:27:14,393
The more spaces we can offer,

734
00:27:14,393 --> 00:27:15,394
the more quickly we will get

735
00:27:15,394 --> 00:27:17,394
everybody vaccinated.

736
00:27:18,397 --> 00:27:21,534
If we have as many places as

737
00:27:21,534 --> 00:27:23,469
we can fund, then instead of

738
00:27:23,469 --> 00:27:25,571
ever having a 2-3 week delay

739
00:27:25,571 --> 00:27:26,940
we can probably the vaccines

740
00:27:26,940 --> 00:27:27,974
in people's arms the same

741
00:27:27,974 --> 00:27:29,974
week they arrive.

742
00:27:30,643 --> 00:27:34,243
We will get paid for pretty

743
00:27:34,914 --> 00:27:37,914
much by the partners at

744
00:27:38,584 --> 00:27:40,686
H.S.M.S. And vaccines.

745
00:27:40,686 --> 00:27:41,287
The vaccine is free otherwise.

746
00:27:41,287 --> 00:27:43,356
They aren't asking us for

747
00:27:43,356 --> 00:27:44,524
money, per se.

748
00:27:44,524 --> 00:27:46,920
Though you can imagine.

749
00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:47,527
If we were able to use the

750
00:27:47,527 --> 00:27:49,527
convention center.

751
00:27:49,929 --> 00:27:51,497
I'm hearing that May not be

752
00:27:51,497 --> 00:27:52,865
something they are willing to

753
00:27:52,865 --> 00:27:54,533
waive the cost on, even

754
00:27:54,533 --> 00:27:55,935
though we own it, there May

755
00:27:55,935 --> 00:27:57,935
be benefits.

756
00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,573
And dollars from the recent

757
00:28:00,573 --> 00:28:02,108
cares act moneys will be

758
00:28:02,108 --> 00:28:02,408
helpful to administer the

759
00:28:02,408 --> 00:28:04,408
vaccines.

760
00:28:04,911 --> 00:28:06,612
We should be able to do, all

761
00:28:06,612 --> 00:28:09,120
the high-risk individuals in

762
00:28:09,716 --> 00:28:11,884
the next 3-4 months.

763
00:28:11,884 --> 00:28:13,953
And then for communities that

764
00:28:13,953 --> 00:28:15,955
are less seriously impacted

765
00:28:15,955 --> 00:28:16,924
just healthy young people it

766
00:28:16,924 --> 00:28:18,625
will drift into the summer

767
00:28:18,625 --> 00:28:22,229
but all that is good for us.

768
00:28:22,229 --> 00:28:24,629
>> what is your projection

769
00:28:24,931 --> 00:28:25,365
for the vaccine getting out

770
00:28:25,365 --> 00:28:27,365
to the communities.

771
00:28:27,434 --> 00:28:29,434
2-4 months?

772
00:28:29,635 --> 00:28:31,400
>> I think, I would say, by

773
00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:33,600
the end of February, we

774
00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:35,750
should get through all the

775
00:28:35,750 --> 00:28:37,750
highest-risk individuals.

776
00:28:37,744 --> 00:28:40,144
Particularly the 1-a category.

777
00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:41,581
The 1-b category, critical

778
00:28:41,581 --> 00:28:43,216
infrastructure, honestly

779
00:28:43,216 --> 00:28:44,840
keeping ports open, keeping

780
00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:46,840
government going, keeping

781
00:28:46,519 --> 00:28:48,519
food supply going.

782
00:28:49,122 --> 00:28:49,489
Keeping energy together and

783
00:28:49,489 --> 00:28:51,489
75 plus.

784
00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:53,627
It's about 50,000 critical

785
00:28:53,627 --> 00:28:55,627
infrastructure workers and

786
00:28:56,730 --> 00:28:59,130
109,000 who are 75 and older.

787
00:29:00,234 --> 00:29:02,234
150,000 or so.

788
00:29:02,469 --> 00:29:04,469
159,000 and then 1-c.

789
00:29:05,639 --> 00:29:07,173
We will get 75,000 people per

790
00:29:07,173 --> 00:29:08,842
month at our best clip.

791
00:29:08,842 --> 00:29:10,544
about two months.

792
00:29:10,544 --> 00:29:13,514
And then the next or last leg

793
00:29:13,514 --> 00:29:14,614
of people who are very

794
00:29:14,614 --> 00:29:16,583
vulnerable are 65 plus,

795
00:29:16,583 --> 00:29:17,784
people with chronic diseases

796
00:29:17,784 --> 00:29:18,585
and rest of infrastructure

797
00:29:18,585 --> 00:29:20,521
individuals who are not as

798
00:29:20,521 --> 00:29:22,521
high risk.

799
00:29:22,756 --> 00:29:24,591
I should mention teachers are

800
00:29:24,591 --> 00:29:24,958
in 1-b with critical

801
00:29:24,958 --> 00:29:25,625
infrastructure.

802
00:29:25,625 --> 00:29:25,876
That will take another couple

803
00:29:25,876 --> 00:29:27,561
months.

804
00:29:27,561 --> 00:29:30,631
Then we will be in the clear

805
00:29:30,631 --> 00:29:33,200
as far as risk goes but in

806
00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,168
the summertime, people like,

807
00:29:35,168 --> 00:29:37,137
you know, 42-year-old healthy

808
00:29:37,137 --> 00:29:38,380
person that's not in an

809
00:29:38,380 --> 00:29:40,380
infrastructure role, that's

810
00:29:41,374 --> 00:29:41,676
when they will be offered the

811
00:29:41,676 --> 00:29:43,676
vaccine.

812
00:29:43,677 --> 00:29:45,790
>> so are there different

813
00:29:45,790 --> 00:29:46,781
places of distribution.

814
00:29:46,781 --> 00:29:48,349
Or any doctor, you go to your

815
00:29:48,349 --> 00:29:49,250
doctor and get it?

816
00:29:49,250 --> 00:29:51,250
How is that?

817
00:29:51,685 --> 00:29:53,685
>> great question.

818
00:29:59,126 --> 00:30:01,526
Mostly for these first

819
00:30:03,310 --> 00:30:05,431
categories, 1-a, 1-b, 1-c.

820
00:30:07,201 --> 00:30:09,601
It will be hospitals.

821
00:30:09,670 --> 00:30:10,605
And medical centers.

822
00:30:10,605 --> 00:30:13,500
Then pharmacies will most

823
00:30:13,607 --> 00:30:15,276
likely do it and maybe some

824
00:30:15,276 --> 00:30:16,277
physician or nurse

825
00:30:16,277 --> 00:30:17,678
practitioner offices, it will

826
00:30:17,678 --> 00:30:20,678
be so easy by then.

827
00:30:21,783 --> 00:30:23,718
The first set of vaccines, I

828
00:30:23,718 --> 00:30:27,221
don't want to take up too

829
00:30:27,221 --> 00:30:28,890
much time but they are harder

830
00:30:28,890 --> 00:30:30,890
because they are

831
00:30:31,225 --> 00:30:33,225
temperature-sensive but the

832
00:30:34,762 --> 00:30:37,162
johnson and johnson and

833
00:30:38,990 --> 00:30:40,499
astrazeneca aren't as low.

834
00:30:40,668 --> 00:30:41,235
>> Chair Dela Cruz: any other

835
00:30:41,235 --> 00:30:41,702
questions?

836
00:30:41,702 --> 00:30:42,770
If not.

837
00:30:42,770 --> 00:30:44,138
Thank you.

838
00:30:44,138 --> 00:30:46,138
Happy new year.

839
00:31:01,656 --> 00:31:04,656
>> thank you, happy new year.