Budget committee advances HART operating and CIP budgets, bond issuance, legislative budget and property tax rate to public hearing

The Honolulu City Committee on Budget on Tuesday reported out five measures — the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) operating budget and capital improvement program (CIP), issuance and sale of general obligation bonds, the council's legislative budget, and a proposed real property tax rate for fiscal year 2026 — for second reading and scheduling of public hearings.

The measures were advanced after brief public testimony and without recorded roll-call votes; the chair recommended each measure be "reported out for second reading and scheduling of a public hearing," members registered no objections, and each measure was marked as passed by the committee.

Natalie Iwasa, speaking in her individual capacity, testified on multiple items. On Bill 26, the HART operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026, Iwasa said members should monitor an active state measure, SB 934 SD2 HD1, which she said had been amended to add conditions that could be infeasible under the city’s current full funding grant agreement. "I just wanted to alert you to this," she said, adding that the bill "does have a defective date" and that the committee…