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Council committee advances Andrew T. Kawano nomination after wide-ranging budget and operations Q&A
Summary
The Honolulu Council Budget Committee reported the nomination of Andrew T. Kawano as director of Budget and Fiscal Services out for adoption after a confirmation hearing that covered procurement reform, pandemic relief spending, potential department consolidations, federal-funding risks and planned sewer-rate increases.
Andrew T. Kawano, the director designate for the city’s Department of Budget and Fiscal Services, answered questions from the Council Budget Committee on his record and priorities and the committee recommended his confirmation for adoption.
Kawano told the committee he worked to “get up to speed” on governmental finance after joining the administration and credited his team with implementing pandemic-era relief, including what he described as a rent-and-utility relief program that “paid upwards of $300,000,000” to help residents remain in their homes. He also cited the city’s use of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) and other federal funds, and said the administration set controls and review committees to get funds out quickly while trying to meet regulatory requirements.
The committee’s questioning ranged across operational and fiscal topics. Kawano described an ongoing purchasing improvement initiative begun in mid‑2024 that aims to shorten…
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