Committee advances Krishna Jayaram nomination as managing director after questions on revenue and rail

Krishna Jayaram, nominated to be managing director for the City and County of Honolulu, spoke briefly to the Committee on International Legal Affairs and answered questions about revenue generation, transit planning and administrative follow‑through before the committee voted to report his confirmation to the full council for adoption.

Jayaram told the committee he is “deeply grateful to the mayor for his trust and confidence” and welcomed the opportunity to answer members’ questions. He said the administration seeks to avoid tax increases where possible while using under‑utilized tools, noting that “Councilmember Cordero championed the sponsorship bill last year” but that departments have not taken full advantage of sponsorships and similar revenue opportunities.

Council Chair Tommy Waters and other members pressed Jayaram on concrete ideas to generate revenue without raising property taxes, mentioning advertising on buses or in rail stations and naming rights for transit stations as possibilities. Waters asked whether Jayaram would lobby the Legislature for funding extensions to pay for rail extensions; Jayaram said timing and strategy are still under discussion and declined to commit to a specific financing plan.

Councilmember Tupelo raised transit‑oriented development (TOD) around rail stations and asked which department should lead coordination among HART, DTS and city planning. Tupelo also urged the managing director’s office to create a consistent follow‑up system so council requests do not get lost between meetings. Jayaram acknowledged the need for better interagency coordination and said the managing director’s office would work with departments to improve that process.

Several members voiced support for Jayaram’s experience. Councillor Burren said Jayaram had been “very efficient” in prior public work and emphasized the importance of building the city’s federal‑grant capacity and using Washington lobbyists effectively. Angela Melody Young testified in person in favor of Jayaram, calling him “an incredible team player” and saying his legal background helps anticipate disputes before they become lawsuits.

After discussion, Chair Nishimoto recommended that Resolution 26-129 be reported out for adoption; the transcript records no roll‑call tally and no recorded objections in committee. The committee then proceeded to other agenda items.

The committee’s recommendation sends the confirmation to the full Honolulu City Council for the next procedural steps.