EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS

HONOLULU

June 20, 2003

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIONS TO SENATE BILL NO. 58

Honorable Members

Twenty-Second Legislature

State of Hawaii

Pursuant to Section 16 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii, I am returning herewith, without my approval, Senate Bill No. 58, entitled "A Bill for an Act Relating to School Repair and Maintenance."

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate moneys for fiscal year 2003-2004 to support Hawaii 3R's, a Hawaii nonprofit organization, in its program to assist in the public and private efforts to repair and maintain Hawaii's public schools.

I strongly support the efforts and accomplishments of Hawaii 3R's and intend to approve the general fund appropriation in this bill of $148,688 for fiscal year 2003-2004 as a grant for Hawaii 3R's. Given the State's critical fiscal condition, this amount represents a significant commitment by the State to Hawaii 3R's and reflects our belief in the effectiveness of our partnership to improve Hawaii's public schools.

However, I object to the $51,312 general fund appropriation for fiscal year 2003-2004 to pay for a position in the Department of Accounting and General Services to coordinate the public and private efforts to repair and maintain public schools, designated in section 4 on pages 11-12 of the bill. I believe that we can assist Hawaii 3R's in a fiscally prudent manner by using existing resources to provide the needed coordination services.

Section 16 of Article III of the State Constitution provides that, "[e]xcept for items appropriated to be expended by the judicial and legislative branches, the governor may veto any specific item or items in any bill which appropriates money for specific purposes by striking out or reducing the same." Because of the foregoing objection, pursuant to my line item veto authority, I have reduced the $51,312 general fund appropriation for fiscal year 2003-2004 to pay for a position in the Department of Accounting and General Services to coordinate the public and private efforts to repair and maintain public schools (on pages 11-12) and changed it to $0.

For the foregoing reason, I am returning Senate Bill No. 58 with the reduction set forth above totaling $51,312 in general fund appropriations for fiscal year 2003-2004.

Respectfully,

LINDA LINGLE

Governor of Hawaii