Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi has vetoed parts of the city budget to restore funding to the city’s Office of Economic Revitalization, but the Honolulu City Council may decide to override that action.
The council slashed funding for OER when it passed the city’s $5 billion budget earlier this month. Citing a recent city audit criticizing the office’s performance in improving Oʻahu’s economy, the council cut about 20 staff and $2 million from OER’s budget.
The office was established in 2020 by the council to help Oʻahu respond to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also given a long-term task to facilitate the island’s economic development…