Budget Veto Override

At a glance

What: Mayor Blangiardi vetoed certain line items of Bill 22 (2026), CD2, FD1 (Ordinance 26-18), the operating budget for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (Mayor's Message 85, June 23, 2026). The vetoes restored funding and positions the Council had removed, chiefly for the Office of Economic Revitalization (OER).
Outcome: on July 8, 2026 the Council passed the bill on final reading over the veto on all lined items, 6-2. Aye: Cordero, Kiaʻāina, Nishimoto, Okimoto, Tupola, Waters. No: Dos Santos-Tam, Weyer. Tulba absent.
Motion: Tupola moved, Okimoto seconded. A recess ran 12:59 to 1:12 p.m. with six members present.

Separation of powers: Nishimoto and Waters said the Charter lets the Mayor reduce or strike appropriations but not add them, so the veto overstepped. Okimoto agreed.
Audit: Okimoto said the audit found OER met five of eight Charter objectives and never produced the required long-term strategic plan; she called the Council action a restructuring, not an elimination, keeping key positions while a post-COVID plan is developed. Tupola and Kiaʻāina praised OER's work but wanted stronger leadership and strategic planning.
Against: Dos Santos-Tam said cutting OER would reduce support for small businesses, underserved communities and disaster recovery and voted against the override. Weyer worried about frontline staff and welcomed the administration's willingness to refine OER's plan.

At the veto message, Josh Wish of the Holomua Collaborative, Kefalas and Young of CARES testified in support, and Sherry Menor of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock of the Chinatown Business and Community Association gave general comment, as did Achiu and Don Shaw.
At final reading, Shubert-Kwock, Don Shaw and Billionaire opposed the override; Wish, Jayaram (then Managing Director designate), Amy Asselbaye (OER executive director), Achiu, Karl Dicks and Young gave general comment.

City Council journal (minutes), regular meeting of July 8, 2026 (adopted August 12, 2026): https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/document-download?id=28796

Mayor's Message 85 entered into the journal; final reading passed over the veto, 6-2.