THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

178

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO PROVIDE AN IN-DEPTH AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE HAWAII HOUSING AND CONSERVATION TRUST FUND.

 

 

WHEREAS, H.B. No. 2818 and S.B. No. 115 (2004), establish the Hawaii Housing and Conservation Trust Fund; and

WHEREAS, one of the objectives of the proposed Trust Fund is to provide affordable housing in Hawaii which has been severely depleted of late because the booming sellers' housing market has increased the median cost of a home to a record all-time high; and

WHEREAS, the Trust Fund's other objective is to conserve and protect important agricultural lands and historic properties; and

WHEREAS, section 23-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires the Auditor to analyze new funds like the Trust Fund; and

WHEREAS, the Auditor uses the following criteria in analyzing funds:

(1) Whether there is a clear link between the benefit sought and the changes made upon users or beneficiaries of the programs as opposed to providing the programs with an automatic means of support; and

(2) Whether the fund has the capacity to be self-sustaining; and

WHEREAS, both measures have been deferred by their respective houses of the Legislature, in part because of the Auditor's unfavorable analysis of both bills; and

WHEREAS, the Auditor's analysis dated February 13, 2004, found no linkage between the Trust Fund's revenue sources and the benefits sought and insufficient information to determine the self-sustainability criterion with respect to the Trust Fund; and

WHEREAS, the Auditor's analysis lacks specificity and without a better explanation by the Auditor, it is difficult to understand why the Trust Fund does not meet the Auditor's criteria; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Auditor is requested to provide a more in-depth and critical analysis of the Hawaii Housing and Conservation Trust Fund; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to provide and explain specific reasons as to why the Auditor believes there is no linkage between the Trust Fund and the benefits the Trust Fund seeks; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to include in the Auditor's analysis, recommendations as to how H.B. No. 2818 or S.B. No. 3115 may be modified in order to fulfill the linkage and self-sustainability criteria; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Housing and Community Development Corporation and the Department of Taxation are requested to assist the Auditor with data and expertise to address the self-sustainability criterion; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor, the Chairperson of the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii, and the Director of Taxation.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Requests the State Auditor to provide a more in-depth and critical analysis of the Hawaii Housing and Conservation Trust Fund.