Honolulu City Council amends capital budget to restore Waianae police station funding

The Honolulu City Council on the evening docket amended Bill 23 (CD2) to an FD1 that appropriates $1,200,000,000 for the executive capital budget and reinserts funding for the Waianae Police Station, Council member Tupelo moved and the Council approved the amendment by roll call.

The amendment matters because it restores a $1,700,000 line for project number 1995009 (Waianae Police Station improvements) that had been removed; Council members said the item was reinserted to allow completion of the project after a bid protest. Public commenters from the Waianae/West Side urged approval, saying the appropriation would aid public safety and community organizing.

Council member Tupelo introduced the motion on the record: "I move that we amend bill 23 c d 2 to an f d 1." The clerk confirmed the Office of Council Services (OCS) reference for the draft as OCS2025-0500\/6\/4\/2025 (time stamp 05:36PM). The motion was seconded (recorded verbally in the transcript as "I seconded it").

Tupelo summarized the amendment: "This appropriates 1,200,000,000.0 for the executive capital budget and makes substantive changes which are noted in bold text ... It's on page 8, project number 1995009. Waianae Police station improvements, 1,700,000.0, and this is due to a bid protest, and we're going to reinsert it so that we can finish the project." That explanation was followed by two members of the public who spoke in favor.

A public testifier said, "I wanna approve the amendments, of course, for 1 night ... so we can get the thing forward and moving through," expressing support for moving the budget forward. Another speaker, Austin Salcedo, testified in support, saying the appropriation had been "long overdue for our community" and thanking the councilmember who pushed for it. Angela Melody Young, testifying on behalf of CARES, said, "Without a police station, this community is still coming together, to support the West Side," and urged appropriation so the district could continue organizing and addressing safety concerns.

During public comment, Tara Rojas asked whether pockets of vacancy savings or cash could be used to reduce proposed sewer costs and requested follow‑up about next steps; a council member replied that the membership was not prepared to direct Budget and Fiscal Services to use cash instead of revenue bonds at that time.

After the public testimony and brief discussion, the council waived the 48‑hour notice requirement under Council Rule 19(g) by unanimous voice and adopted the amendment on roll call. The clerk recorded "there are 9 ayes," and the record note CR185 was filed as the adoption of the bill: "CR185 has been adopted in bill 23. CD 2. FD 1 has passed third reading."

The action returns the Waianae Police Station appropriation to the capital budget and advances Bill 23 to final adoption; the transcript shows community members asked for further details about related sewer funding and financing options but no formal direction to staff on that question was adopted during this item.