STATEMENT BY COUNCILMEMBER ANDRIA TUPOLA

“Regarding recent discussions surrounding funding for the Office of Economic Revitalization (OER) and the Mayor's veto, I want to clarify that my concerns regarding OER did not begin during the budget process and were never about eliminating the office. In April, I formally shared my concerns with the administration, acknowledging OER's support for small businesses and entrepreneurs while expressing concern that the office was not fully operating in the strategic role it was created to fulfill. I sent a letter to the administration, but I did not receive a response. I still haven't seen a strategic plan or heard how these issues would be addressed. Without a clear path forward, I couldn't justify maintaining the office at its current staffing level.

OER was established to be the City's economic strategy office. Its role should be to set economic strategy, coordinate departments, remove barriers to doing business, and improve the business climate for all 37,000 small businesses and more than 1,000 farms on Oʻahu. Instead, the independent audit found that OER had substantially advanced only a small portion of its Charter responsibilities, and the UHERO report raised many of the same concerns about the office's strategic direction. That is the problem the Council has been trying to address. Additionally, recent fraud allegations involving a former OER employee further underscore the importance of strong oversight and internal controls throughout government. These allegations are serious, and every individual is entitled to due process. I look forward to hearing the administration's plan to restore public confidence and accountability in OER.

The Mayor's veto message repeatedly characterizes the Council as misguided, irresponsible, and politically motivated. I respectfully disagree. I believe the more productive conversation is not about criticizing the Council, but about acknowledging the concerns identified through the audit, responding to legitimate questions that have been raised, and presenting a clear plan to strengthen OER moving forward. Leadership is not measured by how strongly we defend the government. Leadership is measured by how honestly we acknowledge challenges and how effectively we solve them. At a time when families are struggling with housing costs, homelessness, public safety concerns, aging infrastructure, and the rising cost of living, the public expects its government to be effective, transparent, and accountable. That is exactly what the Council's oversight role is intended to ensure.

As the Council considers the Mayor's veto, I hope the conversation shifts from defending the status quo to addressing the concerns that have been raised. I look forward to hearing a clear plan for how the Administration intends to strengthen OER, fulfill its Charter responsibilities, and respond to the findings of the independent audit. That's the conversation I believe the people of Oʻahu deserve.” Vice-Chair Andria Tupola