As Vice-Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Senator Kidani has been responsible for making important decisions on capital improvement projects throughout the state. With the state’s limited financial resources, it was necessary to give priority to projects that were deemed essential to health and safety of the communities. Priority was also given to "shovel-ready" projects ready for implementation to help create jobs for Hawaii residents, while also improving the welfare of those in the community. ​

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Senator Kidani secured funding for key projects listed below:​
 

 

Transportation
 

•     $4.0 million for Rockfall Mitigation along Kamehameha Highway in Mililani. (New Appropriation-2014)

 

•     $38 million for PM Contraflow Improvements for the H1 Freeway. ($8 million State funds/$30 million matching Federal funds) (Initial construction phase nearly complete. (New Appropriation-2014)

 

•     $7.3 million to convert the Kipapa Gulch Bridge from a two-lane to a four-lane bridge, including bike paths. (Project is in design phase. Expected to cost $200 million. Estimated completion is 2020)

 

•     $3 million for sidewalks along Kamehameha Highway from Lanikuhana Ave to Meheula Parkway. (In Design Phase. Project to be completed by 2016)

 

•     $15 million for an extension of Kualakai Parkway to ease traffic in Leeward Oahu. ($3 million State funds/$12 million matching Federal funds) (In Design Phase. Project to be completed by 2017)
   

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Public Education
 

•     $2.5 million to install synthetic turf and field improvements at Mililani High School. (Project Complete)

 

•     $750K to install new bleachers at Mililani High School. (In Design Phase. Project to be completed by 2015)

 

•     $6.5 million for planning, design and construction to install synthetic turf, widen track to eight lanes, rebuild tennis courts and other athletic improvements for Waipahu High School. (Planning and design is complete, construction to start end of 2014)

 

•     $3.2 million for planning, design and construction for electrical upgrades and to design a new classroom building at Waipahu High School. (Planning and design is underway. Project to be completed by 2016)

 

 

•     $2.5 million for a covered play court at Mililani Middle School. (Project Complete)

 

•     $250K for parking lot resurfacing at Mililani Middle School. (New Appropriation)

 

•     $75K for playground equipment at Mililani Uka Elementary School. (Project Complete)

 

•     $900K for electrical improvements to Kanoelani Elementary.  (Project Complete)

 

•     $1.075 million for electrical upgrades and a 2nd evacuation ramp for Kalieopuu Elementary.  (Project to finish in 2015)

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•     $21.4 million allocation will allow construction to begin for a 15-classroom building to accommodate the large student enrollment at Mililani Middle School. 

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•     $5 million for planning, design, construction and equipment for a girls athletics locker room at Mililani High School.  

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•     $20.5 million for a new classroom building at Waipahu High School. 

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•     $650,000 for renovation and expansion of the school cafeteria at Kaleiopu`u Elementary. 

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•     $300,000 to increase the capacity of the cafeteria at Kanoelani Elementary. 

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•     $1.5 million for a portable restroom building for first graders at Mililani Uka Elementary. 

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•     $5 million for renovation and other construction at the campus center and library at UH West Oahu. 

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•     $325,000 for design, construction and equipment for a new bell and PA system at Mililani Ike Elementary.

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•     $1.5 million for planning and design of a new portable restroom building for first-graders at Mililani Uka Elementary.

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Higher Education
 

•    $28 million for a new Allied Health and Administration Building at UH West-Oahu. (New Appropriation)

 

•    $7.0 million for construction to renovate the theatre at Leeward Community College. (Project to be completed in 2016

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•    $2.0 million for planning and design of a new Hawaiian Studies Facility at Leeward Community College. (Project to be       completed in 2016)
   

•    $19 million for a new Education and Innovation Building for Leeward Community College. This will ensure a dedicated facility to create more opportunities for local students to stay and teach here in Hawai’i. (Project complete)

 

•   Over $5 million for the UH-West Oahu Campus to create an additional access road and to design a Creative Media Facility, which will increase course offerings. (Projects will start end of 2012, beginning of 2013)

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•   More than $900,000 for incentive bonuses for teachers who commit to hard-to staff campuses.

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•   $400,000 in scholarship stipends for the UH College of Education/DOE Grow Our Own partnership that supports DOE substitute teachers, Education Assistants and emergency hires who wish to earn their teacher licenses.

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•   $1.1 million for an Alternative Teacher Certification Program for contract hire teachers, primarily from Teach For America.

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•   Alternative Learning Centers for at-risk students - like the Storefront school in Wahiawa under Director Colette Kajiwara and the program at Olomana School in Windward Oahu - will receive $4.5 million, with a new Center to be built to serve the Nanakuli/Waianae area.

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•   $500,000 is allocated for Early College programs for high school students statewide and another $500,000 will go to support English Language Learners.

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•   $850,000 will assist school athletic teams when they travel for competitive events.

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•   Over $33 million has been awarded to Kiewit Building Group to begin construction of the new Academy for Creative Media Center on the Kapolei campus. It would support the University’s programs in media – TV, film, storytelling, digital media production including web and video game design, and perhaps other applications.  (Project in design phase, with completion expected in mid-2020)

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Health and Human Services/Public Safety

 

• $3.85 million for a new Central Oahu Ambulance facility. (Project in design phase, to be completed 2015)

 

• $11 million to purchase land for a First Responders Technology Center in Central Oahu. This will bring all agencies under one roof in the event of a man-made or natural disaster. (New Appropriation)

 

• $5 million for repairs and maintenance of the Waiahole Ditch Irrigation Ssytem. (Project in construction phase, to be completed 2016)

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• $3.8 million for Kupuna Care programs and $1.2 million for the Kupuna Caregivers fund.

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• $7.1 million is allocated to increase payments to foster caregivers.

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Homelessness

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• $34.7 million for `ohana zone homeless living areas, medical services to the homeless and for statewide coordination of these and other programs.

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• ​$200,000 grant-in-aid for ALEA Bridge, the non -profit organization based in Wahiawa that provides services to the homeless in Central Oahu (Mililani-Wahiawa-North Shore) as they move forward to build a new central office facility on Mango Street in Wahiawa.

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Affordable Housing

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• $200 million is allocated in the budget for the rental housing trust fund and an additional $10 million for the dwelling unit revolving fund.

 

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Grants
 

• In addition, the Senate Ways & Means Committee also appropriated $30 million for grants-in-aid to nonprofit organization organizations for facilities improvement and expansion. Recipients include the Oahu Veterans Center, the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu, and others. Such assistance is vital, as these nonprofit organizations continue to provide valuable services to Hawaii’s families.

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• $125 million in immediate emergency relief funding for residents of Kauai and East Oahu who suffered property damage and losses due to catastrophic flooding.

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