Budgeting and Appropriations | Biennial enactment of two 12-month budgets; fiscal year begins July 1. |
Bonding or Pay-as-You-Go | Combination of bonding and pay-as-you-go financing |
State-Level Funding Provided for DOT Budgets | FY 2011 (approved): $1.23 billion |
Allocation of Federal Transportation Funds to the DOT | Federal transportation funds are allocated by state legislative appropriations at the agency level, the program or category level, and for specific projects. The Legislature also approves a DOT transportation plan. The DOT, via a budget proviso, is allowed to increase federal appropriation ceilings when the Legislature is not in session, thus effectively allowing federal funds to flow directly to Hawaii's DOT from the U.S. DOT during the interim. All such actions, however, must be reported to the Legislature with details about why the appropriation was not sought during the normal legislative budgeting cycle. |
Allocation of State Transportation Funds to the DOT | State transportation funds are allocated by direct flow from revenue sources to the DOT with no legislative involvement; state legislative appropriations at the agency, program/category and project-specific level; and legislative approval of a DOT transportation plan. |
Traditional State Funding and Finance for Highways | Fuel taxes; motor vehicle/rental car sales taxes; vehicle registration/license/title fees; state vehicle weight tax; revenue bonds. |
State Funding and Finance for Other Modes | Aviation: Consolidated facility charge; passenger facility charge; concession fees. Ports: Moorage, rental fees, tariffs, dockage, wharfage, demurrage, pipeline tolls and others. Transit and rail are funded at the county level. |
Innovative Transportation Funding and Finance | Design-build (used but not specifically authorized in statute); impact fees; advance construction; toll credits or "soft match." |
Dedicated/Restricted State Funds and Revenues | The State Highway Fund receives revenues from several sources, including the state fuel tax. Expen-ditures from the fund are statutorily restricted to highways, roads, bikeways and-for vehicle weight tax revenues-transit and certain other transportation-related purposes (Hawaii Rev. Stat. §248-9 and §249-18). The passenger facility charge special fund must be used for airport capital improvement program projects (Hawaii Rev. Stat. §261-5.5), and the rental motor vehicle customer facility charge special fund for rental motor vehicle customer facilities at state airports (Hawaii Rev. Stat. §261-5.6). Aviation fuel tax revenues are deposited in the Airport Revenue Fund, which is restricted to aeronautics purposes (Hawaii Rev. Stat. §248-8, §261-5). The Boating Special Fund, supported by boating fuel tax revenues, funds the statewide comprehensive boating program (Hawaii Rev. Stat. §200-8 and §248-8). |
DOT Authorized to Retain Surplus Funds | Yes, inasmuch as all excess funds are retained by the respective DOT division. Funds, however, can be authorized for other purposes only via legislative appropriation unless budget proviso flexibility provisions apply. |
Legislative Approval Required to Move Funds Between Projects | Yes. Budget provisos allow for DOT flexibility to transfer funds for existing projects when the Legislature is not in session, provided that all transfers are reported in detail to the Legislature. Unless otherwise indicated as part of a lump sum appropriation, funding must be reappropriated in the following year's budget acted for new projects. |
Transportation Funding Allocations through Local Aid | The state allocates transportation funds to local entities through state legislative appropriations. Also, a temporary 0.5 percent state general excise tax in one county has been authorized for the development of a fixed rail system, which will be implemented at the county level. |