Honolulu – House Republicans said today that the Legislature won't be able to properly address its budget issues until everyone is working with the right numbers. Republicans said Governor Cayetano's statement that the state's operating budget grew by only 1% (1995-2000) is misleading because the growth from fiscal year 1995 to fiscal year 2003 is projected to be 48%.

"Until everyone is on the same page, then 'cooking the books' becomes an apt term," said Rep Galen Fox, House Republican Leader. "We show the biannual operating budget going from $10.6 billion to $15.6 billion during Governor Cayetano's time. That's a 48 percent increase, not one percent (for 1995-2000). Furthermore, what do we have to show for this massive amount of spending? The answer is not better jobs and a better economy, which is what we need because we lost 11,000 jobs after Sept. 11^th."

Republicans said the Legislative Analyst position that has been authorized for several years, but not funded, is needed now. The analyst would provide both Democrat and Republican legislators with the information needed to pass properly balanced budgets. "We are information-deprived when it comes to proper budgeting, and it results in waste and mismanagement the Legislature is powerless to deal with." said Rep Charles Djou, (R-Kaneohe) Finance Committee member.

As evidence of this, Representative Mark Moses (R, Kapolei, Ewa Village, and Village Park) asserted, " The Felix Consent Decree hearings illustrate that government spending can be terribly wasteful. A Legislative analyst would help guarantee the integrity of spending and other actions that State Government might undertake." He also said that this would enable the general public to benefit from more open and free access to budget information.

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