For residents who want to have their say in how their tax dollars are spent, the opportunity is rolling into town. Maui County is inviting the community to participate in a series of budget meetings designed to gather public input for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2027 budget. These sessions are aimed at understanding local priorities and are part of a more extensive effort by Mayor Richard Bissen and his administration to reach out across the county.
The series of community budget meetings will potentially allow residents to directly influence where funding should be allocated. Scheduled for next week, these meetings are a follow-up to the sessions already held in Lānaʻi, West Maui, South Maui, and East Maui – Hāna. According to Maui County News, the upcoming Central Maui meeting will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku. To swiftly follow, Upcountry's meeting is on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani, and Pāʻia-Haʻikū's gathering is set for Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Pāʻia Community Center. Molokaʻi will host its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Mitchell Pauʻole Community Center in Kaunakakai.
These public meetings are just one avenue to voice opinions. Residents who cannot attend in person can still participate in the budgetary process. They can opt to submit their thoughts and requests via a Budget Request Form, available on Maui County's website. Moreover, the meetings will be broadcast on the County of Maui Facebook page, allowing for remote viewing for those who prefer or need to stay digital.
For those choosing to voice their suggestions in person, both written and verbal comments will be welcome at the meetings. These local forums represent a crucial chance for the community to actively engage with its leadership and to help shape how their community is going to function in the upcoming year. The series is a democratic process, endeavoring to transparently forge a financial path that resonates with the needs and wishes of Maui's residents.
