Not exactly. a billion dollars over a billion dollars sitting there and every year we get more CIP we get more laps more laps and we have all these projects sitting a billion dollars worth of projects sitting there because it's too expensive to to build because the money that was allocated has the the costs have increased. So what is DOE going to do about that? Those are the things that I want you to focus on. Yeah. What are you going to do about that? not necessarily building and construction, but what are you gonna do about all all of that dollars and every year getting asking for more and more CIP and more and more backlogs. Thank you. Thank you, Senator. Could you kind of educate me on that basis? I didn't know about I thought basically when they use spray from DAG that was completely the whole the whole now you're telling me so I mean I mean I've been out of this building for 15 years so you know I'm just concentrating but the realism is exactly what you said and I appreciate what uh senator court meant you know did you look at it you know I would just look at more on the perfect cursorary to see what can be done I haven't really dig deep as far as where is the uh problem where do we look at how Do we cooperate not knowing how the agency is split and how is the correlation or you might say feel of field of challenge you might say you know call members to meet with us beforehand.
So just just to the Senator Hashimoto and well I appreciate Senator Hashimoto reaching out to me and uh the chair Kanani. I just found out just a couple of days ago about this this hearing. Can I just comment? You know, um, you know, I I'm really concerned at your lack of preparation to come to this committee without knowing just the basics of where information is gathered. Uh, being a former legislator, I would think that you would have the knowledge to be able to at least do your homework, come in a little bit more prepared. Um, and you've mentioned multiple times that, you know, you're coming in with fresh eyes. We don't need fresh eyes. We need experienced eyes. We need eyes that know uh where things can get done short term and know where it can get done long term. Um I did not uh get a email or a phone call from you asking to share about what your thoughts were in this position.
Um so so I appreciate you being here. Um, I I'm I'm again uh thankful for your opportunity, your willingness to serve, but you know, I'm I'm just not sure that you're taking this seriously because you're coming in from the Senate. You've been in this building before. You know how it works. You know that this is going to be a committee that's probably going to ask you hard questions. Um, for you to say that you are kind of like a get hired for the job person and then you're going to start to do the work, that's unacceptable. you are going to be a part of a department that parents are not feeling secure. Uh whether that be in the truency rates are increasing exponentially. Uh you have uh buses that have been cancelled primarily in my district which has contributed to the try rates. You have facilities yes that are lacking.
Uh but there is more than just the facilities. Um there's the curriculum. you have high schoolers in my district that are graduating with third grade reading level. Okay. So, um again, I see that you have a very impressive resume. Um and maybe if this was for a different position that I would feel compelled or even more um impressed to probably see this thing through. But right now, you're coming in at a time where the department is really needing to strengthen itself, especially its trust with the community. And right now, just with you saying that you didn't do any research, you you you didn't know that there was a separation of departments, I I I I have a hard time believing that you don't have the knowledge from being a former representative to be able to at least make the necessary phone calls, at least reach out to the committee members and say, "Hey, this is something that I just got a call on, but I'm passionate about it.
This is something that I want to do." And so for me, I I I'm seeing a lack of um desire to be here. As you said, you just got the call a couple days ago. Um and even if that were the case, I would expect somebody um with your background and with your knowledge here in the building to know what that means and to be able to come in here prepared. So, I'm not sure where things might be falling through the cracks, but I am really concerned um that that I I I I'm just I'm just really concerned. Um so, I'll just I'll just leave it at that. Chair, sorry. I just wanted to make that comment that we we really have to start getting qualified people to serve on this board to be able to keep the department accountable and to make sure that things are moving forward.
So, thank you very much, Chair Senator. Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you. Thanks, Mr. Muay for being here. You know, I I think it's great that you're very much interested in facilities. I I think what I'm trying to figure out is your statement that you didn't look into, you know, projects with with Senator Decort. Yeah, when we talked yesterday, one of the first things you told me was that the Department of Educ or the the legislature shouldn't be line iteming items and that we need to go support the DOE in their lump sums. And so, but so then that indicates to me that you actually did hear things about what's going on at the DOE and you should have formed an opinion to come to that conclusion. Yet, you're coming here today and telling us that you you haven't looked into projects.
So, I'm just trying to figure out what is it? Which one is it? are are do you know what's going on or are you going to look at it after you're confirmed? Because I think it's really important to understand where you actually stand because I'm I'm concerned that you're you came to me and said we need to support lump sums and then all of a sudden you're saying okay we're okay with line items but I don't know it it depends on what audience you're you're talking to but I I need to know what exactly is your position you know Senator Hos thank you very much thank you for having me yesterday I've been talking to Jango they're basically going on lump sum so that's the reason why I brought it up I mean what I'm saying light on each of the senators legislators also represent have line item uh things they need for their district.
That's what I mentioned, you know. It it it just said I didn't know about that DAX took care of uh neighbor islands. I thought, you know, D was handling everything, you know. So, I didn't know that. I mean, to me, yeah, shame on myself for not really digging deeper, but I was just looking at more on that end to bring forward what I see was a problem. That's all. I mean, as far as the party one and two, yes, I need to get involved in those to see what's out there. I mean talking to the different principles and everything else. I just need to make sure that their concern is met and also the concerns of the legislators like you, the senators and the house because you are basically the one are the policy makers to make things work and we are just basically an extension of your arm to see that everything is carried out and basically on our side we have to be upright forright to give you the proper information as we go forward and because you are the governing body for us to administer.
So, so what is it? Are you for line items or are you for lump sum as legislators you guys been lying on? Because I was looking at the way that the university did theirs. So, I'm looking at more on the lump sum. So, that way that way the money don't get expired or Okay. So, then it does it conflicts with your original statement that legislators are looking at the DOE asking where's my project? What what is happening to it? So, how do we reconciliate those two statements of us making sure that we get what we want for our community or what the community is desiring for their own community? We're the we're the conduits for that and you said that was the problem and then that's not happening. So then how do we ensure that that's going to happen if we have a lump sum?
Well, I need to go talk to the people in charge and facilities on our side. I mean on not my side on DOE. I need to see where the structure form is. I hear what you're saying. I mean I need to go because you get some new people on board on the facility side. I need to see where do you go? What's the track record what is their strategic plan? What the progress to come out? I need to see what is their formula to do things. I'm just mentioning what I I've been talking to uh with Jangoville. That's what you mentioned and basically I know for us before we just took a line item for us to make a request and hoping that the uh the forebears which is DOE or DAGs DAGs at that time to carry out your mission that that that this thing is built.
Okay. Well, I guess I guess all we want to know is where you stand on the issue and and so when you go all around and and you know confusing what the issue is, I think it's hard for us to really understand what we're voting for, right? And I think well if you want to look at this way if the representative would be a line item you know I mean I mean the question is you're asking line item or lumpsum right I'm just worried about the money doesn't get left okay so so you're not taking a position now you you're just saying oh because basically the money that's allocated but it's a banual budget it's either for two years it can be taken away if if there's no productive T or we got in a project. Okay. So, so now we're disregarding what the community needs though because it's just up to I'm not saying we're disregarding what the community need.
It just made it a process what the DO is doing right now. I mean the point is that the projects are not coming out on a timely matter, right? I think that's what I'm getting at because I cannot look because monies are allocated by your your fiscal year and your biou is the will of the legislature to take it out or or or continue to the next year. Right. So that's what I'm getting at. I mean, maybe I never answer your question, but I'm just saying that somehow the money got to be there for them to carry on because it it takes more than two years to get a project moving, right? But how do how do then we ensure that the projects are going to the places that we need it to go and what role does a legislature have in that? Well, first of all, we have to look at a structure with DOE, with the new people on board to see where it going.
I need I mean I need to see what is what was their process and method what they've been doing because it seems like it doesn't work. Okay. Well I mean it I really haven't chance to talk to the people who handles this. All I know we have a problem. It's just that you know for us on a public sector side private sector side you know we have a process you know it take one or two years for design then you have permitting then construction everything else. But so the question is I'm just worried that the money will last and the money will be pulled out because depending what happened during the session depending on our criteria or what I just want to make sure that the money doesn't cover to do your project it stays there you know I'm just I'm just okay okay yeah I think you're confusing it more but you know as long as you know I I think what I'm trying to understand is where your concept is your framework going into it I think it's it's a little murky but let's move on So what what is your understanding of how you know as we talked about that facilities OPFO is more than just facilities.
What is your take on what where we are with school lunches? School lunches I mean I know we we try to do from farm to school that didn't work out. I mean to me on lunches we we need to have a better way of facilities for them to have good good lunches and also economically. I mean the question is depending where the school either like some schools they have cafeterias where they have a feeder school where the lunches goes but we have to get nutritious school nutritious lunches and if we want to go back to farmtot that'll be nice but you know we like to see that instead of so are you aware that the DOE is not following the legislative mandate on how much we charge for school lunches? Yes. And so so what do you think the board should do about that? huddle and do something about it.
Are you aware that the your your deputy superintendent of the department of education came in recently and said there is no plan for the board of education to move forward? I don't know about that. I was pointing. So what what do you think should happen? He's basically listening to what the legislator is saying. So so so the the department's view is that we better change the law so it complies with what you guys the department is charging. Do you think that's sufficient and that do you think that's the best way to plan moving forward? No, it's it's not the way to plan because it uh the UAE comes in asking for that. It has to be a mutual agreement, you know, as as policy makers, we have make sure that who benefits is the kids, you know. Okay. So, so what would what will you do about this kind of thing if you're on the board of education?
I would basically work collectively with the rest of our board members to see what is the ultimate results and work with the stakeholders at the legislators to see what is a good compromise to do it right. Okay. And if you're not following a legislative statute then what is the role of the board of education? If we're not then we have to find out what why we're not. I mean the key is that if we come to an agreement or make a compromise and we're not following there's something wrong with that system. Okay. Okay. So, you're going to you're going to look into that if you get confirmed. Yeah. Okay. I mean, basically, it's a collective effort with the rest of the board. I'm just going to be one out of the uh Yeah. You you have the legislative experience, you and the chair, right? Yeah.
But the point I'm saying that we it's a collective board where everybody has to compromise or agree upon and provide the pros and cons. That's what I'm getting. It's more of a discussion, a heavy discussion, and we have to look at and tell the scenarios. If you do this way, what's going to happen? you do the other what's going to happen there's not a perfect world we just need to have a thoroughly thorough discussion and basically what it benefits is our kikis and the parents you know ultimately we have to work to see what is that I mean there's no right or wrong it's more how do we collaborate where's the compromise point everybody has their point what they want to do you know I'm looking at more for us as a board to be collectively but work with you guys we are here to agree or disagree, but a point I'm getting that at least we know where we stand and if there's a compromise, so be it.
You know what I mean? So, so all I wanted to hear from you is that there will be you will commit to creating a plan to figure out what needs to happen in that arena, right? And I think that should be the top of mind of what you should be going and basically with your fellow members. What you say right now? Yes. Affirmative. Okay. Thank you, chair. Thank you. Sorry, I just have one more problem. Um, Mike, uh, and excuse me for being brushed, but, uh, did you have the intention of coming to this committee and just breezing through, getting the votes, move on, get on the board? You're trying to determine your level of seriousness here. No, because my colleagues are asking you questions and it doesn't seem as though you have direct answers where we are looking to put somebody in this position that has already a plan in place.
You already know you have an advantage being an elected official prior to this. So you somewhat know how um the policies and legislature works and things like that. So you do have an advantage. I would think that you would take that as the advantage to help bring the real time execution of projects, plans, and solutions that we need here. So, um my my question to you is did you come to this committee with the intention that you were going to breeze through, get the votes, go to the floor, get the votes, and be a member of the board? Senator, it's a good question. The answer to you is flat no. Okay. The reason why I'm having a hard time because the reason why I'm telling you as we get older we and we get prosperous vertically like I mentioned about the rights bill I'm giving back okay I'm giving back whatever I have work and because anything in life is always people connection people you meet how you can help them I'm not turning my cheek because somebody needs help I tell you about some of the nonprofit organization I'm helping right now why would I help them we're not looking for somebody to give back if we needed that we would have hired philanthropist.
We're looking for somebody to be a member of the board that will hold the superintendent's office accountable to make sure that when it comes to the legislature and then the department of education that these two are aligning. So, and so that's why again my concern is is that you didn't prepare for this meeting and you didn't prepare for the questioning that you would have had on the board. So my only other logical thought is that you thought you were going to come in and just breeze through it. Senator a flat no. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you, chair. No question. He says reconvening the committee on education. We are going to GM on GM761 to advise and consent on Deanna Dolier for the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board and GM774. Also for the uh board of education gubernatorial nominee Wesley Low and GM776 for board of education for nominee Sylvia Lee and on GM775 we are going to defer on GM 775.