we're not locked into um the details of the pamphlet are broad. Um so we might say um staffing we don't say 10 kindergarten teachers, you know, we we talk about the kindergarten program and what support can you get in the special area and so forth. So, >> and and thank you for pointing that out because I think that's very important for individuals to know that this is why we don't specifically say where exactly those dollars are going to be spent on because then we're beholdened to that. Um, a lot of people come back and say, "Well, you're just too broad. Where is my money going?" That is we just basically need the answer on why we don't specifically say certain things because then there's nothing else that we can do. We also report out in detail annually to the public every year as required by statute um what we've spent these dollars on.
Um and so, if we were to jump onto this, I I just want to make sure that that's clear on on all of this. Well, the first thing I want to say is other schools don't need option three. We only need option three because we have infants and toddlers. Other schools don't have infants and toddlers, so they fall under other vocational schools. So, they fall under chapter 74 regulations only because they don't have infants and toddlers. We only need this option because we have infants and toddlers. And so, that's why uh the request. And um I would say I would have no problems, you know, taking responsibility for this cuz you know why? We have an amazing staff. Ann Marie is a terrific director. She's really good with the staff, really good with the kids. She knows the laws inside out. She oversees her staff.
That [clears throat] makes sure that auto manufacturers have to internally adjust for their investments and pricing. If you do not have a mandate, the alternative would have been the fee. I and on the other hand, the state of California continues to provide rebate programs that are very similar to the design that has been presented in this bill. And so, I in in that in that same vein, as far as Hawaii is concerned, we've been looking at Hawaii data. 70% of Hawaii's new gas cars have a fuel efficiency of less than 30 miles per gallon and are actually costing more than 20% above uh a more efficient gas cars themselves. And so, we And the second fact is that the bill actually does not impose a penalty on all households buying gas cars. It only imposes the bill on about 40% of new gas car buyers.
So um we always are um accountable to our taxpayers to tell and show them uh when they do are gracious enough to pass these initiatives. Um we have that annual meeting uh in you know September October time frame that we roll out um exactly what the dollars were sent on. So, um I think that gives our our community confidence because we've reported that out. >> Now, who decides what goes on the voter pamphlet? Let's say we wanted to throw some dollars into early childhood if that was a possibility in conversation. How does that happen? um everything that we would discuss uh with the board we would do in some fashion we would bring in our our legal experts uh to ensure that the types of things will be eligible in that funding source. Um so if we had ideas we can schedule that time to have those conversations.
She does amazing work for us. And the work that she's did in uh doing alternative opportunities for our kids has been outstanding. So, I have no problem. Like I feel it's a not a lot of stress on my life because I have people who are doing the job, and they also have supervisors that are ex- like she has a great supervisor that's really uh does a good job with that department as well. And uh Lindsay oversees that department who's got a health background besides, so she's a great support as well. So, it's a really the program has been outstanding from the get-go, and the kids love being in it. They do a great job teaching the the high school kids and the young one and the parents were very skeptical, very nervous about having the high school. But if you talk to any of the parents today, their kids love the high school kids.
So, just to make sure that Thank you. Thank you, Aditya. Your your time is up, but I have one question for you. California uh does not have a a special fund. It's coming out of the general fund to offer a rebate to customers. Am I correct? The the the general fund is drawing from the cap and trade program that was that was highlighted by the by Abigail from Rivian. The that is a tax, and that is a carbon tax that is imposed in the state. We just are imposing that across the economy, and and we collect that money and fund the rebate program. In this case, it is much more targeted. It is just taking from gas more polluting gas cars and redistributing that to new EVs. Thank you. Thank Thanks for being with us today. Thank you. Okay, Earthjustice. Thanks [clears throat] for bearing with us, Isaac.
Um this demand how you I know that's one way we could um we could do that private meeting >> or I can put it as a future agenda item. discuss we would bring in um and also um who help us with the financial planning and the setting in tax rates on clarify any other questions or wonderings. All right, look. Seeing as we have none, thank you so much for that presentation. I appreciate it. I move the governing board adopt a resolution approving the governing board's argument in support of the special maintenance and operation budget override and district additional assistance for the right elections. May I have a second? All those in favor, does this have to be a roll call? No. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> I. Any nays?
And it's, you know, it's well run. It's well dis- in terms of oversight of uh the behavior of our students as well as the kids. So, it's a great program, and we have I don't know how many parents use it, but none of them are saying, "Oh, I don't want this. I'm not let my kids come here anymore." They are thrilled to have the program. And really eliminating the uh if we eliminated the uh toddlers and the infants, we have a lot of staff that are utilizing that service. And we opened this to support the staff, and I really want to continue to support our staff to make their lives easier. One of wonderful thing, they can drop their children off and then feel very they feel like, "Wow, what a great safe place." And they the staff, they have good relationships with the staff.
Thank you. I'm just to let you know, we're going to try to speed this up because I understand I need to get out of here. We need to get out of here by 5:00, so we'll try to hurry up. Okay, thank you, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Stand on our written testimony in strong support. We appreciate the support and collaboration of Hawaii Department of Transportation, who I believe have also submitted testimony. We have proposed amendments, and we're we're united on that. So, yeah. Uh gas cars on affordability crisis, and these gas prices right now is just the latest reminder. This is a self-funding, revenue-neutral solution to open up cleaner and cheaper options. This bill is all about affordability in its title and every single provision. Right? Now, um you know, I I I don't know if I'm going to have as much time as the auto dealers to respond to some of their points, but responding to HADA, um well, you know, this is the way we help lower-income customers.
Hearing none, the motion passes. Yay. So exciting. Thank you, board members. That brings us to 11A, which is our legislative political report. Do we have any reports? We don't have any right off. Oh, yeah. >> I'm sorry. >> No, no, no. Go ahead. uh Jim Dection council maybe I'm just confused but I thought that the motion was with respect to the board's argu over the argument but um I didn't hear a motion uh approving the election itself calling the election and so you do have two resolutions in your packet uh one for the M override. So, it is properly on your agenda. I just need to have two separate votes. >> So, I Okay. I'll move the governing board adopt um the resolution ordering the election for the DAA election 2026 general election. >> I second that. I >> move that boarding election. >> I second that.
It's going really wonderful, and so it would be a shame to shut that down. In the interest of time, we've had enough discussion on this. Just one point. Just one point. You still have the floor. >> Okay. So, I'll put the motion, but I just want it to be clear in the motion that if we are approving this, that you are the designee for the oversight for the school committee, and that we are going to get that. I'll leave it at that. >> you of something. Mr. Lavoy oversees everything. We don't have to put that in a motion. If you want to fine. I think we should >> for everything, and we hold him accountable. >> because of the nature of the proposal. You want to make the motion? Yes. I make a motion to other discussion. >> Okay. I didn't even look on this side.
Um and in terms of auto innovators, let's innovate, right? And really, there is a lot of misinformation in their testimony. Especially in a major state budget crisis, this self-funded program is really the solution to move us forward, and it's an investment in the present and the future.
>> All those in favor. >> Motion passes. Thank you so much for that clarification. I appreciate it. >> Thank you for making betterction. Thank you. I appreciate it. All right, that brings us back to our 11A legislative political report. I have two quick things right here. Um, the first one that I have is HCR 2040 legislative ballot referral. A ballot referral HCR 2040 moving through the legislature would make significant changes to how educators and school staff can organize and advocate within their workplaces. It as currently written, it would limit educators ability to organize collectively, restrict conversations around working conditions in schools, prohibit the use of payroll deduction for union dues, and undermine existing agreements between educators and school districts. If you're able to um or want to, there is going to be a hearing tomorrow on March 25th at 7 a.m. at the Arizona State Capital to stand alongside community organizers and members to advocate against this if you so wish uh to do so.
You're busy over there. I Just [snorts] for my own information, how many children does this the program support? Little guys or big >> guys. Yeah. Yeah, there's We are licensed up to 32. 32? >> Yep. We have 29 right now. Okay. How many are actually in the toddler and infant? So, in our infant room, we have seven. Our toddler room, we have nine. And our preschool, we have 17. Okay. >> With the But we're going to be completely full. So, next year will be seven infants, nine toddlers, 20 preschool. All right. So, it would definitely >> With a waiting list. All right. And it's only open to staff. Right. Yes. >> Okay. We we could open it to the outside, but I have staff that have filled up all those plus a waiting list of staff that are waiting for maybe an opening. >> Now, when I heard about it, I thought it was a great idea.
Available for any questions, and Dr. Aditya Ramji is also available, too. He's a really encyclopedia of knowledge, and he's helped put together these numbers, which by the way, we can customize the numbers however we want. Um but I think as Chair Keohokalole said in the House side, you know, everyone can complain, but let's focus on solutions. So, we urge the committee to pass this bill through so we can talk about solutions. Mahalo.
And the only other one that I do have that I kind of want us to be aware is a federal update and it impacts the way that we receive grants um when it comes to the DNI. And I just kind of want to make everybody aware because there is an open comment period at the federal level until March 30th to ensure that our voices are heard um on this. And just so many times The current administration is taking action in a lowprofile part of the federal government that could significantly change the required conditions for receiving federal funding. If finalized, these changes would seek to contractually bind almost all federal grantees across all agencies, including the US Department of Education, to the administration's interpretations of what is lawful or unlawful regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion, immigration, public safety, and religious liberty. So, um, if they these changes would carry they would carry significant con consequences for almost any recipient of federal grants, including state education agencies, local education agencies, Head Start programs, institutions of higher education, and partners such as nonprofit organizations.
Makes the teachers feel better about knowing where the daycare is, and and if there's no school, there's no daycare. Correct. Okay. Um but if I understand it, the student goes to go on co-op, they have to be fingerprinted to go in not as the like the lowest level in daycare, like you sort of call it a step up cuz they've got So, if the students are going on co-op, yes, they will be fingerprinted by wherever is licensed by EEC outside of here. Um the same for public school, they'll have their fingerprints through DESE. Cuz that's some of our kids are in Andover public schools. All right. But like uh a place that was going to hire a student, they would fingerprint them. Correct. >> CORI and sorry all over again. Uh if they were if we were doing it, EEC would translate over to where they are EEC wise.
Thank Thank you, Isaac. A question for Isaac. Question. So, I I appreciate your hard work. I think it's a creative way of looking at how do you get more people to use EV, but I know California is a little different in this. So, was that ever explored or looked at to see what they do in California across the board? And that proposal rather than something like like this, per se? Thank you, vice chair. So, um actually, the rebate side of this program very much patterns after California. Very much also mirrors the former federal tax credit. So, yeah, this is kind of best practice in many many states, and Hawaii is kind of lagging in that regard. Now, with regards to the funding mechanism, as Dr. Ramji explained, in California, they have a mandate, right? And so, if you want to go the mandate route, and I know we don't want to ban cars or whatever, tell people they can't buy their gas cars, um but, you know, other than that, you know, our options to really drive this forward, you can count on on a couple fingers, right?
Um, if you guys feel so, you can weigh in any of the um of your comments before March 30th and I have a direct link for that if anybody needs it. But those are the kind of the two things that are going on simultaneously. We hear locally and at a federal level that would impact their district if passed. Yeah, absolutely. And we also have this thing called request to speak that if somebody does not have the ability to directly email or call or they do not want to, you can line sign up online. It's called request to speak. You can find it on the website and you can actually virtually put a thumbs up or a thumbs down on a specific bill and that gives you the opportunity to make your voice heard at that level as well. And you know, a lot of us know what that process looks like.
If it's DESE, if it's pre-K to op in DESE, then it's a whole separate set of fingerprints. It's a whole They're They're two separate entities. That gets confusing. >> It does. So, DESE runs our program. EEC runs our daycare. It's They're two separate. If If you tell a student to go get fingerprinted, where are you telling them to go? So, they will have to go to Identogo to get their fingerprints done, which is typically the Haverhill site or the Lowell site. I know Methuen had a place where they >> [clears throat] >> The closest one that I know of is in Haverhill and Lowell. >> used to be one on Swan Street in Methuen, but They closed down. Yeah, it was kind of sketchy, I heard. It's like a storefront. >> [laughter] >> The Haverhill one is sketchy. Yeah. What's that? I'm all set. Thank you.