Policing is Maui County Council’s largest proposed expense at $140M next year, a 10 percent increase.

As the council deliberates on the 2027 budget, it’s so far missing how to address Maui Police Department’s repeated and ongoing unlawful collaborating with ICE and other tentacles of Trump’s advancing police state.

Much of MPD’s contracting was behind the backs of our council, and thus unlawful under HRS 46-7 and per a recent Corporation Counsel opinion.

When the public made formal requests to unveil these contracts, MPD then repeatedly violated state sunshine and transparency law. MPD is doing this despite repeated and escalating interventions by the State Office of Information Practices.

This MPD practice is wasting our local government resources by churning petty litigious communications on all ends.

In short, the budget is missing an MPD corrective action plan with independent audits and regular public reporting much like the county set for short-term rental tax compliance.

The FY25 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report says that Maui County had a “savings in the Police Department of $5.5 million.” So, this is not a matter of lack of resources provided to MPD.

Making MPD the County’s highest financial priority doesn’t put the MPD above the law. The council is the body with the most “sunshine.” There is a reason why the state legislature requires MPD to seek council approval before entering into intergovernmental agreements, and to make its records open to the public. MPD is not a private club. We, the taxpayers, deserve and have rights to sunshine and transparency.

Jake Carton on behalf of Maui Indivisible
Kahului