Abstract

In 2014, Hawai‘i’s incumbent governor, Neil Abercrombie, failed to win his party’s nomination for reelection. Because incoming governor, David Ige, took his oath of office a mere two weeks before the biennial budget was due, the budget request prepared by the Abercrombie administration was sent to the legislature. The new governor and his staff rushed to put together proposed changes, and the adjusted request was received more than a month after the legislature began work on the budget. Some of the governor’s adjustments were accommodated, but many were not funded to the extent requested. The budget package that emerged left little wiggle room for the governor to finance new pet projects and policy proposals.