Thursday was the final day of this year's legislative session, but there was still some last-minute debate over money.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Thursday was the final day of this year's legislative session, but there was still some last-minute debate over money.
It's quiet at the state Capitol on the last day of the legislative session, but earlier there were fiery outbursts and disappointment over how to spend billions of dollars.
"What are we spending our taxpayers money on if not public education and higher education?" asked Rep. Della Au Belatti. "Where is our taxpayers monies going?"
Belatti said she was sick to her stomach with the budget that lawmakers ultimately approved for the next two fiscal years, complaining about a decrease in educational funding.
She said the Department of Education is getting $64 million less than what was requested by Gov. Josh Green for next year and $110 million less for 2025.
"This underfunding of public education and higher education comes at a time when we have a budget surplus," Belatti said.
The legislature on Thursday voted to approve the budget -- $11.3 billion for 2024 and $10.4 billion the next year.
Other lawmakers see it differently.
"I think the public schools were actually big winners," said Sen. Michelle Kidani.
Lawmakers allocated $170 million to build housing for teachers, $200 million for more preschool classrooms and $187 million for teacher raises.
"While it may seem like they lost some in other areas, they gained that much dollars," she added.
Legislators are also putting $280 million over the next two years in the rental housing revolving fund and more than $52 million for homeless services, including money to build more kauhale homeless villages.
Overall, many lawmakers believe they've made big progress on the state's most critical issues, and ended the session with money for the future -- setting aside $1 billion over the next two fiscal years in a rainy day fund.
Kristen joined KITV4 in March 2021 after working for the past two decades as a newspaper reporter. Kristen's goal is to produce meaningful journalism that educates, enlightens and inspires to affect positive change in society.
