For Immediate Release: Nov. 1, 2013
Press release by:
Office of Councilmember Mike White
White to represent councils, selected to serve on Employer-Union Health Benefits Task Force
WAILUKU, Hawaii – The Hawaii State Association of Counties Executive Committee on Oct. 22 selected Maui County Councilmember Mike White to serve on the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund Task Force.
The HSAC Executive Committee also selected Hawaii County Councilmember Valerie Poindexter to serve as Councilmember White’s alternate.
Act 268 (2013), establishes the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund Task Force within the State Department of Budget and Finance.
The Task Force is required to examine the unfunded liability of the Trust Fund (known as the EUTF). Recent estimates put the EUTF’s unfunded liability around $11 billion to $18 billion. The Task Force must submit a report to the legislature, in consultation with the State Director of Finance, and include findings, recommendations and proposed legislation. The report must be submitted by Dec. 26.
“I am honored to be selected by my fellow Council members to serve on this important Task Force, and represent the views of all four county councils,” Councilmember White said. “The goal is to identify solutions that will address our unfunded liabilities, while upholding the benefits promised to our public employees.
“I look forward to the discussions that I hope will help shape the future of EUTF.”
Councilmember White served in the Hawaii State House of Representatives from 1993 to 1998 and was a member of the Finance Committee, among many other committee assignments. He chairs the Budget and Finance Committee of the Maui County Council and holds the Makawao-Haiku-Paia residency seat.
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