City prosecutor won't get $75K for retrofitted 'mobile command' van

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro's request for $75,000 to fund a retrofitted van for his office won't be approved any time soon.

Hawaii News Now first reported the prosecutor's request for the funds were questioned by council members Monday, as the van's purpose was unclear.

Council members wanted more information before voting on the request, but Kaneshiro is reportedly on vacation, and wouldn't be able to answer questions during the council's meeting Wednesday.

They were set to vote on the measure then, however it was pulled from the agenda.

Under the funding request, Kaneshiro would get $75,000 to purchase, and retrofit a Ford cargo van that would serve as a mobile command unit in times of natural disasters or civil unrest.

"I couldn't imagine what kind of a response would necessitate a vehicle like this from the prosecuting attorney's office," Councilman Joey Manahan said Monday.

The council needed to approve of the transaction because Kaneshiro hoped the money would come from the operational budget instead of his equipment budget.

Critics of the plan say it was an attempt by Kaneshiro's office to avoid losing unspent money by the end of this fiscal year.

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