Mayor signs law to further limit the value of gifts city employees can accept

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed legislation Monday designed to boost public trust by further limiting the monetary value of gifts city employees can accept.

Blangiardi said the measure was intended to strengthen transparency and accountability.

“I cringe every time I hear people talk about corrupt politicians,” he said.

“Anything we can do to reassure the public that the people who work here are doing the right thing for the right reasons.”

The measure prohibits gifts valued at more than $50 to city officials and employees.

Previously, gifts worth up to $200 were allowed within a fiscal year.

The change followed a bribery scandal in Honolulu’s Planning and Permitting Department. Several inspectors, including a supervisor, were convicted of accepting bribes from architects. However, many have claimed that gifts such as gift cards and manapua can speed up the slow approval process.

The mayor said the amount for gifts was not set to zero to take into account small gifts such as food gifts. “You should never make a policy that makes people lie,” Blangiardi said.

This story will be updated.

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