Gov. Ige and his administration are continuing to look into the economic crisis Hawai‘i is facing. Today the governor said the State expects to have a better financial picture by May, but is projecting a $1.5 billion budget shortfall due to the decrease in tax collections. When commenting on how to make up the funds, Gov. Ige said, “Salary reductions or furloughs are the last thing anyone wants to see happen. I want to assure everyone that we will explore all options before making any decisions about salary reductions for government employees. We have already been looking at cost controls on the expense side. We are also looking at what can be done to access the rainy day fund. This requires action by the State Legislature, and we are in discussions to determine what is possible. We are also looking at using budget reserve funds and federal monies available through the CARES Act.” Gov. Ige also reiterated if there were to be any salary cuts, it will start with him and his cabinet.