UH cancer research center moves forward, funds intact

University of Hawaii officials working to build up their cancer research program saw Legislators back off for the time being and not dip into a special fund set aside to build a new center in Kakaako.

The Cancer Research Center of Hawaii’s $36.8 million special fund, also called the tobacco tax fund, survived a legislative session in which several attempts were made to divert some of the money for other purposes. Instead, lawmakers passed a measure – signed by Gov. Linda Lingle in May -- that requires UH officials to report to Legislators twice a year on all deposits, expenditures and other transactions dealing with the money.

The intent was to reassure lawmakers that the fund, which has been growing virtually untouched since 2006, will be used to build the long-awaited $200 million cancer center near the UH medical school campus in Kakaako.