One factor that greatly erodes confidence in the $5.5 billion O’ahu rail project is the annual attempt of the Legislature to raid funds from the half-cent excise tax enacted by the city to pay for the train. This year, senators are proposing to “borrow” $200 million from the rail fund to enable them to balance [...]
Posted tagged ‘Rail transit’
State skim = rail scam
February 28, 2011New challenge, old arguments, on rail
January 31, 2011A coalition of community groups led by former Gov. Ben Cayetano has scheduled a news conference today (12:30 p.m. On the city hall steps) to try to convince people that the fight to stop the $5.5 billion O‘ahu rail project isn’t over. It’ll be interesting to see if it’s just the same old talk or [...]
All trains not created equal
January 19, 2011U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa used her freshman essay in Politico to praise Washington’s Metro system and compare it to the $5.5 billion O‘ahu rail project, which yesterday received the green light from the Federal Transit Administration to begin construction — possibly as soon as March. Hanabusa wrote: Anyone who argues against the virtues of public [...]
City and state clam up on rail
January 14, 2011It seems that the city and state administrations are hunkering down to push the $5.5 billion O‘ahu rail project to construction without the inconvenience of further public discussion. Councilman Breene Harimoto thought the five new council members, including himself, should do their own due diligence on rail financing, so he scheduled a hearing to give [...]
A new spotlight on rail funding
December 3, 2010Gov. Linda Lingle threw a wrinkle into the O‘ahu rail transit debate by releasing a study critical of rail finances on her way out the door. The $350,000 analysis by Infrastructure Management Group Inc. concluded that transit tax revenues could be 30 percent below city projections, costs could be $1.7 billion higher than estimated and [...]
Public support for O‘ahu rail is still there; is the money?
November 17, 2010One seemingly clear message from the recent election is that majority public support for the $5.5 billion O‘ahu rail transit system remains intact two years after voters passed an initiative approving a steel-on-steel commuter line. Opponents claim rail played a part in former Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s lopsided loss to Neil Abercrombie in the Democratic primary [...]
Carlisle makes the train his own
October 12, 2010O‘ahu rail opponents won’t be happy with new Mayor Peter Carlisle’s strong endorsement of the $5.5 billion project on his first day in office, but they shouldn’t be surprised after his consistent support of the commuter train during the campaign. To show the high priority he gives rail, Carlisle will travel to Washington, D.C. with [...]
Has the train to nowhere reached its destination?
September 21, 2010Nothing has been thrown more up in the air in the wake of Mufi Hannemann’s resignation as mayor and failed run for governor than his $5.5 billion O‘ahu rail project. Hannemann got the 20-mile commuter line from Kapolei to Ala Moana approved on the force of his will and showed immense political skill in advancing [...]
Hannemann still dogged by Pittsburgh
August 13, 2010Now that the Campaign Spending Commission has ruled on the infractions involved in Mufi Hannemann’s Pittsburgh fundraiser, fining the campaign $225 and a campaign worker $100, I’m still having trouble getting too bothered by what the commission said were relatively minor paperwork violations. While traveling to Washington on city business, the former mayor took a [...]
The governor’s race moves to Pittsburgh (Can we keep it there?)
June 16, 2010I’m finding it hard to get too bothered by the flap over Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s side trip to Pittsburgh for a campaign event while in Washington on city business. The Piitsburgh event, first reported by KHON-TV, was sponsored by a rail consultant and billed as a fundraiser for Hannemann’s campaign for governor, with donations of [...]
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