Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Rail, TheBus and HandiVan Operations – Under HART or the Mayor?
By Natalie Iwasa @ 2:29 PM :: 5260 Views :: Honolulu County, Rail

Rail, TheBus and HandiVan Operations – Under HART or the Mayor?

by Natalie Iwasa, What Natalie Thinks, March 16, 2016

One question that is almost guaranteed to be on the ballot this fall is whether the operations for rail, TheBus and HandiVan should be under one agency. It makes sense to have all operations and maintenance (O&M) functions combined from an economic as well as public transit standpoint.

As currently written, however, the charter authorizes HART to make decisions regarding rail ticket prices and schedules, while TheBus and HandiVan decisions are made by the city administration, with Honolulu City Council approval for certain decisions. It’s vital that schedules and fares be coordinated.

In order to determine the best structure, perhaps it would be easiest to start with what it shouldn’t be. We know having rail under the city’s Department of Transportation Services didn’t work. That’s why we now have HART. But HART isn’t working well either.

How about a separate entity with a different structure?

During the Honolulu Charter Commission’s last meeting, there was a good discussion about our current semi-autonomous agencies — HART and the Board of Water Supply. The main difference between the two is that HART is unable to generate enough revenue to be self sustaining. In fact, estimates of taxpayer subsidies are anywhere from 62% to 70% according to the Full Funding Grant Agreement.

Commissioners seemed to agree that fact alone means that a “semi-autonomous” agency is not the best option. Given that taxpayers will subsidize such a large part of the O&M, a political process is necessary, and that includes public input, transparency and accountability.

We’re left then some kind of board or commission under the mayor or HART. A number of proposals were introduced that suggest a merger of operations, and Commissioner Soon did quite a lot of research on other governance models. The models are as varied as the cities, but given our experience here, I think the best option is an elected board that is subject to sunshine laws, under the mayor with policy decisions made by the council. This would allow for greater accountability and transparency that is so sorely lacking under our current set up.

Other considerations include the Ansaldo contract and how it would be transferred, integrity of bus and van operations, so their funding is not “cannibalized” by rail, and coordination of any other contracts.

The commission has formed a group to discuss this issue further and will make recommendations for a vote at a future meeting. Their next meetings are set for March 17. Agendas and proposals are available on the commission’s website at http://honoluluchartercommission.org/.

As always, your comments are welcome here and by the commission at cclcharter@honolulu.gov.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii