House Speaker Scott K. Saiki appoints Natalie Iwasi to HART Board of Directors

News Release from House Democratic Caucus, January 5, 2021

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – House Speaker Scott K. Saiki has appointed Natalie Iwasa to the HART Board of Directors, effective January 5, 2021. This appointment was made pursuant to Act 1 (SLH 2017, First Special Session), which requires the Speaker of the House and the Senate President to each appoint two individuals to HART as non-voting, ex-officio members. Act 1 intended to provide the Legislature with access to HART proceedings and to enhance legislative oversight.

Speaker Saiki stated: "The City and County of Honolulu's rail project poses a significant financial concern and there must be more scrutiny over HART decision-making. Ms. Iwasa is an independent, critical thinker who is knowledgeable and who has formed her own opinions on HART and mass transit. Ms. Iwasa's official engagement on the Board will ensure increased accountability and transparency at HART."

Iwasa is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) practicing in Honolulu since May 2003. She is also a Certified Fraud Examiner.

Iwasa's term runs for an indefinite period of time.

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Rail critic Natalie Iwasa named to HART board of directors

PBN: … Natalie Iwasa, a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Investigator — and frequent rail critic — has been appointed to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit board of directors effective Tuesday.

House Speaker Scott K. Saiki appointed Iwasa as a non-voting member of the board for the purpose of the legislature’s “access to HART proceedings” and to “enhance legislative oversight,” according to a news release sent out Monday.

"The City and County of Honolulu's rail project poses a significant financial concern and there must be more scrutiny over HART decision-making,” Saiki stated. “Ms. Iwasa is an independent, critical thinker who is knowledgeable and who has formed her own opinions on HART and mass transit. Ms. Iwasa's official engagement on the Board will ensure increased accountability and transparency at HART."

Iwasa garnered the nickname “Bike Mom” for her community advocacy for bicycle safety and awareness in the 2000s. More recently, she’s been a frequent attendee of rail board meetings. She even penned a column for Honolulu Civil Beat’s Community Voices on Feb. 11, 2020, titled “The Case for Dissolving HART.”

In it, she wrote, “oversight has become fractured and ineffective." ….

read … Rail critic Natalie Iwasa named to HART board of directors

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