How to Fix the Rail Mess

by Charles Djou, February 3, 2015

Complete mess.  That's about the best description of the Honolulu rail project today. Even before the first segment is even completed, this system is now estimated to be upwards of $900 mil. over budget of its $5.5 bil. original estimated cost.  Furthermore, the City Ethics Commission has begun an investigation of current and former city councilmembers engaging in potentially corrupt and unethical behavior in the run-up to the rail vote.

When this project was being debated in the Honolulu City Council, I led the opposition to rail in part because I felt rail wouldn't fix our traffic problems, I was concerned about the potential for corruption, and its estimated price tag was only a down-payment on what the actual cost would be when completed.  It now gives me no joy to say: "I told you so."

But rather than dwell on the problems, we should instead find constructive solutions. Unfortunately, cancelling this project will embroil the City in years of litigation with little savings.  More importantly, the people voted in favor of rail and I respect that vote.

Instead, we now need a more responsible and accountable government that is going to actually complete this project the right way without corruption, massive additional cost over-runs and more taxes.

The first place to start is to end the unjustified state government's 10% diversion of all rail funds.  I invite you to read this letter that former City Councilmember Gary Okino and I sent to all state senators and representatives reprinted here.  Gary was one of the strongest supporters of the rail project while he was on the council.  Gary and I sharply disagreed on the wisdom of rail.  But the two of us agree that we need to fix the rail system's finances and the first step is to end the state government's skim of 10% of all rail funds from Oahu residents to spend on pet pork projects across the state.

The bulk of the deficit gap in the rail project can be made up just by ending the state skim of rail funds.  The balance of the rail finance deficit should be resolved by Hawaii's all-Democrat Congressional delegation, who have repeatedly promised that they can deliver for Hawaii in the new Republican-controlled Congress.  The time is now for Hawaii's delegation to step up and show they can deliver.

Rail is here and it is a mess, but it doesn't have to stay a mess.  Contact your elected officials and ask them to vote to end the state's skim of 10% of rail funds.

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