Inside Honolulu: Feb. 14
Two weeks until the city budget is due, and officials say they still don’t know how much the ongoing cleanup at the Waimanalo Gulch landfill will cost. Rail planners prep for a groundbreaking, and wait for good news on federal funding. Civil Beat is tracking all of it, and reporting from the inside.
Lights Out at Downtown Courthouse
4:07 p.m.
A power outage at the Honolulu District courthouse on Alakea Street shut down the building’s electricity and phone lines. Officials announced that Kauikeauoli Hale will stay closed the rest of the day, but they expect to open it tomorrow morning.
The closure led the Hawaii Supreme Court to issue a one-day extension order for any district court matter with a Feb. 14 due date.
City Performs Maintenance on Duke Statue
2:36 p.m.
City conservation technicians are treating the bronze and fiberglass Duke Kahanamoku statue in Waikiki this week. In a statement released to the press, the city describes it as part of the “annual maintenance cycle” for city art.
The nine-foot statue 鈥斅爓hich has been on display since 1990 鈥斅爄s one of 900 items in the city’s art collection.
City Leaders Meet with Senate President on Borrowing Rail Money
12:40 p.m.
City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia and Vice Chair Breene Harimoto paid a visit to Senate President Shan Tsutsui today. The topic at hand: Rail money. State lawmakers want a $200 million piece of what the city has saved up for rail, but city leaders are skeptical about .
“We wanted to open the doors of communication, and the conversation will continue,” Harimoto told Civil Beat. “But from my point of view, from the city side, there are just tremendous barriers. Of course the biggest is this is going to signal to the U.S. transportation that our source of funding is not stable, and that’s the worst message we could send.”
Harimoto said it’s good news the city is on track to receive $250 million in New Starts money next fiscal year, but he acknowledges that what Obama wants and what Congress will pass may be two very different budgets.
“We were expecting that funding, and it is good news,” Harimoto said. “But there’s no telling what congress will do.”
What Does Obama’s $3.7 Trillion Budget Blueprint Mean For Rail?
There’s a lot of uncertainty about how the shift in Congressional leadership will affect Honolulu’s chances of securing more than $1.5 billion in federal funding for rail. President Barack Obama is clearly committed to improving and expanding transportation infrastructure, but when it comes to rail, his focus is on high-speed inter-city systems (like , which speeds between cities in the Northeast).
That focus doesn’t necessarily exclude projects like Honolulu’s planned rail system. The president’s transportation budget includes Honolulu in a list of “pending” full funding grant agreements, with $250 million at stake for the city. It means Honolulu is slated to get the second-most federal money in fiscal year 2012, behind only Denver. But it’s important to remember the money isn’t a guarantee. Here’s a look at the pending federal funds for rail across the country:
| Pending Full Funding Grant Agreements | Dollars in Millions |
|---|---|
| Denver | $300 |
| Honolulu | $250 |
| San Francisco | $200 |
| Minneapolis | $200 |
| Houston (North Corridor) | $100 |
| Houston (Southeast Corridor) | $100 |
| Sacramento | $50 |
| Orlando | $50 |
| Hartford | $45 |
| Subtotal | $1,295 |
Other transportation highlights in the president’s 2012 budget include:
- $129 billion for the Department of Transportation, including more than $22 billion for the Federal Transportation Administration
- $556 billion for a six-year plan to improve highways, transit, rail infrastructure and safety
- $5 billion to create an “Infrastructure Bank” to provide grants, loans and new financing approaches
The overall funding request represents a 66 percent increase over fiscal year 2010, the last enacted appropriated level, not including any pay raises.
Catch Up on Inside Honolulu
Feb. 11, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle sends out invitation to rail groundbreaking.
Feb. 9, 2011: Rail critics turn out for Wayne Yoshioka nomination hearing; Mayor Peter Carlisle pushes back his inaugural ball to April.
Feb. 8, 2011: Council committee moves forward Gary Cabato and Sam Moku nominations; Bill to ban Segways from city parks put on hold; Oahu residents could see water bills spike.
Feb. 7, 2011: Council clashes over response to Rush Limbaugh comment; Bryan Mick withdraws nomination to Neighborhood Commission; Carrie Okinaga says mayor has “phenomenal” pick for city’s next top lawyer.
Feb. 4, 2011: City zoo could get giant bats; State wants city’s rail funds; Homeless assistance programs get a boost from the feds.
Feb. 3, 2011: Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa ratchets up fight against landfill; FTA to announce New Starts funding any day.
Feb. 2, 2011: Landfill hearing gets heated; Tom Berg wants to meet fellow tea partier Michele Bachmann; City Council asks Rush Limbaugh to apologize; Rail lawsuits start trickling in.
Feb. 1, 2011: Bulky item pick-up to start again; Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz introduces bill that would create development exceptions for rail; Tom Berg invites anti-rail groups into his office to discuss next steps in rail opposition.
