Inside Honolulu: June 2
This week will culminate with a full City Council meeting, and — officials hope — completed versions of the operating and capital budgets for next year.
In the meantime, expect to hear increasing noise from people who don’t like some of the laws that are poised to pass. Some of the measures we’re keeping an eye on pertain to floating bonds for the rail project; a government subsidy for recycling companies; tax breaks for historic homes, and more.
Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.
Complete Script From Honolulu Rail Poll
3:18 p.m.
Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle blasted the use of “unscientific” polls on the city’s rail project when he presented the results of a new poll yesterday. Carlisle outlined some of the key results from the poll, but Inside Honolulu wanted to know exactly what questions were asked.
We caught up with Barbara Ankersmit, president of QMark, which conducted the poll. Ankersmit says her firm developed the questions, which about 900 Honolulu residents answered last month.
“We were just told the objective was to have a good idea of how the public stood on (rail), and Qmark wrote the questionnaire,” Ankersmit said. “We weren’t really given direction on that. We have the responsibility — and our goal is — to make them non-biased.”
Ankersmit provided Civil Beat a copy of the complete script that callers heard. Check it out:
Union Rail Supporters Plan Social Media “Sit-In”
9:02 a.m.
Hawaii Carpenters’ Union advocates are organizing a social media “sit-in.” The , which represents local carpenters, is asking rail supporters to voice their support for the rail project in messages directed at lawmakers’ Twitter and Facebook accounts.
The group is aiming to reach City Council members before they decide on whether to pass a bill authorizing bond floats for rail. The issue is scheduled to come up in Friday’s City Council meeting.
Here’s an example of one of the pre-crafted messages of support you might see on Twitter:
“Rail is important to me because it means putting Hawai‘i back to work. Please vote in favor of the bond to pay for rail this Friday #prprail”
So why does the city need to float bonds to pay for rail? Read our earlier coverage for some of the answers.
Read Previous Editions of Inside Honolulu
June 1, 2011: City announced poll showing majority support for rail; Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle mum on veto plans; Hurricane season starts.
