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The move is intended to free up more than $700 million withheld by the project’s federal partners.

The proposal would have made it easier for the board overseeing the Honolulu rail project to take action.

This marks the first time that city property tax revenue will be used for the project.

The real surprise isn’t that it’s costing way more than we were told — it’s that we believed the promises in the first place.

Canopies planned for the project’s nine westernmost stations have “constructability issues,” said HART’s executive director.

Regardless of one’s feelings about Honolulu’s rail project, the agency overseeing it needs help regarding its makeup and rules.

UPDATED: The City Council move may satisfy rail’s impatient federal partners, but it also reverses a pledge not to use city dollars for construction.

Legislators added nonvoting members for more project scrutiny, but the move made it harder for the board to reach a quorum.

Honolulu will need to come up with $44 million by Nov. 20 — and a good-faith effort to eventually issue bonds for those dollars next year won’t cut it.

Backed in a corner, the Honolulu City Council took steps Wednesday to commit $44 million in bonds to help build the 20-mile rail system.