Council rejects fuel tax hike, 6-3

Caldwell's eleventh-hour plea to keep debate alive is ignored as the bill is defeated on first reading

By Gordon Y.K. Pang

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 21, 2013

~~<p>Mayor Kirk Caldwell's plan to increase the city's share of the per-gallon fuel tax by a nickel was shot down by a 6-3 vote by the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday despite a direct, last-minute plea by the mayor to keep the measure alive.</p>
<p>Council members Ikaika Anderson, Stanley Chang, Ann Kobayashi, Joey Manahan, Ernie Martin and Kymberly Pine voted to defeat the proposal, while members Carol Fukunaga, Breene Harimoto and Ron Menor voted to keep the bill alive.</p>
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Mayor Kirk Caldwell's plan to increase the city's share of the per-gallon fuel tax by a nickel was shot down by a 6-3 vote by the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday despite a direct, last-minute plea by the mayor to keep the measure alive.

Council members Ikaika Anderson, Stanley Chang, Ann Kobayashi, Joey Manahan, Ernie Martin and Kymberly Pine voted to defeat the proposal, while members Carol Fukunaga, Breene Harimoto and Ron Menor voted to keep the bill alive. Login for more...