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Budget Department’s loss is UH’s gain
In the often-tumultuous Abercrombie administration, Kalbert Young often provided some needed calm and steadiness. As state budget director the last four years, Young helped craft the state’s $10 billion operating budget with laudable fiscal prudence, enabling the former governor at year’s start to spotlight an $844 million surplus.
Now Young has a new gig: University of Hawaii chief financial officer and vice president for budget and finance. Let’s hope he can help improve the UH’s woeful finances, which include the Manoa campus’ $31 million deficit and the chronic need for millions for deferred facilities maintenance.
Yes, success will be a coin toss. Many, many of them.
CORRECTION: Kalbert Young has been appointed vice president for budget and finance and chief financial officer of the University of Hawaii system. An earlier version of this story and a Page A14 “Off the News” brief Monday said he was named chief operating officer.
Let’s make best of latest social engineering plan
The King Street Cycle Track, for better or worse, has finally opened. On Saturday, Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who has promoted the project with dogged enthusiasm, presided over what was billed as a celebration to open the bicycle lane. Let’s hope his enthusiasm is contagious.
The conspicuous green paint marking the bicycle path, which takes up the entire left lane of South King Street, has left some motorists seeing red. They complain that traffic during rush hour has gone from good to horrible, and bicycles barreling down the street will pose a new safety threat as cars turn left into their path.
We hope that’s not true. Other cities have implemented these types of bike lanes, which represent a full-throated commitment to the Complete Streets concept. It will take some time to get used to the new King Street, so we should double our efforts to maintain our famous aloha spirit — no honking unless absolutely necessary, and no road rage.