Rail update raises projected price tag
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / MAY 2
Executive Director Dan Grabauskas said HART won’t have a firm idea of rail’s true cost until it awards the final two contracts to complete the guideway and stations and it resolves major utility line issues. Above, officials roll out the first of HART’s trains.
The official cost estimates for Honolulu’s rail transit system have grown by nearly $350 million in recent months, raising more concerns that the city’s new five-year rail tax extension won’t be enough to finish the project.
A budget update marked confidential and prepared by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation in March shows that the rail agency’s estimates increased $348 million between that month and October, which is the last time the agency briefed the public with an official budget update.
The new local estimates, which are mostly based on the cost increases to build rail’s second 10 miles and final 12 stations heading into town, now put the project’s total price tag at some $6.9 billion.
The total costs have grown at least $1.64 billion since December 2014, based on HART estimates.
That price tag is poised to grow, however.
Rail’s federal partners say they believe the total cost is “significantly higher” than HART’s March estimates, although they haven’t finalized their own estimates yet, according to HART board Chairwoman Colleen Hanabusa.
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Hanabusa provided HART’s March budget update to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser after a board meeting Thursday in which a project consultant repeatedly referred to a higher project cost than the rail agency had previously reported. Hanabusa said she wants to keep the public and local leaders in the loop on cost estimates as much as possible.
“I don’t want (the City) Council getting more huhu with us — they’re already huhu with us — and then saying, ‘You lied to us again,’” she said. “I don’t want that to happen. Be sure they know.”
HART executive Director Dan Grabauskas said the rail agency prepared the budget update internally in March as part of a “risk-refresh” exercise with the Federal Transit Administration — a necessary step for HART as it updates its outdated financial plan. The details eventually would have been presented to the public once the risk-refresh process was completed, he said.
“We try not to get out ahead” of the project’s federal partners, Grabauskas said Thursday.
As for the increased estimates, “we are very concerned based on the fact that prices in the market continue to climb unabated,” Grabauskas said. “And we have the utility issues … and schedule challenges.”
He stressed that the budget estimates “weren’t solidified in any way” and that they represented “an evolution based on continuing analysis and new data.”
HART won’t have a firm idea of rail’s true cost until it awards the final two contracts to complete the guideway and stations and it resolves major utility line issues, he added. (Jacobs Engineering, which serves as the project’s independent oversight firm, has dubbed the utility clearances rail’s most significant risk.)
Rail officials estimate the five-year general excise tax surcharge extension approved by the Honolulu City Council in January will generate more than $1.5 billion for the project. However, Hanabusa on Thursday echoed a growing chorus of concerns among the island’s leaders that it won’t be enough to finish the full 20-mile line to Ala Moana Center — even though rail leaders said last year that the tax extension would likely be sufficient.
Last month Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell proposed using some of the state’s controversial 10 percent skim of rail’s general excise tax surcharge to fund actual rail construction if the project needs more money. On Thursday Hanabusa said that wouldn’t be sufficient if rail does eventually need more cash.
“It’s not enough,” Hanabusa said, adding that it was doubtful rail officials could go back to state lawmakers and ask them to authorize another tax extension.
“As good friends as my friends are at the Legislature, many of them have told me straight, ‘Just because we’re your friend, don’t think you can come back and ask us for money.’ They’re not going to do it, and I doubt the Council will raise the property tax,” Hanabusa said Thursday. “I will tell you, I don’t know what the options are, but we’re going to have to figure out what to do.”
The solution will involve discussions with rail’s FTA partners, she added.
The federal agency has a $1.55 billion funding agreement to help build rail. In November the FTA informed city officials that it would withhold remaining funds until HART provided an updated financial plan “with a commitment of all the local funds needed” to finish the project.
Rail officials estimate that financial plan should be done by the end of this year, and they report that their agency still has about $300 million in federal funds to draw down. But it remains to be seen what rail’s federal partners will do about the withheld dollars — which now total $500 million — if the recent tax extension proves to be too little.
Key leaders from the FTA and Jacobs Engineering, the firm that the federal agency hired to oversee the project, are on Oahu this week for a quarterly meeting to discuss rail.
HART’s March numbers assume it will cost an additional $309.7 million on top of what it estimated in October to build rail’s second half heading into town.
The estimate also assumes it will cost an additional $128 million to build the project’s Pearl Highlands parking garage. However, rail officials still hope to drastically reduce that facility’s costs by partnering with private firms to build it. Grabauskas said HART will know in about a week whether any firms are interested.
“These are the cards we were dealt,” Hanabusa said Thursday. “How do we proceed?”
179 responses to “Rail update raises projected price tag”
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Can you imagine if you were building a house and the contractor said we don’t know what the final figure will cost? But let’s go ahead and start the project.
The crime is that they don’t have to pay the bill, WE the taxpayer DO. The Mayor doesn’t care about your money. Except that he wants as much of it as he can spend. Bend over Oahu, it’s a big one.
That’s the whole point. Politicians hold the public in total distain.
It’s time to stop the madness! Now it appears that HART might have falsified the EIS in order to run rail through Kakaako to benefit the rich developers and their wholly-owned politicians (Transportation Oriented Development – TOD – shibai-speak for white collar crime). Received this press release yesterday:
http://frenzel.us/documents/DRRprMay12.pdf
And now we have Carlyle running for Mayor and he was the one that fast tracked the ground breaking
in Kapolei & grabbed the GREEN CASH & RAN and is also one of those trying to get a POT DISPENSARY for Oahu. We the people need a good candidate for Mayor not this bunch of clowns who take Millions from the Developers and Unions but one that actually look out for the best interests of the people. Stop the choo choo and lets move on before this 10+ BILLION DOLLAR HATED STEEL ON STEEL LOUD SCREECHING OBNOXIOUS GIANT CEMENT STATIONED MONSTER RAIL DESTROYS MORE OF OUR FUTURE.WAKE UP HONOLULU AND STOP THIS ASAP.
We elected them. And we’ll continue to elect them. Lets not forget, this all started with Mufi. He wanted to pay off the unions with this ridiculous project. Carlise and Caldwell followed suit. They should name it “The Mufi” project lest we forget who gave us this never ending bill.
You hit it on the head. We all can continue to grumble, but WE made our own bed, now sleep in it. We keep voting the Hanabusa’s and others into office so we get what we deserve.
all true. Mufi is very clever. He hopes in time that you will forget what he did to the taxpayer and elect him to some seat that he believes he is owed.
Follow the money train, beig built on time and on budget.
All,the Mayor, HART and the CITY COUNCIL NEED TO BE FIRED OR RESIGN IN SHAME and now we have another RAIL supporter who helped shove this MONSTER UP OUT butts TRYING TO Run for Mayor again. Are we stupid in Honolulu or what. : watch thisand see how Carlyle is also an I*Dio*t : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMcseYSRtXo&feature=youtu.be
well said…
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2016 2:45 AM
Subject: ONE MONTH STATUS/Councilmember PINE Re: URGENT: Mapping and Identifying Important Agricultural Lands Oahu
Aloha Councilwoman Kymberly Marcos Pine,
I emailed you this communication on April 12, 2016- as is pasted below, requesting a response from your office.
It has been over 30 days, and no response at all has been received.
Every neighborhood board chair on the island with an email address- is being sent these correspondences and is furthermore, asked that the video link contained in this email be activated and the contents shown/presented to their boards respectively.
This is the five minute video that is to play to neighborhood boards- starting with Kailua’s Committee on Planning and Zoning on the 17th of May- please activate the link and watch it:
DR KIONI DUDLEY’s Research Exposes FRAUD on Honolulu’s Rail NCRS CPA 106
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqfNmsPsppM
Dr. Hector Valezuela appears in the video; and was one of five independent experts who executed the NCRS CPA 106…
The video is five minutes in duration and portrays the fact that a consultant from Parsons Brinkerhoff executed the Farmland Conversion Impact Rating- and assessed a score of 120 points for Ho`opili on form NCRS CPA 106.
Had the points met and exceeded a score of 160, the property in question would require mitigation for loss of farmland at the hands of rail before the federal government would approve of the rail corridor route.
The fact that the best farmland in the state- being at Ho`opili, was characterized as being inferior and unproductive farmland by the City to the feds, has promoted Dr. Kioni Dudley to counter the fraud and secure five independent experts in the farming industry to execute the same exercise and complete the NCRS CPA 106.
The video illustrates that the average ranking between the five independent farming experts to be 226 points- far exceeding the threshold to trigger mitigation be undertaken by the City to replace and replenish farmland lost to the rail corridor, and or reroute the corridor altogether.
Please watch the video, read the email sent to you on April 12, 2016- pasted below, and AT THE VERY LEAST, PLEASE, please do respond that you received this- such act on your part would be most appreciated.
Your favorable assistance and cooperation to pursue the Rule of Law and Good Government Practices be adhered to DO RAIL RIGHT, would be most welcomed by this constituent- and others seeking the same.
MAHALO FOR YOUR TIME.
Tom Berg
I foresee you writing another letter like that in 30 days, as you’ll get no reply from that sell out.
You’ll only get a reply if you send her a four figure campaign contribution or a chance for a photo-op. For those not in the first district we’re talking about the wonderful CM Kym (vote for me Filipinos) Marcus Pine.
Tom, please put your time and resources into something that can get us national attention. Maybe Dateline? I’m sure NBC will be all over a story like this. We seriously need better exposure and at the national level. Visitors need to understand why the cost of living here is so high – corruption and incompetent politicians.
Unfortunately voters cannot see beyond crocodile smiles during election campaign commercials and signs.
I agree, create a very succinct and to the point presentation to the media like Anderson Cooper, Bill O’Reilly, MSNBC about the LIES, waste, graft and corruption of the Oahu rail project. Cut your hair, shave, wear a tie and suit and make the presentation to the nation, and point out how the Oahu rail project is the most expensive and corrupted project in the nation. Once you air time nationally, you will have name recognition and hopefully with some quiet deep pocket support from some billionaires and multi-millionaires Hawaii residents, run for mayor or governor. Appearance is everything so lay off the sauce, always look clean cut and control your temper and you can support like Lingle once had. This train to nowhere project can be your opportunity to get ‘back in the game’ (quote from the movie Contact) so like pj737, don’t waste it trying to confront Pine.
Inverse, besides shaving and haicuts, also cut alcohol and dakine.
Does one need to stand in front of a freight train to realize it probably is not a good idea?
Only if it’s moving.
At least it seems that Hanabusa is being sincere on the financial status of rail. Nevertheless she admits that she does not have all the answers. The answer? Stop rail at Middle Street. Finance problems will disappear.
You falling for that Kabuki theater?
“Hanabusa” and “sincere” in the same sentence?
Okay. Oxymoron I guess.
What do you mean, “How do we proceed?” I will tell you how. SHUT THE PROJEC DOWN NOW. FIRE EVERYBODY IN HART. SHUT THE PROJECT DOWN NOW. That is how to proceed.
For all of those who voted in favor of rail– you got it! With both barrels and twice more on Sunday!
agree
Oahu has the highest sales of Kool Aid in the nation.
Kool Aid an American icon invented in the midwest.
What you and the rest of us are experiencing is..”SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT” syndrome. POLS knows best.
General Contractor,Kiewit was smart in outwitting the other contracting companies;ie Hawaiian Dredging. They knew they would make money based on cost overruns. Boy were they RIGHT!
sure can, especially if you are using other peoples money.
Does anyone remember what Mufi said this project would cost at his first press conference?
No, but there was an Advertiser article on June 6, 2006 about a 28-mile corridor from Kapolei to UH-Manoa and Waikiki that stated: “Cost estimates have ranged as high as $2.8 billion.”
Yep. The fed money would have covered just over 50% of that.
Now the fed portion ($1.5 billion) is less than a fifth of the total projected cost (not counting the power plant, the transit police force and the operational and maintenance costs).
We’ll be lucky if it covers 10%, assuming the Feds actually end up putting in the $1.55 billion. Nothing is certain until the money is in the bank.
Exactly. Rail is already 100% over budget with no end in sight. Final costs will likely be between $10-15 billion dollars or more. Still unknown is the crushing monthly cost to operate rail. Estimates are between $10-20 million and climbing. Taxpayers on the hook for all costs not covered by rail fares.
Unions have already worked hard to feather bed rail’s operational costs with up to 40 dues paying union members expected to work at each rail station. Taxpayers liable for their pay, benefits and pension. Compare this to the San Diego trolley with completely unstaffed rail stations for maximum efficiency.
Just another day in the little 8th world of Hawaii Nei.
Need to STOP the excuses for rising cost! It is time to start talking about freezing the rail cost to amount available by terminating rail at Aloha Stadium for less than $4 Billion TOTAL!!!
LETS STOP THE INSANITY AND FIRE, REACALL, IMPEACH WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET RID OF CALDWELL AND MAKE SURE CARLYLE DOES NOT GET BACK IN AS MAYOR. If you were not peeowed before you should be now!!!!!! We are governed by thieves and liars
who just want the GREEN CASH PAYOFFS wake up HONOLULU AND STOP THE RAIL NOW.
Surprise, surprise, surprise.
So, at this point (subject to change), the feds are paying $1.5 billion and we’re paying $5 billion. We don’t even have a million people on this island.
..and why are these people in the picture like Hanabusa , Kaldwell etc all smiling while they should be wailing and pulling out their hair in despair over the escalating costs of that insane rail project.
Cause they’re pocketing some of those billions.
that’s right. all of those corrupt mother suckers. fire them all.
Private funding! Nothing about this project is ideal. Why not have some company sponsor significant chunks of the rail. So their ads will be all over the place. Again, its not ideal but it solves some problems…
Not a bad idea. Just like football stadiums sponsored and named after major firms.
I can envision the audible announcement as you board the train… “Welcome aboard the world class HART train, today’s sponsor is KY Jelly Lubricants, you’ll need some because we’re going to pound you with one big enough for an elephant. Please have a seat and enjoy the ride!”
LOL!
YES! Thank you for the best post……….(yet) today?
Better yet…stand…’cause sitting is gonna hurt…
Lol, it’s worse for all those NOS with the tight asNOS.
“Public-private partnership” is shibai-speak for “taxpayer spends–private profits. In practice, the developer will fork over a share of the funding to build the structure and, in return, will get a sweetheart deal to collect parking fees ad nausium. For those using the parking facility, expect to add the cost of parking to your rail fare. BTW, it won’t be nickels they will snatch from you each time you use the parking facility.
RUSTY THE HATED RAIL REARS ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN. Built on a foundation of lies, deception and backroom GREEN CASH DEALS. THE PEOPLE OF HONOLULU ARE SO QUIET BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF HARRASMENT BY THE CITY AND LIVE IN FEAR OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF HAWAII. look at the SMEAR CAMPAIGN they did to Ben Cayetano & Tom Berg in the last fixed election cycle. Tom Berg was the watchdog of the people and the Only honest City Council member and they spent MILLIONS to Destroy them and our future with it. lets Elect people that really care about Honolulu. Like with TRUMP we need a real negotiator morals —– Maybe Tom Berg for mayor would help Honolulu and stop the GRAFF
oops “with”
“These are the cards we were dealt,” Hanabusa said Thursday.
No. HART and Mayor Caldwell and Mufi Hannemann turned the cards face up, went through them all and stacked the deck exactly the way they wanted it. They got everything they asked for, including this latest tax increase that they assured us would frankly be enough.
This is the result of a deck stacked to maximize profits for developers and paybacks for political support.
Former representative Hanabusa knows that trickling out the bad news is better than waiting until it’s another billion over budget. Either way, this project is out of control and HART’s projections are not to be trusted.
It’s time to shut it down. We don’t have to worry about about the lie of having to pay the Feds back billions, as it turns out they have been withholding their payments in light of what a shamble this project has become.
Shut it down and invest in a robust bus system.
Buses cannot achieve the efficiency and effectiveness of rail transit systems in urban areas. Bus lines supplement the high speed service that the core rail lines provide. Rail transit is proven in major cities all over the world and it is time that we use it as a solution to our transportation challenges. We all know that the cost of rail is high but we need to bite the bullet and get it built now because we cannot afford to not have rail for our long range future. Average locals living on the west side are suffering in horrendous traffic congestion now and it will get much worse later as we get more overpopulated. Rail should have been built decades ago and our continued delays keep adding to the cost. We need to just find the required funds and get rail built expediently before it really gets cost prohibitive. Public funds or private funds – we need to think out of the box and get creative. Rail will cost more now but in the long run it will be worth the benefits for our children and grandchildren.
ukublue = BS
Agree, wiliki & Uku- BS and need to actually have a brain to see what has really happened and the FACT THAT THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THE RAIL
uku=BS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fire Ernie. He’s delaying rail.
Totally
ukuleleblue wrote: “Boilerplate cut-n-paste 1A: Rah rah, cis boom bah! Rail is awesome even if it doesn’t go where it needs to, we can’t afford it and it’s being built for developers at the expense of struggling local families. Goooooooo Raaaaaaaaail! Booooooo Accountibilty!!”
“Average locals living on the west side are suffering in horrendous traffic congestion now and it will get much worse later as we get more overpopulated. Rail should have been built decades ago and our continued delays keep adding to the cost. ”
How many times have your lies been debunked?
Yes, traffic out of Ewa, Kapolei, and Waianae is awful. But this train doesn’t go there, it goes to a developer’s previously stalled project instead that will make traffic in and out those long suffering communities even worse.
And the delays have been because either 1) HART took took poorly advised shortcuts like with the archeological EIS or they made time projections that were as wrong as their cost projections.
One thing that has come out of this is that even the FTA isn’t buying HART’s lies any more. And we aren’t buying your lies.
Now, instead of pasting in the same boilerplate instead of addressing the latest cost overages of this doomed project, why don’t you finally show a little effort and character and tell us all where it is that you live on the mainland and what your connection is this rail project? It’s really past time that you did.
“………..why don’t you finally show a little effort and character and tell us all where it is that you live on the mainland and what your connection is this rail project?”
The saying “Your SILENCE speaks volumes” is so apropo.
Cayetano’s Second City build out will finally come full circle. Kapolei was a dream of the State to have all government,commerce,schools,businesses and homes come together on the Ewa plains.
Without rail, we’ll have urban sprawl.
wiliki says:
Without rail, we’ll have urban sprawl.
Ho’opili and Koa Ridge is urban sprawl.
How about biting me instead.
utu – There you go again posting the same shibai words you have already used over 50 times. We all laugh at your weak minded attempts to make money pit rail look successful. It is not. Already 100% over budget with no end in sight.
“benefits for our children and grandchildren?” Right. Forever on the hook to massive tax increases to subsidize rail’s crushing monthly O&M costs now estimated between $10-20 million and climbing.
Our children and grandchildren will forever ask how their parents could have been so weak minded to fall for the lies to build a money pit rail system. What were they thinking? Were they thinking?
As everyone is now saying, rail must end at the Middle Street Bus Station to save over a billion dollars, prevent years of torn up streets with gridlock, and reduce the crushing monthly O&M costs. Buses will whisk riders closer to their place of work than rail ever could.
Ukuleleblue, you need to stop referring to those who live on the west side as “average locals”. Are you trying to imply that if one lives on the east side, or south side, they’re above average?
How about instead of calling people average locals, how about telling us where on the mainland you’re from and what your connection to this ill conceived project is.
uku, the problem is overpopulation, not mass transit. Also, Honolulu is not a major city. BTW, who are the average locals and who are the exceptional ones?
“Over” implies a limit. Are there really any limits at present?
Baghdad Ukublue.
200 express buses per hour will carry 10,000 commuters per hour. 200 buses will cost the city $40 million (80% fed funded).
Four rail cars will carry 800 commuters per hour (70 percent standees). 40 rail cars town bound per hour (4 car train per 6 min intervals) will carry 4800 commuters (town bound) per hour. 40 rail cars will cost the Oahu taxpayer $100 million—no fed funding available.
More like fifteen thousand passengers per hour on rail.
wiliki – Clearly you attended the Nei’s failing educational system, failed the math classes.
Why didn’t you provide any credible references to back up your shibai claim of 15,000 passengers per hour?
Following the failing lead of Grabby, HART, Caldwell are we?
I like that high speed sounds like the guys thinks its going to be like the bullet train like in Japan. Brah, its only going to move at about 35 mph as it has been reported. Yes, we need to bite the bullet with higher taxes etc. What do you know about the “average” locals anyway. You’re right on one thing rail will cost more now but it will cost even more for out children and grandchildren Post continue be ridiculous.
Without rail our children and grandchildren have no future.
wiliki – There you go again with more rail shibai. Thanks to rail our children and grandchildren will have a future filled with higher taxes to subsidize money pit rail.
Property taxes are initially set to increase 9% to cover rail’s crushing monthly O&M costs of $10-20 million and climbing. As rail’s costs escalate expect property taxes to increase 5-10% per year to subsidize rail.
Thanks to rail our children and grandchildren have a very dark financial future.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/hawaii-news/rail-operations-will-raise-taxes-9-officials-say/#comment-32976
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2016 2:45 AM
Subject: ONE MONTH STATUS/Councilmember PINE Re: URGENT: Mapping and Identifying Important Agricultural Lands Oahu
Aloha Councilwoman Kymberly Marcos Pine,
I emailed you this communication on April 12, 2016- as is pasted below, requesting a response from your office.
It has been over 30 days, and no response at all has been received.
Every neighborhood board chair on the island with an email address- is being sent these correspondences and is furthermore, asked that the video link contained in this email be activated and the contents shown/presented to their boards respectively.
This is the five minute video that is to play to neighborhood boards- starting with Kailua’s Committee on Planning and Zoning on the 17th of May- please activate the link and watch it:
DR KIONI DUDLEY’s Research Exposes FRAUD on Honolulu’s Rail NCRS CPA 106
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqfNmsPsppM
Dr. Hector Valezuela appears in the video; and was one of five independent experts who executed the NCRS CPA 106…
The video is five minutes in duration and portrays the fact that a consultant from Parsons Brinkerhoff executed the Farmland Conversion Impact Rating- and assessed a score of 120 points for Ho`opili on form NCRS CPA 106.
Had the points met and exceeded a score of 160, the property in question would require mitigation for loss of farmland at the hands of rail before the federal government would approve of the rail corridor route.
The fact that the best farmland in the state- being at Ho`opili, was characterized as being inferior and unproductive farmland by the City to the feds, has promoted Dr. Kioni Dudley to counter the fraud and secure five independent experts in the farming industry to execute the same exercise and complete the NCRS CPA 106.
The video illustrates that the average ranking between the five independent farming experts to be 226 points- far exceeding the threshold to trigger mitigation be undertaken by the City to replace and replenish farmland lost to the rail corridor, and or reroute the corridor altogether.
Please watch the video, read the email sent to you on April 12, 2016- pasted below, and AT THE VERY LEAST, PLEASE, please do respond that you received this- such act on your part would be most appreciated.
Your favorable assistance and cooperation to pursue the Rule of Law and Good Government Practices be adhered to DO RAIL RIGHT, would be most welcomed by this constituent- and others seeking the same.
MAHALO FOR YOUR TIME.
Tom Berg
From: Tom Berg
To: Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 10:52 AM
Subject: URGENT: Mapping and Identifying Important Agricultural Lands Oahu
Aloha Councilwoman Kymberly Marcos Pine,
URGENT CONSTITUENT CONCERN – please confirm and respond immediately- or as soon as possible you are in receipt of this email. This email has been sent to all Neighborhood Board Chairs to list and schedule me as an action item if they so desire in which for me to elaborate for them the following travesty condoned at and by your hand:
In 2011, the City and County of Honolulu hired its first Agricultural Liaison, Laura Thielen, at a salary over $60,000 a year (raised to about $90,000 after one year) in which to fulfill the mandate as dictated within the Hawaii State Constitution that our Important Agricultural Land(s) shall be identified and mapped.
In 2012, the Honolulu City Council passed unanimously, Resolution 12-23 CD1, which directed the Ag Liaison to commence the exercise and to pursue all land zoned ag, regardless if such ag land was located within an Urban Growth Boundary. All lands that were zoned in an agricultural classification on Oahu, were to be examined for their ability to qualify as Important Agricultural Lands (IAL).
Evidence (Hearing and Vote on Resolution 12-23 CD1):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_BVT37uAuk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVzggGhSDIk
In the criteria set forth, any and all such land zoned ag that had these three characteristics as listed below, was to be identified and mapped PER THE RESOLUTION 12-23 CD1, in the year 2012:
(1) ACCESS TO WATER; (2) IN PRODUCTION; (3) CONTAINS PRIME SOIL.
When Laura Thielen approached the City Council, and described the task of setting forth to accomplish this exercise, she exclaimed she would never have to leave her office and could in a few minutes, determine if land brought to her attention qualified as IAL with the following:
A telephone call to the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to determine if the property gets a billing statement illustrating water is on site
Turn on the computer and go online to look at Department of Commerce and Consumer Protection’s website to see if a business is registered at the property
Turn on the computer and go online to retrieve the State’s ALISH MAP and overlay the prime soil areas as illustrated with the TMK of the property being assessed
In my opinion, a competent Ag Liaison, could within minutes, conclude and present findings of evidence to quantify any agricultural land being examined as having the characteristics aforementioned. I personally testified to the State LUC, and the State Legislature in the years 2011 and 2012 reiterating the comments made by Ms. Laura Thielen that she would complete the IAL exercise in 2012. Evidence:
1. State Land Use Commission https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqiJxWDr0nk
2. State Legislature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcVeC3R108s
The point is- fact, Hoopili remained zoned in an Agricultural Land state of legal classification, per the law, until it was codified per Bill 3 (2015) of which was signed by the Mayor on May 20, 2015. http://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-161587/BILL003(15).htm
******My question is, when Ms. Thielen claimed she would have the exercise completed in 2012 (albeit she quit the job shortly thereafter later in 2012), and to this day, there is no product, no IAL identified and or mapped whatsoever, what is your excuse for not having this land identified and mapped and if applicable, the exact reason for this delay- for you approved the Agricultural Liaison’s salary in 2013, 2014, and 2015 knowing the Ag Liaison has not fulfilled the requisite and breached the public’s trust and promises conveyed in good faith.
Conclusion is, that had the Hoopili property been mapped and identified as qualifying for IAL before May 20, 2015, such findings would have refuted and contradicted the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation’s statements sent to the Federal Transit Administration in 2008, of which the City presented to the federal government a portrayal of the property and stated:
That the Hoopili land is not considered valuable farmland, and does not have nor possess any significant value to agriculture in any form. Furthermore, the City completed a FEDERAL FORM to build rail through farmland named, the Farmland Conversion Impact Rating. This form was submitted to the FTA in 2008 and was a requirement to build rail through agricultural land. In it, the City signed off on the form that the Hoopili land was inferior, and its characteristics of low grade farmland. In addition, the City claimed that such property (Hoopili proper) did not meet any threshold set forth by the federal government for the land’s preservation, mitigation, or protection of any kind.
Evidence detailing the report:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RkDHNm-MUk
I have a documentary film forthcoming featuring an expert with his doctorate in soil science etc., describing with facts, figures, and irrefutable evidence, that at the Hoopili site, this property- per records with the State of Hawaii, that such property produced the highest yields of sugar cane grown in the entire State……so, can you please explain, how the best farmland we got in the State, of which also can yield six crops a year of certain varieties of foodstuffs, can be liquidated and disposed of as being worthless ag land as the City had proclaimed to the federal government in which to advance rail through farmland that contains prime soil, has access to water, and in production? Hoopili qualifies/qualified as IAL, without question, prior to May 20, 2015, the date the property was taken out of ag and zoned urban- this is irrefutable.
RECAP- this email is /will be printed out, and distributed to all neighborhood board members on the island of Oahu when I appear before them in person. I plan to make comments under Community Concerns per time allotted, to all, at each neighborhood board meeting until you answer the question.
REPEAT: Please confirm you received this email. Your response, or lack of response, will be presented, and resent, month after month, to all neighborhood board members on the island of Oahu, until you answer the question. So- for all you board chairs that get this email and do not want to see my ugly face and obnoxious behavior (called truth telling) frequent your board business every month, I suggest you too, prompt Councilwoman Pine to answer the question as soon as possible so you and your board will not have to engage with me.
Councilwoman Pine, albeit you voted for developing Hoopili and cheered on the pouring of cement over the breadbasket and desecrating the few acres of Pueo Owl Habitat we have left remaining, your favorable assistance and cooperation to follow the Rule of Law, and adhere to the principles of promoting sustainability, would be greatly appreciated. Please respond.
NOTE: Pueo Filmed Bordering Hoopili Property Less Than a Year Ago/and Seen Again Just Last Night on Hoopili Property-
HONOLULU RAIL MEETS PUEO; CITY DENIES OWL EXISTS
Mahalo
Your constituent, Tom Berg
Success has a thousand fathers, failure is an orphan. Enough of this madness. We need somebody who knows what he/she is doing. Ms. Hanabusa is an attorney, not a mass transit expert.
When did experience with mass transit ever matter for our City and County leaders? Oh yeah, Grabascus worked on the big dig fiasco – did they really think that kind of experience would result in a different result here – oh, the insanity.
i give up man time for go back under my rock………..see you guys in 10 years
This just in: a new estimate shows the rail completed in the year 2350 with a projected cost of $15.75 trillion dollars. That’s okay, though, as long as no one gets “huhu”.
Good point; we don’t want to get “huhu”.
Amazing how we can go 2 BILLION over budget and our politicians say nothing but “raise taxes”.
This is why we need to clean house in the Senate and House and elect people that have the best
interest of our State first and not the democratic party agenda. Hirono, Schatz, Tulsi and Takai silent.
Hirono only shows up for photo ops and says nothing.
Wow, are you right on about our so-called “Washington representatives.” You hit it right on the head. “Lazy Mazie” shows up for picture time so she can put it in her pre-election newsletter extolling all she has done. All shibai!
Should have all of the Legislature there too. After all they did fork over more of our taxes for the next several year. Please don’t forget that when you vote.
They don’t carè. They’re all sitting in their nice offices, enjoying their benefits and knowing full well that they’ll never ride the rail. “It’s for the common folk”.
Yes!!Another example of our elected officials working for us ” common folks “.
Let’s extend the rail to UH Manoa! Let’s extend the rail to Ko Olina! Let’s build a rail spur into Waikiki! Let’s build a rail spur to Mililani!
Years later and I still can’t tell if this is sarcasm or not. How about a hint?
My money is on sarcasm.
Laie…Waimanalo…Kahuku
IRT shellback, perhaps a spur to Uranus would make you happy?
How do we proceed? Stop building the rail and stop destroying the existing infrastructure. Request a Federal Investigation and put all of those responsible for the corruption and malfeasance in jail and seize and liquidate all of their assets and remaining campaign funds to apply towards this mess. Eliminate HART and make HART staff exempt employees of the City’s Department of Transportation Services and make that department actually do something. In all this discussion, there is still no mention of operating costs and how it will be powered.
That’s a very nice photo of them all lining up for a slice of the pie.
That is a beautiful sleek ride.
That thing goes 30 mph and has the same lines as a Frigidaire refrigerator. Are you high?
Ha Ha Too funny – you’re killing me! Glad to be able to laugh a bit on a topic that makes me want to throw up. Keep posting Kalaheo1. STOP RAIL!!
Bruddah/sistah is smokin some good $ht.
It wasn’t even under it’s own power. It had to be pushed out of the barn.
ukuBS…SHAMELESS P * O * S shill. Disgusting
Reminds me of the Hokulea. Fast as the wind.
Actually Nei rail is exactly like the truck Sanford & Son used on their TV show.
Check it out: http://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ford-trucks.com-vbulletin/1600×1200/80-_57_d46eacb2aa7d0d3d666d8427f5d9d2ac877dceb4.jpg
A trough would be more appropriate.
auwe! another bitter pill to swallow!
Well voters the mayor has sold you out on the cost of rail. He tells you one cost today, next month another $300 million is needed. Lets ask him what is the cost of maintenance and cost of fare to ride the train. he doesn’t know and so does HART. Just a bunch of crooks who’s padding their wallets. I say how about a federal audit on the whole project from the beginning.
I think they know, or have a good idea, what the O&M costs. But like the true cost of Rail they don’t want to tell us. Why? Because then that will bring to fore the question of “How are you going to pay for it?”. That, in turn, will bring up the issue of raising property taxes, or the GET, or creating new and imaginative schemes to pay for it. No, no, not in an election year.
Cladwell’s quote ” Rail will be built on Time and on Budget ” . Remember this quote when you vote this year !
Yay!!! Let’s celebrate like the folks in the picture are doing!!
Actually the name is “Nei Money Train” as it is nothing but a moving money pit.
Why do we need so many frecking stations?
Because, free money for political supporters.
That was the “deal” for getting full support from all Hawaii local unions. Local unions make almost nothing on building the train itself but the big money for local unions was to have train stations every mile of the route built by local union workers and contractors AND to use the train project to bypass almost ALL current zoning laws regarding density, less parking and building heights in the Kakaako area for luxury super skyscrapers and other commercial business projects and the justification to build the massive urban sprawl Hoopili project in Kapolei.
Exactly. Each station would be a “Union Money Pit” with up to 40 dues paying union members at make work jobs. Sadly taxpayers would be on the hook for their excessive pay, benefits, bonus and retirement costs.
Compare this with the San Diego trolley with no workers assigned to each station. Fares are sold at kiosks, random fare checks done by rail security officers.
San Diego trolley is a model of efficiency. Nei money train will forever be an endless money pit to Nei taxpayers. Just another day in the little 8th world of Hawaii Nei.
SA needs to do better research. This project did not START at 5.26 billion. Mufi initially sold it to the gullible public for 3.5 billion. Does anyone remember that? If you had an ounce of common sense, you would have known it would be closer to 10 billion. Well, we’re well on our way. The only way HART is going to partially close the financial floodgates will be to end the rail before Ala Moana. Also to date, HART has not been able to provide estimates for the recurring costs after rail is built; annual maintenance. Rail may have been a good alternative to help traffic congestion but too many “under the table” deals have put Oahu in a financial bind. Bottom line tho, is the fault lies mainly with Oahu voters. Being gullible and having an “ainokea” attitude has gotten us waist deep in…well, you know what. Maybe next time, we’ll put politicians feet to the fire before we give our ok. THINK!
Yes, I do remember him saying $3.5 billion. He also said that it would go to Waikiki and UH Manoa, but later changed the end point to Ala Moana because it would cost to much. He even kept saying and using the $3.5 billion dollar price tag until after the 2006 election when the ballot question barely passed, then suddenly the price tag went to $5.3 billion.
Let’s not forget that in the 2006 election , the rail route was to go through Salt Lake instead of going to the airport, then all of a sudden, it goes to the airport again.
The people were fooled many times, on price, on the route, even on what the trains were supposed to look like.
In 2006 the rail was estimated at $2.6B. I don’t recall that being an official estimate. It was during the 2008 election cycle when the price was touted at around $3.5-3.8B and Salt Lake was in the mix. It was originally to go by the Airport, Council-member Cachola negotiated for the route to go through Salt Lake Blvd. After the election, Council-members Djou and Apo were able to change the route back to the Airport.
Thanks Dan for clearing that up.
Who woulda thunk?
Nice picture of all the rail criminals
you got that right.
The first thing that should be done is to check the addition of the numbers in that estimate.
Then Tar and Feather the entire group, The Mayor and his henchmen, City Council, HART,and the possible thief who now wants to run for Mayor again CARLIAR ( Carlyle)jus sayin WAKE UO HONOLULU AND THINK ARE WE THIS STUPID?????????
Hababusa, Caldwell, grabauskas and the rest pro rail people please stop the rail. Everybody involved still cannot predict how much the end cost will be??? Like I have stated before politicians, lawyers, and engineers are people are not trustworthy people and being involved in projects like this(taxpayers) they just stuff their pockets and lie about the cost. Question- how many exgovernment people now work for HART?? And people like hanabusa are all lip(lawyer) looking for praise. People did not vote for in the last election cause lack of trust and arrogance but another politician appoints her and she gets approval from the rest of the crooks. It is a fact that the rail will not solve the traffic problem. The only way to solve it is the stop the re-zoning at lands to urban denvelop end , ban parking on roadways in residential areas,and raise giving driver license to 2(this will really cut the number of cars on the road) no need for parking lots for students on campus. If there are laws like smoking then why can’t we have laws for drivers liscense? Anyway the rail is not that answer for our traffic problems.
These are such good points but our politicians are blinded by dollar signs. Bought and paid for politicians, you bet….and this is not over by a long shot.
Attention those who vote for Caldwell: This rail beast will be increasing your property taxes/rent after the next election.
Yep…and they LOVE hand wringing about the homeless problem!! Let’s see when rents islandwide get jacked UP UP and UP
Check this out….a sign of our future from another one party city with a train…..
http://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2016/05/12/four-months-after-fatal-incident-fta-demands-fixes-to-dc-metro-president-blames-gops-ideology/
When the fiscal nightmare that is rail sucks all of the money from the State of Hawaii, when the already 8-billion-dollars-in-the-red Employee Retirement System goes bankrupt, when the already billions-of-dollars-in-the-red EUTF medical benefits fund also goes bankrupt….just close your eyes and say to yourself, “Go Rail…Go!” and it will be all better.
Agree and then on top of that, they want to spend millions on feel good projects like Ala Moana and Kakaako parks. They just can’t stop spending money that we don’t have? Can any of them even spell fiscal responsibility? I know, what a silly question!
All the people involved with rail have and continue told lie to us. Why can’t we ask the Feds to allow rail to stop at Middle Street bus terminal? No one has even asked!!! To find out whether the Feds will agree. The original bill of goods sold to the public was the Feds money covers 50% so we only need to pay our 50%. Now it’s the Feds pay 25% or less and we pay the rest due to poor cost estimates that never and still does not realistically consider ALL the costs. Given our increased share to build rail, the Feds would seriously consider a request to shorten the route rather than bankrupt the city.
I think the Feds should do us a favor and terminate the remains funding for Rail completely. That would blow a $1 billion hole in the funding and force the powers that be to convince us that we have to cough up another $ 1billion on top of everything else. One of two things will happen as a result: either they will truncate the line at Middle Street or be voted out office. Maybe both if we’re lucky.
The Feds know that the project will not be successful if it has to stop at Middle Street.
uku 0 Totally untrue. Just another urban legend being spread by weak minded pro railers as they try to save their sinking money pit.
Fact is the Feds are ok with rail stopping at Middle Street as they would see this as a positive step to reign in rail’s skyrocketing cost overruns. Stopping at Middle Street would eliminate years of torn up streets, traffic gridlock, relocation of power lines and water mains. Would work to save over a billion dollars and reduce rail’s crushing monthly O&M costs currently estimated at $10-20 million dollars.
All this and more is why increasing numbers of pro and anti railers see Middle Street as the logical end for rail. Riders would be whisked to work more efficiently by buses, letting them off at their doorstep versus long walks from rail stations.
Lets end this rail debacle/money pit the right way. End at Middle Street. Do it now.
Very true. The Puerto Rican system was not built a planned. It could not hit its ridership targets. But people still like it and now want to expand the system.
wiliki – Wrong again. Puerto Ricans are upset with the 250% increase in rail’s operational subsidy, taking money out of their pockets to fund the rail money pit.
Expect the same for Oahu. Already a 9% and climbing property tax will be required to subsidize rail’s crushing monthly O&M costs
Rail will be one of many Nei money pits like pensions and education.
http://www.honolulutraffic.com/Tren_Urbano_2.pdf
If Chairwoman Hanabusa truly wants to be transparent, she should make projected Operation & Maintenance costs and its funding source(s) public now. Otherwise, she is part of the conspiracy to hide and obfuscate the true cost of Rail to our economy.
HART does have a schedule of the costs. With estimates of up to 40% fare recovery, however, it does not appear to be reasonable.
Then make it public AND tell us how it (the other 60%) is going to be paid for and let’s discuss it. What are they hiding?
I’m pretty sure it’s on both HART’s and the city council’s website. I’m sorry, I don’t have time right now to get the exact link. I agree that the funding source and bus fares need to be discussed and defined.
Actually The Bus has a 30% recovery rate which has been estimated to be the same for rail. Meaning taxpayers are on the hook for the remaining 70% or rail’s O&M costs.
In 2013 the San Diego trolley was tops with a 57% fare recovery rate while the lowest was Buffalo with 21%. With all the lies and shibai coming out of HART, we expect Nei rail to come in lower on the recovery rate.
Already it is estimated property taxes must be raised by 9% or more to cover rail’s crushing $10-20 million monthly O&M costs.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/hawaii-news/rail-operations-will-raise-taxes-9-officials-say/#comment-32976
How absurd this rail project is… Same old story… Get the project approved… Ok once that is done .. The the work change orders come through… Let’s mess up all the businesses along the way…and tax our people out of our minds!.. Increase beyond estimates are a complete joke.. This project is a LOSER and will be outdated by the time it is finished. Somebody has to be accountable for this fiasco and everyone passes the buck.. It’s time to stop it at the airport and cut our loses.. What is wrong with us.. No one is asking any hard questions! Stop the insanity and stop the rail from ourselfs… NOW
350 million? 6 or 7 billion? Nobody cares anymore. Its an unstoppable project that we are gonna be forced to pay for no matter what. That’s why Hanabusa doesn’t mind sharing these ridiculous numbers. If this were a home repair job and the numbers kept rising unabated like this, no one in the right mind would continue the project as is. They would fire the contractor and bring in someone new.
Now HART wants direct access to our financial accounts so it can drain them.
Nice photo. As usual, Caldwell is front and center with his ubiquitous put on smile.
Why not just suspend the rail until prices recover?
Are they saying rail is going to cost a lot more than originally projected? Wow, didn’t see that one coming.
END RAIL NOW. Fire Grabby, shut down HART and their million dollar office rental and LEAVE all of the unfinished columns, except that stoopid cantilever piece over the H1/H2 interchange. That way there is NO cost to Hawaii taxpayers to tear down the columns. Any company want to sue they can sue Grabuskas or Kirk. Easter Island has their out of place statues and Oahu can have these rail columns as a tribute to the failed corruption and incompetence of a public works that will be known world wide and for all generations raised in Hawaii.
Where in the budget proposal is the cost to build a NEW fossil fuel electric generator to power the train given current HECO power generators or private one at Barbers Point are NOT sufficient to power the train? What about the FOREVER cost to maintain that additional fossil fuel generator and perpetual electric bill for the train, that like UH and DOE, pay HECO about $100 MILLION per year for electricity?
We can waste billions on a failing project but can’t afford $4 million to support the UH Cancer Center?
I know – right!?
“Rail update raises projected price tag.” Is this a cut and paste?? We see this headline every other week. Politicians scoff at the public and say bend over we want more.
Final price tag approximately about 10 Billion. This is not including operational cost. What your fees go up and up and not to mention propter taxes. As they say its for our children and their children. LOL
My guess right now is 12 – 12.5 billion final pricetag.
Closer to $15 billion.
Lot of negativity on the board today. Not to worry folks. Solar and wind will provide the necessary power to run the rail so the state can reach it’s goal of going green by 2025. We’ll just have to carpet every square inch of undeveloped land with PV panels and wind towers. Of course there will be some minimal costs associated with greening rail but it will be worth it in the long run.
LOL! Thanks for the injection of humor!
Lots of savings in gasoline in the 15,000 passengern per hour that rail carries.
wiliki – No savings at all when you consider property taxes are on schedule to raise 9% or more to cover the crushing monthly subsidies for rail’s O&M costs.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/hawaii-news/rail-operations-will-raise-taxes-9-officials-say/#comment-32976
Don’t forget Carlysle & Caldwell were the culprits who got us into this humongous expensive rail mess
Mufi was the instigator. Carlisle and Caldwell just followed in his footsteps.
Probably most of the the credit should go to Hannemann for getting getting rail off the ground. It’ll be his legacy.
But Caldwell has worked hard and has done an outstanding job in keeping it going. The people of central and west Oahu are grateful to all three for their support of rail.
wiliki – Rail has been a broken process from day one. No one had a clue how to run the project on time, on budget.
Hannemann failed to follow his requirements for a government project:
1. Do we need it? No. Rail is a want not a need.
2. Can we afford it? No. Already looking at $7 billion, 100% over budget. Years behind schedule. Never was on time, on budget.
3. Can we maintain it? No. Rail’s crushing monthly O&M costs of $10-20 million and climbing per month cost is the reason property taxes will go up 9% or more.
Caldwell has failed miserably in doing his job of looking out for taxpayers. A rail lap dog, he hasn’t got a clue about financial management in any area.
People of central and West Oahu will never forgive all these rail baboozes for increasing their taxes, lowering their quality of life.
What really hurts is that we keep voting these guys into office. We new blood … with out all of the same old Mufie affiliations, etc, etc ,etc. I would hope that the recent endorsements for the current Mayor is sufficient reason not to vote for him … ever again!!
When does the Maddness end??? Doesn’t the Mayor and Council know when to say when? Stop the rail at middle street. Do not sign any omre new bids past Middle Street. Stop the endless spending.
It wont stop because the majority supports rail.
Boy, PRP and the developers, contractors, engineers and architects are sure getting their moneys worth. Almost 2 billion dollars more to them and counting. Would’ve been cheaper to pay them direct and cut out the middle man.
What a surprise! A public funded contract where the price is NEVER fixed. Almost all the ones I can think of have been over budget and over time. Just the way things go here. It’s a true crime!
No surprise. Budget projections aren’t perfect. No one has a crystal ball.
wiliki – Problem with Nei rail, HART and Grabby is they haven’t a clue how to manage a budget. Exactly why rail is 100% and climbing over budget, years behind schedule.
Property taxes will go up an estimated 9% or more to subsidize money pit rail.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/hawaii-news/rail-operations-will-raise-taxes-9-officials-say/#comment-32976
It’s about 20% increase. Pretty good estimate.
5.11 billion for the Fed budget. Current estimate is 6.43 billion. All figures without contingency.
weewili….you pathetic shilling D * O U * C H *E bag
wiliki – Rail is climbed to 100% over budget with no end in sight. Current estimates are $10-15 billion when rail is completed.
HART willfully failed to budget for a power supply and the costs of under grounding power lines and moving water mains if rail goes beyond Middle Street.
Everyone agrees rail must stop at Middle Street to save over a billion dollars, reduce rail’s crushing monthly O&M costs, save years of torn up streets and gridlock.
Let’s stop the insanity now at Middle Street while we still can…and convert the remaining portions of the rail to a light rail model instead of the steel-on-steel. It would be much less expensive and have a less harmful impact as the constructions moves on after Middlel Street, and especially into the Downtown and Manoa areas!!
Make it a Hyper Loop. By the time they finish building the guideway that technology will be on its 5th generation.
Light rail is steel on steel.
Uhhh all regular rail is steel on steel. Clearly you attended the Nei’s failing educational system.
Fire Ernie. He’s delaying rail.
Fire Grabby. He is taking us to the cleaners due to his willful failure to manage rail to standard. What to we expect from a clueless bureaucrat fired for incompetence from Boston’s Big Dig?