Mayor and Menor to focus on rail

Both Mayor Kirk Caldwell and newly installed City Council Chairman Ron Menor called finding the funding to complete the city’s 20-mile rail line their top priority over the next few years.

Both men, as well as other key city officials, are expected to visit the state Legislature often in the coming four months, when lawmakers are in session, to lobby for an extension of the 0.5 percent surcharge on the state general excise tax beyond 2027 to pay for rail construction.

Federal and city officials are now in agreement that the current funding plan, which is projected to bring in about $6.8 billion in revenue, will fall short of the current cost estimates, which put the final price tag as high as $9.5 billion.

Some rail critics maintain it should be built no farther than what current funding provides, even if it means stopping the line at Middle Street.

But Caldwell, in remarks he gave after being sworn in to his second term Tuesday at Ala Moana Regional Park’s McCoy Pavilion, said the line needs to go the entire 20 miles between East Kapolei and Ala Moana Center, which is expected to generate 120,000 rides per day, in order to make financial sense.

“If we go just to Aloha Tower, it’s 60,000 rides,” the mayor said. “And to think that we would spend $6.8 billion to get half of the ridership, to me is not the choice we want to make. Anything less means half a system, in my mind.”

Menor, who formally received the gavel from Councilman Ernie Martin and became Council chairman, went a step further, embracing the idea that a portion of the additional revenue raised by the surcharge be used to pay for transportation projects by the state and other counties. The idea was first floated by rail supporter Sen. Will Espero (D, Ewa-Ewa Beach), who says diverting a share of the money to state projects might make extending the surcharge more palatable for reluctant colleagues in the Senate and House.

“In tackling rail financing, I believe we also need to be sensitive to the concerns and priorities of the governor and legislators,” Menor said.

Menor’s first act as chairman was announcing a full membership of committee chairmanships and assignments. Trevor Ozawa is chairman of the Business, Economic Development and Tourism Committee; Ann Kobayashi is chairwoman of the Parks, Community and Customer Services Committee; Brandon Elefante is chairman of the Public Health, Safety and Welfare Committee; and Carol Fukunaga is chairwoman of the Public Works, Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee.

Menor will remain as chairman of the Executive Matters and Legal Affairs Committee, and it was announced earlier that Joey Manahan would lead the Budget Committee, Kymberly Pine the Zoning and Housing Committee and Ikaika Anderson the Transportation and Planning Committee.

Martin told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he asked the new leadership team that he not be considered to lead a committee, and no leadership post was subsequently offered.

Anderson, Kobayashi, Manahan, Menor and Pine took part in a ceremonial swearing-in Tuesday before the leadership vote. The five were re-elected to consecutive second four-year terms in the fall.

Several temporary assignments were also announced for key positions in Caldwell’s administration. Mark Kikuchi, a division chief for the Department of Transportation Services, is now DTS acting director. Jon Nouchi was named the department’s deputy director. Acting Director Mark Garrity recently resigned.

Longtime city planning chief Kathy Sokugawa is now acting director of the Department of Planning and Permitting. George Atta resigned as director after falling ill, and Deputy Director Art Challacombe, who had been acting director, retired.

Also, the administration confirmed that Mark Rigg retired as director of the Department of Emergency Services. Deputy Director Ian Santee is now acting director.