Editorial: Suddenly, it’s the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell

When it comes to getting things done under the radar, stealth resolutions seem to be the way to go — at least when it comes to renaming our public venues.

The Waikiki Shell is now the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell, renamed for the legendary concert promoter and radio DJ who died in 2016. The City Council passed Resolution 17-229 last year and on Sunday, voila, a plaque and signage now bears the venue’s new name.

In 2016, the state Legislature quietly passed House Concurrent Resolution 88, S.D. 2, renaming Honolulu’s airport the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, in honor of Hawaii’s legendary U.S. senator and WWII hero. That change didn’t become widely known until April-May 2017, when signage started getting replaced.

A good break from the Board of Water Supply

This is the kind of water break that is good news from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply: not the kind that floods the streets, a frequent occurrence these days. It’s a break the agency is giving to those who develop affordable housing.

If the city Department of Planning and Permitting approves, the affordable homebuilder qualifies for a subsidy on water system facilities charges and new meter costs. Of course, this alone won’t send builders off to the races to take on more affordable projects. But it sets a positive tone, one that other agencies should emulate.