Letter: Legislature will grab Ala Wai project money

The headline, “Ige’s rough year” (Star-Advertiser, April 10), is debatable, depending on your perspective.

The $125 million of matching funds for the “cement wall” Ala Wai flood control project to save Waikiki is more than likely going to go through this session. It will get through by the usual last-minute backdoor attachment to some must-pass bill.

Congress already has appropriated $345 million to the Ala Wai project if the state or city can come up with 35% up front or pay the 35% back over 30 years. It sounds like the rail project all over again.

Neither the city nor the state wants to sign off on the Ala Wai project because it requires someone to be accountable and provide maintenance, and we all know that our state is overflowing with maintenance problems and is terrible with accountability.

My bet is the Legislature will figure out how to grab the money now and worry about paying it back later — standard Democratic leadership. This project will be another 30-year tax on all Hawaii residents. Vote wisely.

Bruce Black

Diamond Head

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