Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Friday, April 26, 2024 81° Today's Paper


Do you support Mayor Caldwell’s proposal to help pay for rail: raise city parking fees, and fuel and vehicle weight taxes?

  • D. No more bailouts; stop at current budget (1029 Votes)
  • C. No, just extend GET surcharge (482 Votes)
  • A. Yes, needed (295 Votes)
  • B. Maybe; open to some increase (140 Votes)

This is not a scientific poll — results reflect only the opinions of those voting.

52 responses to “Do you support Mayor Caldwell’s proposal to help pay for rail: raise city parking fees, and fuel and vehicle weight taxes?”

  1. Pocho says:

    Insanity! that goes on forever, as Kirk pointed out he needs taxpayers money to subsidize TheRail’s entire lifespan and that says a lot that it will never be self-sufficient! And as always the majority of Hawaii’s citizens don’t care what happens and will just take the proposed tax hikes in their arses. I voted for Cayetano 2 elections ago!

    • awahana says:

      How do we impeach Caldwell? Or at least put a orange wig on da guy, so he can play the part.

      • wiliki says:

        Caldwell has done an outstanding job as mayor. That’s why he got re-elected.

        • yogaman says:

          Runaway rail costs, out of control homeless issues, aging infrastructure not being addressed, stagnant economic growth, allowing Kakaako and Ala Moana to be taken over by wealthy foreign entities, Keiki O Ka Aina leaving the island for a more affordable life, Agriculture being muscled out by developers, innovation non existent, etc…

        • wiliki says:

          These are lies…. We’re making a lot of progress on all of these issues thanx to Mayor Caldwell.

      • Wazdat says:

        Do not compare President Trump to our clueless mayor. You libtards are insane

  2. PMINZ says:

    Since shopping malls are biting the dust, allover the mainland. Alamoana will be doa by the time the train folly ever gets to Ala Moana. ( if it does) and the train will destroy Down town Honolulu.

    • wondermn1 says:

      On its way to “20 BILLION DOLLARS” The rusting hated SCREECHING RAIL REARS ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN & AGAIN. Built on a foundation of lies, deception & backroom cash laden deals from ur city leaders this BOONDOGGLE is sure to fail. Why did they elevate 50+ feet it over the Farmlands and empty fields and then it blocks the sky in Waipahu as it goes right down the center of what used to be a magnificent palm lined meridian. We have been lied to so often that many feel its just the way it is in Hawaii. THIS HAS TO CHANGE, NOW IS THE TIME TO WAK UP HAWAII AND STOP THE MONSTER AT THE STADIUM AND USE THE EXISTING GUIDE WAY AS A REVERSABLE HIGHWAY FOR ALL LEEWARD RESIDENTS TO UE EVERY DAY. NOBODY I KNOW HAS EVER SAID THEY WILL RIDE IT UNLESS FORCED BY BUS ROUTE CUTS.

      • Pocho says:

        The majority of the old timers will still want to drive, that’s Hawaii. IMO, People won’t ride it to get into town faster but because of trying to make financial ends meet that’s beneficial to them or not having the means to afford a ride.

        Insanity, should have spent all the billions on Kapolei the 2nd city of Oahu. Could you imagine building more Gov. buildings out that way or pushing more edumacation at West Oahu College sending them Liberal Professor’s out to the Wild West?

  3. americantaxpayer says:

    Mr Mayor and illustrious lawmakers: New transportation technologies are already making rail obsolete. So for heaven’s sake (and our over taxed citizens), it’s high time to move on and forget light rail already. Your current tax policies has put our state near the bottom of the nation in nearly every measurable survey, and it’s worse than a sin to keep raising taxes again and again as your only “bailout” solution. We’re watching you as you can’t even afford the pensions promised our state workers, maintain our schools, afford to operate the zoo, or keep our roads in good condition to name a few. Mr Mayor and lawmakers, how on earth are you going to manage a obsolete transportation system with a track record like yours. How you keep getting re elected everytime confounds me. Your dreams are my nightmares – forcing our small state into having a obsolete rail system which benefits so few and has already proven far too expensive for our small state to build and operate.

    • yogaman says:

      Confounding is right! I agree with everything you said. Not sure why most voting Honolulu residents agree with his policies or they just voted for the guy who was affiliated with the Democratic establishment. Partisan politics is blinding

    • Mickels8 says:

      Agreed but you state rail has “benefits so few”. Can you name one legitimate benefit for current westside public transit users…you know the ones expected to be 90% of the rail ridership? Free wifi doesn’t make up for doubling our express bus commute time, necessitating four transfer points and doubling/tripling the fares. All these years later, pro railers cannot come up with a single benefit for current public transit users.

      • CKMSurf says:

        Umm…Caldwell said at neighborhood board he’s proud the rail has surfboard carrying racks so West side can stop off at Ala Mo’s and surf South shore and visa versa. So we can all be grateful the HART guys increased the rail cost so riders can surf two shores. Wow. It only costs $9.5 billion. What a bargain.

  4. Smiley7 says:

    I voted for Ben too. Lies, lies and more lies is what we’ve been told for over 50 years. Wake up Hawaii! Auwe!

  5. keonimay says:

    A forensic accounting, is definitely needed, for the RAIL.

    Where is all of the money going? Who has been paid, what amounts of money?

    After all, the money comes from “we the people” and “we the people” elected our “political ruling elite”.

    No one can say, that it is not the public’ s business. After all, it is our money or taxes, that is involved.

  6. bumba says:

    You get what you pay for, and you get what you vote for.

  7. Waterman2 says:

    Grow Lilikoi vines on it already ! It is a useless eyesore pile of dung !

  8. BluesBreaker says:

    There’s one alternative not mentioned in the poll: raise the residential property tax. That’s the actual alternative to the taxes the mayor proposed. Extending the GET surcharge should not be included because it’s going to be extended AND another city tax must be added, since the legislature insists the city put “skin in the game.” So, the question is do you want to extend the GET surcharge and raise the transportation-related taxes proposed or extend it and raise property taxes. In that light, the mayor’s proposal is the least objectionable.

    • kiragirl says:

      Huh? The mayor is dillusional as “skin in the game” means going after developers and not us. The other option is to end rail at Middle Street.

    • Giligan says:

      Property taxes WILL have to be raised to maintain the rail later. Tax us to the max with all these fees, won’t even pay for one leg.

    • eastside808 says:

      Residential property tax increase seems like a good idea. Since all of Oahu has foot the bill thus far especially areas that will not be served by the rail then those owning real property in those areas should help subsidize the rail. These owners would then be encouraged to use the rail since they are paying for it. At the same time they get to ride free and those outside of the service area would pay a transit fee (daily, monthly or yearly pass).

  9. mijoeca says:

    Too bad that the mayor and city council aren’t listening to the comments posted here.

  10. REB1 says:

    So frustrating to watch the Mayor make such a fool of himself and the rest of us with this outdated, over priced, failure of a project!

  11. samidunn says:

    We can’t believe anything the mayor & council say about the rail

  12. 808Cindy says:

    Grumble Grumble Grumble … this is why you struggle in life!

  13. leino says:

    Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. …. more …. remember before you vote!

  14. wiliki says:

    Raise these taxes in 2020 when rail starts operation…

  15. yogaman says:

    If only we could just tax the people who voted for Caldwell and his crony coumcil peeps that would be poetic justice

  16. Wazdat says:

    No more taxes for a overpriced useless rail to a shopping mall.
    This Scott and state are run by the most Incompetent people I have ever seen. Unbelievable how S t you’d the voters of this state are.

    Should have voted for Panos. You libTards make another mistake.

  17. saveparadise says:

    Hell no. Stop this nonsense please.

  18. buttery says:

    our mayor is flimflamming the public!

  19. 808noelani says:

    Wasteful spending needs to stop! More money = more wasteful spending! Government can always raise taxes, fees and fines whenever they need revenue, whereas private businesses don’t have that luxury. We need people that knows how to manage money more wisely.

  20. Masami says:

    Who buys something they CAN’T AFFORD let alone NOT KNOWING THE TOTAL COST??????

    Isn’t there any “real” people in the square building on Beretania St.?

    • wiliki says:

      Baloney… current construction cost projections are good. They have not changed for about a year.

      The financing is not certain, but that’s the nature of politics. We wont know exact how it is financed until it is financed. What’s so bad about that?

  21. youngblood says:

    E = HELL no!

  22. blackmurano says:

    This Mayor has no conscience when it comes to zapping the over-tax burden citizens of this State again. I didn’t vote for him because what will happen has happened on his accided tax Mayor.
    Was it only a few years ago, the city increased the vehicle weight tax to a whopping 66 percent!!!. Why the hell he needs to raise it again!!!!
    This worst Mayor this island has ever had is also requested a raise in the fuel tax to fix to the road. Same reason was given the last time they raise the fuel tax. And the road is still not repaired. Is the City and county mismanaging tax payers money????
    Caldwell also went to the legislature to extend the rail tax for “contingency purposes.” Huh!!! He wants to dig into our wallet so he can have a contingency fund that he will use one day??
    I am pissed-off at all this vehicle tax increase, rail tax and now the fuel tax.
    There are family head in this State working more than one job to survive in this high cost of living State of Hawaii. Forbes Financial Magazine ranked Hawaii as the worst State in the Union to make a living. Mayor Caldwell and the Democrat control legislature could care less.
    More local born people are moving to the mainland in States of Washington, California and Nevada to escape the high cost of living cause by greedy Democrats.
    I hope the City Council will reject these tax increase request by a greedy Mayor.

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