Rail deficit grows to as much as $910 million
without bus funds
By Andrew Pereira KITV Jan 20, 2015
"This whole shell game of their financial plan is a big worry."
When the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation announced last month that the city's $5.3 billion elevated rail project could go over its budget by $550 million to $700 million, members of the City Council were stunned by the escalating costs.
Now, KITV4 has learned the actual deficit for the controversial project could be as much as $910 million since Mayor Kirk Caldwell has already ruled out the use of $210 million in federal bus subsidies for construction. Known as 5307 bus funds under the Federal Transit Administration's Urbanized Area Formula Program, the subsidy goes directly toward the operation and maintenance of the city's bus and Handi-Van systems.
RAIL TAX FOREVER
Honolulu HART Rail Barely Started Already
Massive $1 Billion In Debt
Project’s financial plan a “shell game”
By Nick Grube January 22, 2015
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s desire to protect $210 million in federal bus funding means the city’s $6 billion rail project needs even more money than officials had recently announced.
In December, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation Executive Director and CEO Dan Grabauskas said the project was estimated to go over budget by $550 million to $700 million.
And while Grabauskas knew the city didn’t want to spend the $210 million on rail, he didn’t include it in the projected shortfall. If he had, the range would be $710 million to $910 million.
KITV reported the discrepancy Tuesday, including quotes from Honolulu City Council members who raised questions about whether HART and city officials were being truthful about just how much money was needed to complete the project.
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West Oahu Eco-Disaster: HART Rail Hitting Karst Water, Sea Caves And Polluting Ewa-Honoululi-Waipahu Wetlands
West Oahu's greatest natural apocalypse is unfolding, with hundreds
of 8 foot in diameter, 200 foot deep drill bores, the ancient karst water, sea caves and
wetlands are being fractured and polluted, then to be followed by
a major new asphalt and concrete city based around
three huge HART Rail Transit Oriented Developments.
The already fragile Ewa Plain ecosystem based on natural clean water will be destroyed.
of 8 foot in diameter, 200 foot deep drill bores, the ancient karst water, sea caves and
wetlands are being fractured and polluted, then to be followed by
a major new asphalt and concrete city based around
three huge HART Rail Transit Oriented Developments.
The already fragile Ewa Plain ecosystem based on natural clean water will be destroyed.
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HART Rail Ewa Plain Route Drills Into Major 1000 Year Old Native Hawaiian Burial Grounds
By John Bond, Kanehili Cultural Hui
The Great Honouliuli Ewa Apocalypse Returns
"A lot of people were born and died all over these Islands. They don't just disappear."
— William Aila, Hui Malama (before becoming DLNR Chair and now DHHL deputy.)
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Hidden costs revealed as rail project struggles with budget
By Andrew Pereira KITV Dec 26, 2014
Meanwhile, issues related to construction of the elevated rail line were also highlighted in the November Progress Report, which showed 21 of the 191 shafts along the first half of the 20-mile route failed a concrete stress test. Known as Cross hole Sonic Logging, the test determines the structural soundness of concrete within a shaft's rebar cage.
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New AIS Testimony: Rail Route Illegally Damages Hawaiian Cultural Properties
Ho'opili Project Is Definition Of Insanity - From Transit System To Really Massive Land Development Scheme
You have to really wonder why so many experts in soil science, traffic, farming and three former governors OPPOSED the Ho'opili Project. The main PROPONENT for Ho'opili was Ex-Governor Abercrombie and we all know how popular he became after shoving it forward in 2012 with his pro-developer stacked Land Use Commission panel.
http://www.stophoopili.com/wat
H-1 is already a total nightmare and this project will way OVERBUILD West Oahu adding 12,000 more homes on top of many other large home and land development projects. This will literally create a major environmental DISASTER with completely grid locked traffic. Absolutely everything is BAD about this project because it also paves over West Oahu's best farmland and creates massive polluted water runoff that will be directed either into Pearl Harbor or the offshore reef system.
H-1 is already a total nightmare and this project will way OVERBUILD West Oahu adding 12,000 more homes on top of many other large home and land development projects. This will literally create a major environmental DISASTER with completely grid locked traffic. Absolutely everything is BAD about this project because it also paves over West Oahu's best farmland and creates massive polluted water runoff that will be directed either into Pearl Harbor or the offshore reef system.
Hawaii Land Use Commission Disputes
Developer’s Assurance on Hoopili
December 2, 2014 By Anita Hofschneider Civil Beat
D.R. Horton is seeking a zone change before the Honolulu Planning Commission on Wednesday and hoping to move forward with the project after four years of lawsuits and bureaucratic hurdles. But the development is still under fire from critics like Kioni Dudley of the group Friends of Makakilo, who most recently wrote a letter to the commission arguing that the city didn’t properly accept a traffic impact analysis report.
