February 2009

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April 2009

Good Government Won! (Jean Aoki) Annual Meeting of the LWV of Honolulu Report from Nominating Committee (Roxie Berlin & Piilani Kaopuiki) Honolulu League Must Dip into Savings Nominations Sought for Campaign Spending Commission Proposed Budget for year ending April 30, 2010 Honolulu's "Train to Nowhere" (Cliff Slater) Reducing Our Carbon Footprint (Pearl Johnson) Annual Meeting Speaker (Piilani Kaopuiki) Calendar of Events

Honolulu's "Train to Nowhere" Tucked away in the Stimulus Bill is $247 million for a six mile rail line that the Mayor of Honolulu plans to have operating by 2013. The problem is that this six mile stretch does not go anywhere. It starts off at the East Kapolei station which will be in an open field as will the next two stations. The next three stations are in low population density areas and the final destination is the Pearl Highlands Shopping Center, one of the smallest on O’ahu. An excellent view of the route may be had by viewing the first part of a short video, which you can turn off when you get to the Pearl Highlands station (http://www.honolulutransit.com/video/?id=14). While the costs of this line have not been made public as yet it will likely be in the range of $1.5 billion, of which the feds will supply $247 million, or 16 percent, with the remaining $1.25 billion coming from Honolulu taxpayers. Honolulu’s Mayor is hopeful that the rail line will be continued beyond the initial six-mile stretch and eventually connect to the Airport and Downtown Honolulu. The total project cost will be $5 billion of which the feds may pick up $1.2 billion. Once the total project is in operation in 2019 it will increase the percentage of O’ahu trips undertaken by public transportation from the current six percent to seven percent — if all goes well. Cliff Slater

February 2009

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April 2009