Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
It's not likely that Mayor Jeremy Harris' $1 billion transit plan would lose much support regardless of who takes over the City Council's District 7 seat, which runs from Kalihi to Haleiwa. Council hopefuls
support Harris’
mass transit planBy Gordon Y. K. Pang
Star-BulletinThe plan calls for a 12-mile, electric "CityTram" that would run between Middle Street and the University of Hawaii at Manoa as well as a hub-and-spoke bus system in rural areas. The city started the bus portion of the plan this month while the tram project is still being studied.
All three candidates for the open Council seat said at an Aliamanu/Salt Lake/Foster Village forum last night that they support the concept of Harris' plan.
Former state Sen. Dennis Nakasato said any kind of rail transit would help ease traffic in urban Honolulu.
Harris has stated the rubber-tired electric tram would cost $361 million and that the overall plan would be paid for with federal money and bond financing, requiring no additional taxes or fees. But Nakasato said he's willing to support additional funding sources if necessary.
"Somewhere along the line we are going to have to bite the bullet and pay for transit," Nakasato said.
Romy Cachola, who resigned his state House seat to run for Council, said he is "in support of any kind of mass transit," noting that he once proposed a people mover from Aloha Tower to Waikiki.
Cachola, however, said he's not sure he wants to ask taxpayers to foot a bigger bill. It should only be a last resort, he said, and only if a majority of residents support doing so.
Steve Tataii, an unsuccessful candidate for other offices in the past, said he wants to extend the tram to Waipahu.
Tataii said he would support asking taxpayers to pay more for a rail line. He also would push for more electric buses and bicycle paths.
The three men are vying for the seat vacated by Donna Mercado Kim, who resigned last month to run for the state Senate. The winner-take-all special election will be held Sept. 23.
Kim, while a staunch critic of Harris, supported rail transit initiatives in the past.
City & County of Honolulu
