City, state still at odds
on who will run rail tax

The City Council moves ahead
with votes on the measure

As the City Council is set to take the second of three votes today on a mass-transit tax bill, Gov. Linda Lingle and Mayor Mufi Hannemann continue to bicker over how to administer the tax.

"I think the mayor should focus on talking to legislators who have the ability to make the change that I'm suggesting," Lingle told reporters yesterday.

But Hannemann said he continues to be in discussions with state lawmakers. He said it is up to the governor to make a decision, because he continues to support House Bill 1309, which would authorize the counties to increase the general excise tax to 4.5 percent from 4 percent for transportation projects.

The measure is now before Lingle. She has said she will veto the bill by July 12 if the Legislature doesn't commit to changing the bill so that the counties, not the state, will collect the tax.

"I think he should support the change if his main focus is on dealing with the traffic issues on Oahu," Lingle said.

Hannemann said the governor is inviting public pressure by waiting until July 12 -- setting up a situation similar to one that caused former Councilwoman Rene Mansho to cast the deciding vote against a tax increase for rail transit in 1992.

The back-and-forth between the mayor and governor comes as the City Council takes up today its measure -- Bill 40 -- to carry out the tax authorized by HB 1309.

Yesterday, opponents of rail and raising the tax held signs in front of City Hall.

Today, supporters of rail are expected to be there.

Hannemann continued to oppose the city taking over the tax-collecting duties. He said the governor should let the measure become law without her signature and allow the Legislature to take up her concerns next regular session in January -- and not during a possible special session this summer.

"I think that's where the Legislature is at with this also," he said.

He said next session he would be willing to lobby the Legislature to give the state Tax Department a portion of the administration fee -- 10 percent of the amount collected -- to help defray the additional costs of collecting the counties' share of the tax.

But Lingle said that the additional increase in the excise tax is a separate tax that should be handled by the city, so the legislative bill should be changed to reflect that.

"It's not a complicated change," she said.

Upcoming repairs
send Council looking
for a place to meet

The City Council will be homeless for four months of meetings beginning Aug. 1 while work commences to repair a leaky roof, fix termite damage and rid the chambers of asbestos.

"So while we're doing that type of work, basically the Council will have to vacate their chambers," said Wayne Hashiro, director of the Department of Design and Construction.

Hashiro said the roof repairs will cost an estimated $175,000 and take 75 days to complete, although that could change if workers find further damage.

"It depends on what else we find," Hashiro said

Council Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz said there are still leaks when it rains. During the Council inauguration in January, trash cans were set up to catch rain that was falling in the chambers.

"The problem is that they haven't maintained it regularly," Dela Cruz said. "To me, if we don't fix it now, it's going to be more expensive."

He said discussions are under way to find alternative meeting places in the coming months. In the past the Council has met at Kapolei Hale, Pali Golf Course and Brigham Young University in Laie. The Council could also meet in the newly renovated Mission Memorial Auditorium.

"We only meet once a month anyway, and so that's why the meetings we can move around," Dela Cruz said.