The state is drafting a request seeking a consultant to study the financing of the city's $5.5 billion rail transit system once the final numbers are presented.

Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday said her office did not know how much the consultant would cost.

“;We're drawing up the (request) right now to hire an independent financial consultant in order to analyze whatever the city ends up (with) as its final financial plan,”; Lingle said. “;We need to get that under way now.

“;We'll choose someone who has some organization that has an expertise in the financing of transportation.”;

Lingle met last week with federal transportation officials in Washington, D.C., while she was there for a meeting of the National Governors Association. She said she informed Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood of her plan to have the independent analysis done.

The city is awaiting the Federal Transit Administration's completion of its review of the final environ- mental impact statement for the project. Final approval of the EIS rests with Lingle, who says she will not do so until she can see an independent review of the system's financial plan.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann, after meeting with Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff, repeated that the federal agency is on board with the project and has included $55 million—of a promised $1.55 billion—for Honolulu in the president's budget.