Inflation skews view of rail costs

Your editorial regarding rail funding was on the mark (“Don’t put ‘cap’ on rail tax bill,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Jan. 25).

It makes clear the fiscal challenges the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation faces as it constructs the largest public works project in Hawaii’s history, in a climate where Honolulu has the highest construction costs in the nation.

It also rightly points to the accountability and responsibility HART has to keep finances on track.

However, the project’s cost figures must be clarified. The project costs have not increased from $3.7 billion to $5.2 billion. In fact, the $3.7 billion figure was in current 2006 dollars.

The $5.2 billion cost reflects those same costs, but in year-of-expenditure dollars — a more accurate and transparent way of viewing the cost, which is adjusted for inflation.

The recent cost increases that increased the project’s cost from $5.2 billion to $6.4 billion were due to lengthy legal challenges and delays, which resulted in our call for bids going out at a time when construction costs had risen dramatically.

HART has cut costs where possible and will continue to work to control costs, while delivering a safe and efficient transit system we can all be proud of.

Dan Grabauskas

HART executive director and CEO

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Ige speech hit the right bases

Gov. David Ige hit all the marks concerning the urgency to formulate and implement programs for homelessness, rental housing, the Oahu Community Correctional Center, air conditioning our schools, and the state mental health hospital in Kaneohe (“Ige vows to cool 1,000 classrooms,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 26).

However, the lack of funding for early public education must be addressed as well.

We hope these needed programs and services will be realized. It would go a long way toward restoring faith and trust in the people we elected, and to make things happen for our Hawaii nei.

Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock

Chinatown

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Ige needs to be bolder on TMT

I’ve been disappointed in Gov. David Ige’s response to the situation concerning the planned Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea, and I, too, had hoped his State of the State address would present a bold statement favoring resolution.

My feelings echo your editorial (“Ige, Legislature should act soon on key priorities,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Jan. 26).

It’s heartening that the governor supports the telescope, but he did not go far enough to push for a positive plan to build.

That the state did not perform due diligence in the process is reprehensible, but the way ahead must be cleared and made clear.

The mountain belongs to all of us, not just one sector, and beyond the incredible educational, monetary and other returns the telescope would bring, its value to science, mankind and the future would be unparalleled.

Karin Lynn

Moiliili

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Anti-noise laws already exist

Neighborhood board agendas and innumerable letters to the editor are evidence of ongoing concern about noise pollution.

Compared to other top issues, such as chronic homelessness and drug abuse, eliminating noise pollution requires a straightforward solution.

The necessary legislation has been in place for years. Hawaii Revised Statutes 291-24, 291-24.5 and 291-22 forbid mopeds, motorcycles and automobiles from modifying their mufflers to increase the noise beyond the factory configuration.

We don’t need additional legislation; we need enforcement.

Who will take responsibility for ensuring enforcement?

Heather Jones

Ala Moana

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Lottery would hurt the poor

The gambling industry is having the Legislature consider a lottery bill in its latest attempt to gain a foothold in Hawaii.

It claims that a lottery could have a benefit if the profits go toward education. However, in other states the funding for education increased only initially, then dropped back down because funding from the usual sources was diverted elsewhere.

Lotteries prey on the most desperate people — the poor. In proportion to their numbers, the poor buy the most lottery tickets, hoping that they will hit it big. Of course, most just lose their money.

Our government should be trying to pull people out of poverty instead of pushing them further into it.A lottery would gamble with Hawaii’s future — and it would be a bad bet.

John Kawamoto

Kaimuki