Question: Bishop Street is in terrible condition and has been for a least a decade. The city actually paved a few streets in town, including Alakea Street, but did not touch Bishop Street. When will it get done?
Answer: A repaving project in downtown Honolulu that is scheduled to begin next week will include Bishop Street from South Beretania Street makai to Ala Moana Boulevard, according to a news release from the city Monday. The downtown project also will repair Adams Lane, Fort Street, King Street, Pali Highway, Punchbowl Street and Richards Street, it said.
Daytime roadwork is expected to begin Monday and run seven days a week, except holidays. Nighttime work is expected to begin May 22 and also run seven days a week, except holidays. The project is to be completed in November, according to the news release.
“The project scope includes reconstructing asphalt roads and pavement markings; adjustment of manhole covers and utility access boxes; reconstruction of existing concrete curbs and gutters; resetting existing lava rock curbs; installation of vehicle loop detectors and modifications to traffic signals and signs,” it said.
Motorists should expect delays and detours and should plan for extra time to drive through the area once the work begins. Illegally parked vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense, it said.
Q: My driver’s license has expired. I am in my 80s and sold my car 30 years ago. I have kept up my license for ID purposes, and “just in case,” but I realistically don’t expect to drive ever again. Is my expired license still good as a recognized ID? Or must I make an appointment to obtain a state ID?
A: No, your old driver’s license generally won’t serve as a valid ID, because it is expired. To obtain a Hawaii state ID for the first time, you can make an appointment via alohaq. honolulu.gov at the Kapalama, Kapolei, Koolau, Wahiawa or Waianae driver’s license/state ID office. After choosing a location, click on the blue tab that says “State ID Initial” to see available appointments.
Be prepared to bring in your identifying documents to obtain the state ID, even though you may have provided them the last time you renewed your driver’s license.
Note: Satellite city halls don’t issue first-time state IDs, and only four of them (Downtown, Hawaii Kai, Pearlridge and Windward City) process renewals and duplicates, according to the city.
Q: I was surprised by a big state income tax bill. I thought Hawaii didn’t tax pensions.
A: “Hawaii entirely exempts some types of retirement income, including Social Security retirement benefits and public pension income. On the other hand, the state fully taxes income from private pensions and retirement savings accounts,” according to SmartAsset.com, a personal finance website.
Auwe
Auwe to the driver of a white Tesla sedan with no visible license plates who kept drifting in and out of their lane on Kalanianaole Highway because they were looking down at their phone the whole time. Their driving was so dangerous that I ended up pulling into the Aina Haina Shopping Center to create some distance. — Disgusted driver
Mahalo
Many thanks to an anonymous gentleman who secretly treated us to lunch Friday at Anna Miller’s Restaurant in Pearlridge. We were pleasantly surprised when we were told by our waitress that our bill had already been paid. This generous person had left before we could properly thank him and express our sincere appreciation. Our waitress stated that he wished to remain anonymous. What he did was such a lovely gesture and a true act of kindness to perfect strangers. It really made our day! People like him definitely make the world a better, happier and more caring place. We were blessed by a wonderful person with a big, caring heart. — Three grateful senior retirees
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
Correction: In the answer to the third question, the Hawaii income tax liability of private pensions is overstated. Employer-funded private pensions are not subject to Hawaii income tax, according to the state Department of Taxation. If the employee contributed to the pension plan, distributions from a private employer pension plan received upon retirement are partially taxed by Hawaii, according to DOTAX’s tax-preparation instructions for Form N-11.
