In government, ‘sunset’ is illusive

Promises, promises.

When it comes to politicians and temporary tax hikes, are promises worth the paper they’re written on?

Take Oahu’s 0.5 percent surcharge on the general excise tax, imposed to pay for the rail project, which should be sunsetting in the year 2022. But now, with rail facing a $910 million overrun, lawmakers are leaning toward extending that surcharge for another five years. Tough to take, but that’s what’s being pushed to finish the project.

Faring much better on promises is the temporary income-tax increase on Hawaii’s wealthiest residents, imposed in 2009 at the nadir of the Great Recession. That act is set to expire at year’s end. And while it would be populist to call for higher taxing of the wealthiest among us, it’s hard to argue against politicians keeping their promises.

If only that was more the norm than the exception; the middle- and lower-income residents need some good faith, too.

Parking at zoo a bargain for now

Free parking at the zoo!

That local news spread like wildfire among Hono-lulu motorists for whom affordable parking is in increasingly short supply.

There is no charge at the Waikiki site and a few others because the parking-lot concessionaire abruptly filed for bankruptcy last week and there is no one to oversee the parking-lot pay stations.

Government officials must be quick with a solution. It’s serendipitous to individual drivers, but all those lost parking fees dent the city’s budget.