It turns out that before we can ride the train, we have to get a cap.

We return to the magical kingdom of the Honolulu City Council, where last week the Council Budget Committee members launched the cap quest.

Searching for unicorns may have seemed more productive, but a-cap-hunting they did go.

The cap would limit how much of the needed excise tax increase could go for the $6.57 billion train and how much would go for something else.

Simply put, the Legislature told the city that if you want more tax money to pay for your over-budget rail system, you have to say so and vote for it.

There is no state or federal law calling for a cap, but some Council members feared that just saying “yes” without some caveats to show they were saving or not spending the tax money they were planning to take from you would reflect poorly on them.

Some Council members, like Chairman Ernie Martin, said they would not vote yes unless they get to cap the amount going for the train, with a note that the rest would go for housing. Others, like Vice Chairman Ikaika Anderson, said no cap, the train needs the money, and voted no.

Council Budget Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi also voted no, not because she has a cap position, but because she doesn’t like the train, period.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell dropped by the meeting to remind the Council members that the federal government has already withheld $250 million of its promised $1.55 billion because of the Council’s inaction.

The Council did not thank the mayor for his advice, but used his visit as a chance to gnaw on Caldwell for not promptly telling the Council that the feds were watching and warning. The mayor bit back, pointing out that the feds had already told Anderson the same thing, so why didn’t he tell his Council buddies? The Council and the mayor then tired of chewing each other out.

Meanwhile, last week at the Council, there was more evidence that there may be a change in the magic kingdom’s court.

If Council Chairman Martin makes good on his often-rumored plan to run against Caldwell for mayor next year, he would have to resign his Council post.

Suddenly offering himself as a candidate for the 2nd Council District was former state Senate President Bob Bunda, who launched his campaign not with a news conference but a fundraiser.

The $500-a-ticket affair was held Dec. 1 at the Pacific Club, according to a filing with the Campaign Spending Commission, which said that Bunda was running for the election in 2018.

It is not really a coincidence that Laura Figueira is listed as Bunda’s campaign treasurer. Figueira was Bunda’s administrative assistant when he was in the Senate and was appointed by Gov. Linda Lingle on Sept. 7, 2010, to fill Bunda’s Senate seat when he resigned for an unsuccessful campaign for lieutenant governor.

Since then, Figueira has served as an assistant in Martin’s Council office.

If the Council kingdom is not magical, it, at least, seems a bit preordained.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.