Expert touts rail's side benefits - Hawaii News

Grinchie wrote:

<quoted text>

Now heres you question for the day!....
California has a problem with their own budget and economy....so why are you telling us here in hawaii how to handle ours?....go handle the california economy and budget and lets see if they listen to you before they throw you in a nuthouse first!......Wildman!!!!.

"So far, the rail tax has raised about $378 million during the first 30 months, based on figures provided by the state Department of Taxation. That figure, and all figures in this article, do not include the 10 percent the state takes off the top to pay for administering the tax." From todays 7/10/09 honoluluadvertiser.com

If you subtract the 10% the State takes off the top to pay for "administering the tax", the monthly collection average over 30 months is only $11.36 million per month.

12 months X 15 years = 180 months

180 months X $11.36 million =$2.044 billion in GET collection

+$1.4 billion in funding from the FEDS if approved in the future...
(this Honolulu rail project is not even on the 2010 or 2011 Fed list of other competing rail projects that also need billions in funding)

Add the two together....
= ONLY $3.444 billion dollars in total funds for a 20 mile $6 billion dollar flawed rail project.($6 billion/20 mile=$300 million per rail mile)

WHERE DOES OAHU GET THE OTHER $2.556 BILLION DOLLARS?????
More tax increases? Another GET increase? Another Property tax increase?

Can just one of the pro-rail advocates in Honolulu please give an honest answer to this obvious question?
This rail to nowhere project seems to be a massive failure from the start.

Rail Pandemic wrote:

"So far, the rail tax has raised about $378 million during the first 30 months, based on figures provided by the state Department of Taxation. That figure, and all figures in this article, do not include the 10 percent the state takes off the top to pay for administering the tax." From todays 7/10/09 honoluluadvertiser.com
If you subtract the 10% the State takes off the top to pay for "administering the tax", the monthly collection average over 30 months is only $11.36 million per month.
12 months X 15 years = 180 months
180 months X $11.36 million =$2.044 billion in GET collection
+$1.4 billion in funding from the FEDS if approved in the future...
(this Honolulu rail project is not even on the 2010 or 2011 Fed list of other competing rail projects that also need billions in funding)
Add the two together....
= ONLY $3.444 billion dollars in total funds for a 20 mile $6 billion dollar flawed rail project.($6 billion/20 mile=$300 million per rail mile)
WHERE DOES OAHU GET THE OTHER $2.556 BILLION DOLLARS?????
More tax increases? Another GET increase? Another Property tax increase?
Can just one of the pro-rail advocates in Honolulu please give an honest answer to this obvious question?
This rail to nowhere project seems to be a massive failure from the start.

Construction costs down 30-40%. On your $6 billion this translates to $2 -$2.44 billion.

This was kept at the level of your mental capacity on purpose.

Problem solved!

Check This wrote:

<quoted text>
Construction costs down 30-40%. On your $6 billion this translates to $2 -$2.44 billion.
This was kept at the level of your mental capacity on purpose.
Problem solved!

This is a lie.
Construction costs ARE NOT down 30-40%. They went up.

"According to the 2009 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index:

Leading the upturn, prices for carbon steel scrap climbed 20.6 percent.

Prices for prepared asphalt and tar roofing and siding products, paving mixtures and blocks, and ready-mixed concrete climbed. Prices for nonferrous wire and cable advanced 2.0 percent subsequent to an 8.3 percent gain in April.

Prices for crude energy materials moved up 5.3 percent following a 2.9 percent increase in April. Leading this acceleration, the crude petroleum index surged 18.6 percent in May following a 9.2 percent rise in the prior month.

The index for intermediate energy goods advanced 2.0 percent in May after rising 0.7 percent in April. Prices for liquefied petroleum gas climbed 8.6 percent compared with a 5.0 percent gain a month earlier. The increase in the index for gasoline also accelerated in May."

Steel Product Price Levels across 2008 - 2009
Current prices & historic pricing levels:

World Carbon Steel Transaction Prices:

Cold Rolled Steel Coil
Jan 2008= 716 US $/metric ton

Cold Rolled Steel Coil
Jan 2009= 666 US $/metric ton
(down only 7% from Jan 2008)

Hot Rolled Steel Coil-
Jan 2008= 639 US $/metric ton

Hot Rolled Steel Coil-
Jan 2009= 575 US $/metric ton
(down only 10% from Jan 2008)

Rail Pandemic wrote:

Current prices & historic pricing levels:
World Carbon Steel Transaction Prices:
Cold Rolled Steel Coil
Jan 2008= 716 US $/metric ton
Cold Rolled Steel Coil
Jan 2009= 666 US $/metric ton
(down only 7% from Jan 2008)
Hot Rolled Steel Coil-
Jan 2008= 639 US $/metric ton
Hot Rolled Steel Coil-
Jan 2009= 575 US $/metric ton
(down only 10% from Jan 2008)

http://www.meps.co.uk/World%20Carbon%20Price....

Cold Rolled Steel Coil
Mar 2009= 594 US $/metric ton

Hot Rolled Steel Coil
Mar 2009= 505 US $/metric ton

Anyone got more recent data. Still appears to be a declining trend from Jan 2008.

With the decline in the auto industries and construction jobs being hard hit...steel would be the next product to lose its energy in the markets.
The cost of steel would be either too high or the porduction of steel would be slower...

Rail Pandemic wrote:

<quoted text>
This is a lie.
Construction costs ARE NOT down 30-40%. They went up.
"According to the 2009 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index:
Leading the upturn, prices for carbon steel scrap climbed 20.6 percent.
Prices for prepared asphalt and tar roofing and siding products, paving mixtures and blocks, and ready-mixed concrete climbed. Prices for nonferrous wire and cable advanced 2.0 percent subsequent to an 8.3 percent gain in April.
Prices for crude energy materials moved up 5.3 percent following a 2.9 percent increase in April. Leading this acceleration, the crude petroleum index surged 18.6 percent in May following a 9.2 percent rise in the prior month.
The index for intermediate energy goods advanced 2.0 percent in May after rising 0.7 percent in April. Prices for liquefied petroleum gas climbed 8.6 percent compared with a 5.0 percent gain a month earlier. The increase in the index for gasoline also accelerated in May."
Steel Product Price Levels across 2008 - 2009
Current prices & historic pricing levels:
World Carbon Steel Transaction Prices:
Cold Rolled Steel Coil
Jan 2008= 716 US $/metric ton
Cold Rolled Steel Coil
Jan 2009= 666 US $/metric ton
(down only 7% from Jan 2008)
Hot Rolled Steel Coil-
Jan 2008= 639 US $/metric ton
Hot Rolled Steel Coil-
Jan 2009= 575 US $/metric ton
(down only 10% from Jan 2008)

You're only showing selected material costs. What about labor, profit margins, property acquisition, design fees, etc.? I think the reference to "lower construction costs" was actually made relative to recent bids on total project costs for various rail projects, wasn't it?

Rail Pandemic wrote:

"So far, the rail tax has raised about $378 million during the first 30 months, based on figures provided by the state Department of Taxation. That figure, and all figures in this article, do not include the 10 percent the state takes off the top to pay for administering the tax." From todays 7/10/09 honoluluadvertiser.com
If you subtract the 10% the State takes off the top to pay for "administering the tax", the monthly collection average over 30 months is only $11.36 million per month.
12 months X 15 years = 180 months
180 months X $11.36 million =$2.044 billion in GET collection
+$1.4 billion in funding from the FEDS if approved in the future...
(this Honolulu rail project is not even on the 2010 or 2011 Fed list of other competing rail projects that also need billions in funding)
Add the two together....
= ONLY $3.444 billion dollars in total funds for a 20 mile $6 billion dollar flawed rail project.($6 billion/20 mile=$300 million per rail mile)
WHERE DOES OAHU GET THE OTHER $2.556 BILLION DOLLARS?????
More tax increases? Another GET increase? Another Property tax increase?
Can just one of the pro-rail advocates in Honolulu please give an honest answer to this obvious question?
This rail to nowhere project seems to be a massive failure from the start.

All of the above! It's your patriotic duty to pay up, don't worry be happy.

Wildman wrote:

<quoted text>
STupid is all you know?...come on grich let em know the truth..your a fricken mainland jerk off who can't get a job and is trying to tell people what to do when you don't reside here in hawaii...
in fact, you don't pay our taxes or CONTRIBUTE TO ANY OF OUR ECONOMY HERE!..WHY?..YOUR IN OAKLAND!..
THE STATE OF THE LOSERS..AND SLUMS OF SUBURBS!...
If you had any brains at all which I noted you don't!...You're nothing but a liar!...so anything you say don't mean a damm thing!...you need to see a shrink about your problem...Wildman!!!!.

You really are hung up on this "Foreigner" stuff. You are flaming xenophobe, or are you a member of the Home Imprisonment club?

It must be very difficult to have never traveled off Oahu for you.

Rail Pandemic wrote:

"So far, the rail tax has raised about $378 million during the first 30 months, based on figures provided by the state Department of Taxation. That figure, and all figures in this article, do not include the 10 percent the state takes off the top to pay for administering the tax." From todays 7/10/09 honoluluadvertiser.com
If you subtract the 10% the State takes off the top to pay for "administering the tax", the monthly collection average over 30 months is only $11.36 million per month.
12 months X 15 years = 180 months
180 months X $11.36 million =$2.044 billion in GET collection
+$1.4 billion in funding from the FEDS if approved in the future...
(this Honolulu rail project is not even on the 2010 or 2011 Fed list of other competing rail projects that also need billions in funding)
Add the two together....
= ONLY $3.444 billion dollars in total funds for a 20 mile $6 billion dollar flawed rail project.($6 billion/20 mile=$300 million per rail mile)
WHERE DOES OAHU GET THE OTHER $2.556 BILLION DOLLARS?????
More tax increases? Another GET increase? Another Property tax increase?
Can just one of the pro-rail advocates in Honolulu please give an honest answer to this obvious question?
This rail to nowhere project seems to be a massive failure from the start.

Copy and paste again. Whats the matter, you didn't read all the answers to when you asked it the first time?

Check This wrote:

<quoted text>
Construction costs down 30-40%. On your $6 billion this translates to $2 -$2.44 billion.
This was kept at the level of your mental capacity on purpose.
Problem solved!

He's just made because the Credit Card he was always on time for raised the minimum payment to 5% and now he's ready for the poor house.

Grinchie wrote:

<quoted text>

Anyone who listens to you is smart enough to know your nothing but a liar....you lied since you got on the blog....and you can't back up your own self...
Go ahead tell us why you can't run for office in Oakland California and correct the budget there instead of here...you're telling us all how and what to do?..and you can't fix the budget in CALIFORNIA??...OH I GOT IT NOW..you're an IDIOT!....

Wildman wrote:

<quoted text>
Anyone who listens to you is smart enough to know your nothing but a liar....you lied since you got on the blog....and you can't back up your own self...
Go ahead tell us why you can't run for office in Oakland California and correct the budget there instead of here...you're telling us all how and what to do?..and you can't fix the budget in CALIFORNIA??...OH I GOT IT NOW..you're an IDIOT!....

Still hate Mufi Childman?

Grinchie wrote:

<quoted text>
Still hate Mufi Childman?

Racist...who hates blacks...now I got you where i want you...thanks for your ip address!.....

Grinchie wrote:

<quoted text>
Still hate Mufi Childman?

Hey racist who hates black people...seems you're losing your mentality...just like you lost your money ?...and want us to listen to you...loser!...
you can't correct the budget in california, why tell us how to do it here !....you're still an undergraduate with a double lip talking attitude...
can't get into politiics because of your mental illtness ????......aww too bad!....

Wildman wrote:

<quoted text>
Hey racist who hates black people...seems you're losing your mentality...just like you lost your money ?...and want us to listen to you...loser!...
you can't correct the budget in california, why tell us how to do it here !....you're still an undergraduate with a double lip talking attitude...
can't get into politiics because of your mental illtness ????......aww too bad!....

Still flailing for something Wildman? Here's a clue, try reading a book.

One week after fatal crash: Disney monorail pilots remain somber, mourn loss of Austin Wuennenberg

www.examiner.com/x-9082-Walt-Disney-World-Rec...

At the Transportation and Ticket Center, guests choose between riding the ferry boat or the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Although the ferry boat appears to have attracted more guests than normal this past week, the monorails remain full. Riding on the monorail has been one of the most popular activities at Walt Disney World since the park opened in 1971. If this week is any indication, the monorails will continue to attract millions of riders annually. The unprecedented involvement of the NTSB will only ensure that the monorails remain as safe as they are popular.

Looks like all the Bus Riders prefer the Monorail as others here have asserted.

Grinchie wrote:

One week after fatal crash: Disney monorail pilots remain somber, mourn loss of Austin Wuennenberg
www.examiner.com/x-9082-Walt-Disney-World-Rec...
At the Transportation and Ticket Center, guests choose between riding the ferry boat or the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Although the ferry boat appears to have attracted more guests than normal this past week, the monorails remain full. Riding on the monorail has been one of the most popular activities at Walt Disney World since the park opened in 1971. If this week is any indication, the monorails will continue to attract millions of riders annually. The unprecedented involvement of the NTSB will only ensure that the monorails remain as safe as they are popular.
Looks like all the Bus Riders prefer the Monorail as others here have asserted.

Comparing Disney's monorail to Honolulu's rail now? Nice stretch...I suppose if Honolulu charged $75 per person a day to get in they could justify 5 billion for a rail...

You just went off the deep end, time to let you do all your trolling ALONE...see ya in the funny papers.

willie wrote:

<quoted text>
Comparing Disney's monorail to Honolulu's rail now? Nice stretch...I suppose if Honolulu charged $75 per person a day to get in they could justify 5 billion for a rail...
You just went off the deep end, time to let you do all your trolling ALONE...see ya in the funny papers.

Of course if you want to spin the Monorail at Disney as some sort of Elitist luxury, than be my guest.

Overlooking the fact that this private enterprise has been able to safely transport guests at capacity for over 38 years is something to be expected by the Irrational Anti-Rail haters here.

Here is a real world example, and you call it going off the deep end. Is that what your talking points tell you to say in order to try and diminish the safety angle?

Of course, you would like to have everyone believe that the admission fee for the Magic Kingdom and Epcot have always been "$75.00", and with that, all you get to do is ride the Monorial around all day. Never mind that nobody that has any brain buys a single admission ticket in Disneyworld, but buys park hoppers that allow access to all 4 Theme parks and both state of the art water parks.

Excuse me while I roll on the floor laughing.

The General admission to Disney world Magic Kingdom was originally 3.50. It remained under 10 dollars for 10 years, until it jumped to 13.00 in time for the opening of EPCOT, complete with Private monorail line from MK to Epcot.

You Anti-Railers are so out of it I am amazed that you can even function without supervision. Are you the result of the current educational system?

Keep spinning your anti-rail nonsense, and I'll be here to expose your stupidity once again.

Been to the Bishop Museum lately?

willie wrote:

<quoted text>
Comparing Disney's monorail to Honolulu's rail now? Nice stretch...I suppose if Honolulu charged $75 per person a day to get in they could justify 5 billion for a rail...
You just went off the deep end, time to let you do all your trolling ALONE...see ya in the funny papers.

The grinch is nothing but a mainland scam artist..
trust me....she's a shareholder of Metro or Bart..
they're the only ones in SFO, pushing her investments in the Corporate monguels pockets...
I wouldn't trust someone's advice that's not a resident or pays any of our taxes or funds our economy...This rail project is more of scam to solicit funds to the pockets of investors and shareholders...the riders get nothing from it...
think about it...where money is abundant...you'll find everything from scam artist to corruption...
Wildman!