Djou offers proposals to put rail vote on ballot

I work in Waikiki. Charles Djou is supposed to represent Waikiki. I really don't get his opposition to rail. Doesn't he understand that many of use need an alternative to the bus or driving? He should be pushing to bring a rail into Waikiki as well. I used to think he had some smarts but now he's just too much of a political hatchet man. I spend more time either looking for parking or riding crowded buses or stuck in traffic. Fix the transportation system!

There are plenty of transport system fixes that would do a lot more than building rail and for a lot less money. Besides, these bozos can't even manage to fix the potholes, sewer system, manage a recycling program, etc., etc. They simply aren't competent to take on something as big as a $4 billion + rail project. Nevertheless, let's vote on it and if that is what the majority wants, so be it.

In an ideal world, Honolulu could use all kinds of projects. But the reality is that we CAN'T AFFORD THE TRAIN. There aren't even 1 million people living on this rock !!! This train would be the most expensive public works project in history and we just plain cannot afford it. Citizens find it hard to believe that a city could become bankrupt. Well it you do the homework you'll realize that such a disaster is entirely possilbe if we follow through on this plan.

Djou does grandstand but he's right that the people should vote on this.

Walt wrote:

I work in Waikiki. Charles Djou is supposed to represent Waikiki. I really don't get his opposition to rail. Doesn't he understand that many of use need an alternative to the bus or driving? He should be pushing to bring a rail into Waikiki as well. I used to think he had some smarts but now he's just too much of a political hatchet man. I spend more time either looking for parking or riding crowded buses or stuck in traffic. Fix the transportation system!

Fair is fair. Let the people decide.

Fiscal Responsibility wrote:

In an ideal world, Honolulu could use all kinds of projects. But the reality is that we CAN'T AFFORD THE TRAIN. There aren't even 1 million people living on this rock !!! This train would be the most expensive public works project in history and we just plain cannot afford it. Citizens find it hard to believe that a city could become bankrupt. Well it you do the homework you'll realize that such a disaster is entirely possilbe if we follow through on this plan.
Djou does grandstand but he's right that the people should vote on this.

Nobody is grandstanding. Djou is cool. Let the people decide.

Simple.

Walt wrote:

I work in Waikiki. Charles Djou is supposed to represent Waikiki. I really don't get his opposition to rail. Doesn't he understand that many of use need an alternative to the bus or driving? He should be pushing to bring a rail into Waikiki as well. I used to think he had some smarts but now he's just too much of a political hatchet man. I spend more time either looking for parking or riding crowded buses or stuck in traffic. Fix the transportation system!

It's a big city, there's always parking issues. Spend the money for more buses, cheaper. How can u say, u looking for parking or stuck in traffic, then u say u stay in one crowded bus? Pick one blalah.

Fiscal Responsibility wrote:

In an ideal world, Honolulu could use all kinds of projects. But the reality is that we CAN'T AFFORD THE TRAIN. There aren't even 1 million people living on this rock !!! This train would be the most expensive public works project in history and we just plain cannot afford it. Citizens find it hard to believe that a city could become bankrupt. Well it you do the homework you'll realize that such a disaster is entirely possilbe if we follow through on this plan.
Djou does grandstand but he's right that the people should vote on this.

This is from another Topix thread about home prices going down.

"Wow. For less than the price of our retarded rail system, they will produce enough power for 4 million homes - FOREVER. Mufi is scratching his head and is asking himself..... 8 minute shorter commute for 2% of our population OR energy independence for our entire island. 8 minute shorter commute for 2% of our population OR energy independence for our entire island.

8 minute shorter commute it is!!! "
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In a news article from the 18 July Honolulu Advertiser, "In what experts say is the biggest ever U.S. investment in the clean and renewable energy, utility officials in the Lone Star State gave preliminary approval yesterday to a $4.9 billion plan to build new transmission lines to carry wind-generated electricity from gusty west Texas to urban areas such as Dallas."

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.d...

For less than the price of rail, we could get free wind energy...

Imagine that!

I'm not yet sure if I think rail will do what its proponents claim it will do, but from looking back at the history of other large projects, I'll bet that if the estimate is say, 5 billion, it will probably cost 10, maybe more. Where will all of that money come from?

Put it on the ballot! This is the largest and MOST EXPENSIVE project ever undertaken here! The people need a say in something of this magnitude. Those dog and pony shows the mayor put on did not give us our say. I had questions and they ignored me. Let us vote!

let the people decide on this rail. taxes, taxes, taxes... everything went up except my pay.

The correct way is for the general public to vote on this... being that we are the one that will have to ultimately pay for it.... many of us will not use the rail.....in that case why don't we make the whole state pay for it? the outer islands will not use it.. let them not have a choice either.......

It basically comes down to this: If we have to pay for it, we should be able to vote on whether we want it. Enough said.

We need to get rid of the ignorant, racist Tam who is here standing in the way of the free expression of the will of the People. Tam does not deserve to be a council member any longer than the November ballot.

Djou is right on the money in advocating for the People to decide.

Mufi said he is not against a referendum.

Let's see if Mufi's word is good (or is it more of the same b.s. coming out of his office.)

Mufi and his small group of allies on the City council should heed the warning that their political careers are at stake should they continue to frustrate the free expression of the will of the People.

A determined opposition to this special interest project designed to enrich Mufi's mainland haole campaign contributors, will only grow, solidify and galvanize, the longer Mufi and his allies on the City council stall the People's decision on this question.

I thought the rail was a done deal and we were getting it. Isnt that why we are paying the extra sales tax percent and outer island isnt? If we dont get the rail are they going to give us our money back??? I think they have raised millions by now with the extra tax.

Vote Djou for mayor!

Coucilman Djou, YOu are achieving your goal. You are getting the name recognition you desire. Please run for an island wide office so that I may vote for whoever, whatever, or none of the above instead of you. Have a nice day.

equalizer wrote:

let the people decide on this rail. taxes, taxes, taxes... everything went up except my pay.

Fax or email your letter to each city councilmember to support Djou's proposal to get the Rail petition on the November ballot. It is the power of the people to get it done.

Kathryn Hallmark wrote:

I thought the rail was a done deal and we were getting it. Isnt that why we are paying the extra sales tax percent and outer island isnt? If we dont get the rail are they going to give us our money back??? I think they have raised millions by now with the extra tax.

Wrong!! The GET has raised less than $200 million.$9.0 Billion is needed for the complete 30 mile rail. Where's the rest coming from??? From another one or two percent increase in the GET plus 25 percent increase in property taxes. Don't hold your breath. By then Mufi will leave the mayors office and with us taxpayers stuck with the disasterous bill.

I sense the momentum against rail is increasing. I'm not sure if today more people oppose rail than support it, but I think if rail is not put on the November ballot, then there will be a lot more support for rail generated because Hawaii voters believe in fairness. Put the question to the people. Let it be decided once and for all. Government is for the people. Let the people speak. I was for rail. Now I am not so sure. The referendum question has made me think about transportation. We need something. But now I am not sure it is rail. We that kind of money to be spent, is there an energy efficient bus-alternative? I would think so.

Rod Tam shouldn't be so quick to discount the public. He forgets that he and his cronies have been weak kneed sisters for the most part regarding mass transit. In acutality they should have created a ballot measure to increase the tax instead of making that decision for themselves. The whole thing has been mishandled from the begining. Who knows if that was by design or just typical city council bungling. I'm sure Tam and his dining partners discussed how to chop up the $3.6 billion. How ironic, he spends our tax dollars to woo contributions from the unions. Zip pack anyone.