Working for a better economy, better governance and a better society
‘Panos’ estimates rail cost to reach at least $13 billion
Honolulu’s overbudget and behind-schedule rail system continues to climb in cost, and now probably will cost at least $13 billion by the time it is finished, according to University of Hawaii civil engineering professor Panos Prevedouros. Prevedouros was the...
Honolulu can’t afford to borrow more for rail, Grassroot Institute says
The following is testimony submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Honolulu City Council at its July 8, 2020, hearing on Resolution 20-144. _________________ To: Honolulu City Council Ikaika Anderson, Chair Ann Kobayashi, Vice chair...
Self-driving cars another nail in rail’s coffin
Self-driving cars are just around the corner for America, but as we begin to embrace the future, Honolulu’s over-budget and behind-schedule rail project is firmly stuck in the past. Automated vehicles are expected to become the norm in the United States within the...
The ‘Rail Skim’ lawsuit: We lost the battle but won the war
A long time ago, in October 2015 to be more precise, the Tax Foundation of Hawaii sued the state. Why? Because at the time, the state was skimming 10 cents off every dollar that was being collected for rail, and it plopped the money into the state’s general fund,...
Akina rides again with ‘Perry & the Posse’
Hawaii radio personality Michael W. Perry once again hosted Keli‘i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, on his popular KSSK show “Perry & The Posse.” Introducing Akina on his morning show this past Thursday, May 2, as “one of the people you...
#AuditTheRail finally on track!
The Honolulu rail is now famous, but for all the wrong reasons. The question is: “What we are going to do about it?” With the project under federal investigation, news outlets around the country are writing about it, using words like “debacle” and “boondoggle.”...
#AuditTheRail finds champion in Heidi Tsuyenoshi
It’s been a long time coming, but thanks to new Honolulu City Council member Heidi Tsuneyoshi, representing District 2, it’s finally going to get done: a forensic audit of the city’s wildly over-budget and behind-schedule rail project. Tsuneyoshi met with Grassroot...
Akina pans HART’s P3 plan in Star-Advertiser
The following is an excerpt from an article that appeared Sunday, March 17, in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Federal investigation, funding issues increase risk for rail bidders.” It features comments by Grassroot Institute of Hawaii President...
Other states show we can hold rail accountable
Across the country, people are getting fed up with large, expensive public works projects that siphon away taxpayer funds. In January, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo canceled a plan years in the making that would have shut down New York City’s L Train for tunnel repairs....