07-03-2016, 04:45 AM
In today's Honolulu Star-Advertiser a headline story described how Governor Ige's administration is shifting 90% or more of the state's highway funds to maintenance of existing roads and delaying capacity expansion projects. A DOT spokesman said it might now take 20 years to complete the expansion of Hwy 130 between Pahoa and Keaau. A lot of legislators, including our own Ruderman and Sanbuenaventura, are loudly protesting this, saying that it is "payback" for the legislature's refusal to increase the already high gasoline and vehicle road taxes. I have to say that I was proud of our legislators' sharp responses. Here are a few snippets that I hope don't violate Punaweb's copyright rules:
"The Federal Highways Administration has strongly criticized the state for allowing a large pool of unspent federal dollars to build up. The Ige administration says it has made great progress since then in spending those funds on highway projects. The state reduced the pool of unspent federal funds from a high of $940 million six years ago to less than $540 million at the end of May, Sniffen said."
“I don’t understand how they could go from too much money on their hands to needing a gas tax increase, with nothing in between,” Ruderman said.
Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, who also represents Puna residents, was more blunt. “I think that this is blackmail,” she said. “This is extortion, I don’t see it any other way, because it’s been on the budget, they’ve never talked about this huge disparity before until now, and I think this is payback.”
Here is a link to the article, but be warned that it is paid content:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/hawaii-new...lls-plans/
My own take on this is that Sanbuenaventura is spot on with her statement. They now have "only" $540,000,000 in unspent funds, yet they can't finish 130. Yeah, right. This governor is a piece of work.
"The Federal Highways Administration has strongly criticized the state for allowing a large pool of unspent federal dollars to build up. The Ige administration says it has made great progress since then in spending those funds on highway projects. The state reduced the pool of unspent federal funds from a high of $940 million six years ago to less than $540 million at the end of May, Sniffen said."
“I don’t understand how they could go from too much money on their hands to needing a gas tax increase, with nothing in between,” Ruderman said.
Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, who also represents Puna residents, was more blunt. “I think that this is blackmail,” she said. “This is extortion, I don’t see it any other way, because it’s been on the budget, they’ve never talked about this huge disparity before until now, and I think this is payback.”
Here is a link to the article, but be warned that it is paid content:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/hawaii-new...lls-plans/
My own take on this is that Sanbuenaventura is spot on with her statement. They now have "only" $540,000,000 in unspent funds, yet they can't finish 130. Yeah, right. This governor is a piece of work.