First the important info, then a short update.
A major setback in the rail is possible if you act in the next few days. Wayne Yoshioka, current head of the city's Dept. of Transportation Services, has been re-appointed by Mayor Carlisle, and his confirmation is before the City Council. The Council referred his name to the Transportation Committee for greater consideration. That Committee meets at 1:00 on this Wednesday. There are five members on the committee. They include Ann Kobayshi and Romy Cachola who are not likely to support him. If we could get one more vote, his name would be held in committee.
This would be a stunning blow to the rail project. It would be a train wreck for their momentum. It would jolt public opinion back into the realization that this thing still can be stopped.
The good news is that the other three on the Committee are new Council members who could all conceivably be brought over to our side. The chair, Breene Harimoto, is squeaky clean (Thank God), and could be sold on the "conflict of interest," "fox watching the henhouse," "corrupt government" idea since Mufi brought Yoshioka from Parsons Brinkerhoff to head the DTS which oversees Parsons Brinkerhoff in the rail construction. How can any honest person vote to continue this outrageous collusion? It wreaks! We need clean government. Stanley Chang is on the committee also. He is from Hawai'i Kai which won't benefit from the rail, and many of his people are concerned about the cost burden. Earnie Martin is from the North Shore. His people want rail, but many of them are also really worried about the escalating costs, and question if rail will really help traffic. Both might be convinced that we need a second look at rail, and that we will never get it with Yoshioka in there.
The Transportation Committee Meeting will be held on this Wednesday at 1:00. We need you there, with testimony in hand. If you can't make it, please check out the meeting announcement at
http://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-108545/020911%20TTPAgenda%20(2).htm to see how to testify.
If you live inside of the districts for Romy, Breene, Stanley, or Ernie, it is terribly important that you call them, let them know that you are a constituent, and ask them to vote against Yoshioka.
We are working on the next press conference and the rally. I’ll write more on Monday or Tuesday. This weekend, we hope to finish a grant request. We will need matching funds. If you can pledge anything, please write me by Monday morning. I am the sole keeper of the e-mail addresses, and will send all missives by BCC until we get another secure system set up.
Please make the Yoshioka vote your first priority. Write your friends.
Kioni Dudley
Replies