O’ahu’s escalating 8.3 billion dollar rail transit project is in deep financial trouble. Now, lawmakers controlling the City’s budget are weighing-in. HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.
Wayne Yoshioka is an award-winning journalist who has worked in television, print and radio in Hawaiʻi. He also has been on both sides of politics as a state departmental appointee and political/government reporter. He covered Hurricane Iwa (1982) as a TV reporter; was the State Department of Defense/Civil Defense spokesperson for Hurricane Iniki (1992); and, commanded a public affairs detachment in Afghanistan (2006). He has a master's degree in Communication from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is a decorated combat veteran (Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and 22 other commendation/service medals). He resides in Honolulu.
Honolulu Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, who represents the area, stopped by The Conversation to discuss a proposal making its way through the City Council to create a downtown business improvement district, similar to the one in place in Waikīkī.
News outlets emphasized that it has been difficult to get real-time information from the department. Some incidents, like the recent Māʻili fire evacuation, were also not included in the released media log. HPR's Ashley Mizuo has more.