‘A Harebrained Idea’ that ‘Ain’t Going Very Far’

So said Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hanneman in Round 2 in the “transit tax diversion” fisticuffs (see Round 1). Hannemann relied on a no-nonsense jab to rack up points:

“It’s a harebrained idea, and it ain’t going to go very far,” he said, continuing:

“Is it really fair for the people of Oahu, who have been paying this tax into a special fund, now to have to balance the budget on behalf of the whole state of Hawaii?”

Neither daily newspaper has commented editorially on what some are calling a “tax grab” proposed by Senate President Hanabusa that might jeopardize federal funding by upsetting the local funding mechanism for the Honolulu rail project.

That editorial silence is likely to end with the Sunday editions, especially since the Advertiser presumably will print excerpts of Thursday’s Hot Seat session featuring the senator.