But we’re moving on to the testimony of another speaker at last Wednesday’s City Council hearing on rail’s Final Environmental Impact Statement. We’ve already noted a “generational contrast” between the pro-rail testifiers – young people who say “we will ride” – and members of the more senior generation that seemed inclined to oppose the project.
Today’s focus is on a local high school graduate who’s now attending college on the mainland.
Shawna Piper Jordan
I’m a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and a current student at Yale University. I support rail development in Hawaii because I want to return home. I want to have a reason to be back here. Without innovation, without a look to the future, without development that can make us a competitive force in the Pacific region and the United States, there’s no reason for students to want to come back from the mainland.
A major opposition to my reason to want to have rail development is my grandfather. He says, “Why should I pay out of my retirement money to income tax? Why should I pay for something I might not be able to benefit from?” And my answer to him and others in Hawaii who are opposed to this for those same reasons (is) that you need to look to your children.
Once they’re able to have development in Honolulu, they’ll put money into the state, and this money in the state will help to support our aging population. So support us now in this development, and we’ll support you later. Thank you.
1 comment:
Now that is one compelling testimony. Like every other modern metropolis, Honolulu is overrun with traffic. The next generation is inherently inexperienced but they could retain a future that more closely resembles the memories of previous generations, more carefree and car-free.
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