Council says it isn't to blame for bus woes

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

City Council members complained yesterday that the backlash over increased bus fares and decreased bus service has fallen on them even though they did not make any cuts to the bus budget.

While the Council was responsible for increasing the adult bus fare by 25 cents, members pointed out that a $4.5 million budget cut and a $3 increase in adult monthly bus passes were proposed by the administration.

Council members urged the administration to take responsibility for reducing the bus service, but Cheryl Soon, director of the city Department of Transportation Services, told them she doesn't think blame is the issue. "The big picture is ... we don't have the kinds of revenues that we'd like for the services being requested," she said. "We can't keep providing the level of services. There are cuts that have to be made."

However, figuring out who to blame for service cuts that will take place when the budget goes into effect on Tuesday was one of the primary reasons the Council Budget Committee held a two-hour-long special meeting yesterday.

"Our concern basically is the public statements of fact, if you will, attributed to the Council that we don't really feel should be attributed to us," Councilwoman Barbara Marshall told the administrators.

"I think this bus situation is a real case in point. We shouldn't have to be responsible for the decisions you make."

The Council members spent most of the time defending themselves against criticism leveled by Mayor Jeremy Harris last week when he allowed the budget to pass into law without his signature.

For instance, in a letter to the Council, Harris accused members of showing a "disregard for public safety agency needs." But Budget Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi argued that the administration cut the public safety agency budgets, then tried to add the money in later. She added that the Council restored $1 million to both the police and fire for salaries.

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.