By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer

The proposed new rail transit system for O'ahu is going to be a tough sell. That means politicians are going to have to think like marketers to make it a go.

There's no doubt that something needs to be done to help the tens of thousands of commuters who are mired in traffic jams between West O'ahu and Honolulu every day — and to help the thousands more who are moving to the area every year in search of affordable homes and a better life.

City and state officials are in agreement, for now at least, that the best way to address those problems is to build a $2.6 billion overhead rail line from Kapolei to Iwilei.

There's no consensus, however, among the people of O'ahu who will be asked to pay for at least half of the project.

An unscientific Advertiser online poll right after the plan was announced found that more than half of those responding said they would not support a tax increase to pay for rail line.

You can hear the opponents lining up their arguments and special interests against the project: It won't go to Waikiki. What's wrong with buses? It won't go to Nanakuli. It will never get people out of their cars. It won't go to Mililani. We need more highways instead. Why should Hawai'i Kai (or Kailua or Hale'iwa) taxpayers have to pay for something they won't ever use?

It was the 17th-century philosopher John Locke who first refined the theory that people sometimes have to yield some of their own interests to the greater good, via the government. It's called the social contract, and that's what we're all going to need if rail transit is going to become a reality.

Each of us makes a contribution to the greater good beyond our own self interests.

All of us helped pay for the road widening that makes the relatively easy Kalaniana'ole commute from Hawai'i Kai possible; we all paid for H-3 Freeway, which seemingly benefits Windward residents the most.

Beyond transportation, those of us without children (or those who have them in private schools) willingly finance public education; we build libraries even when we have enough money to go to Borders; we pay taxes for public parks and playgrounds, even if we don't always use them.

So now, people all over O'ahu are going to be asked to pay for a rail line that doesn't help them directly. Convincing them to put up their share of the money is going to be an uphill battle, one that will take enormous amounts of courage and integrity on the party of public policy-makers, especially in an era of budget crunches and fiscal conservatism.

In that sense, financing public transit may become something of a litmus test to see if the social contract still has any place in Hawai'i's future.

Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.