You can't write history on the fly, so the full dynamics of the remarkable events of last week involving a state law that allows counties to raise taxes for transit will take some time to sort out.

Still, the maneuvering and negotiating that led to the enactment of a law allowing the counties to add half a percentage point (25 percent, in fact) to the pervasive 4 percent excise tax was a sight to behold.

At the Capitol rotunda last week, a full array of our political leaders, standing before flags and backed by a suddenly joyful group of construction workers, announced a deal had been struck on that tax bill.

It was all sweetness and light, a "Kumbaya" moment, as one wag put it. But behind the scenes, there was the usual stress and pull of competing political interests.

Last week, Gov. Linda Lingle announced in what appeared to be unequivocal terms that she had decided to veto the measure that would allow counties to raise the excise tax for transit.

She had two stated objections: The state would be obligated to collect the tax, and there would be a 10 percent set-aside for the state, in effect a tax increase.

This fundamentally conflicted with a theory that had led to her election in the first place: Finally, a Republican governor who would not raise taxes.

So at the news conference announcing a last-minute resolution of this problem, House Speaker Calvin Say was quick to point out that "we are not raising taxes." The state, he said, is simply allowing the counties to raise taxes should they so choose.

That's a very small foxhole for lawmakers and the governor to hide in.

What made this deal work is a combination of brinksmanship and political maneuvering that is worthy of any Shakespeare play.

For starters, Lingle played a high-stakes card in announcing her veto because lawmakers would not promise to get the state out of the imposition and collection business. That gamble paid off after intense last-minute negotiations in Capitol offices. Legislative leaders Say and Senate President Robert Bunda agreed to sign off on a letter that — while not binding — made a reasonably firm commitment to deal with her concerns about collection and imposition at the next session.

That was a win.

The other win belonged to Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who cut short a trip to Japan to personally work a deal. He parlayed a nice balance of diplomacy and his own brinksmanship to make this thing work.

On one side, Hannemann worked hard to deal with Lingle's basic objection by promising to come up with a process by which the state would not be seen to either impose nor directly collect the tax.

On the other, he worked hard (and let the Lingle people know) that he was slowly building a coalition of votes in the Legislature to override the governor's veto. That may have been a bit of a bluff, but it helped move talks forward.

Bottom line: High stakes drama, clever politics and a bit of poker-playing on both sides resulted in a historic agreement to raise taxes and build a transit system for O'ahu.

Now what are they going to do for an encore?