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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, December 10, 2008

MAYOR MEETS WITH OBAMA TEAM
Hanneman delivers stimulus requests

By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer

Mayor Mufi Hannemann met with a key member of President-elect Barack Obama's transition team in Chicago yesterday to present a proposed economic stimulus package aimed at funding critical infrastructure projects in Honolulu and other cities across the country.

On behalf of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Hannemann presented the mayors' MainStreet Economic Stimulus package to Valerie Jarrett, a co-chair of Obama's transition team, according to a city news release.

Hannemann and other mayors unveiled the plan's latest details on Capitol Hill on Monday and urged federal support for infrastructure projects in the nation's cities.

"Mayors are uniquely positioned to help President-elect Obama achieve his goal of creating 2.5 million new jobs to revitalize the economy, because of their expertise and experience dealing daily with infrastructure projects," Hannemann told Jarrett, according to the statement released by the city.

Jarrett, an attorney, will serve as a White House adviser and assistant for intergovernmental relations.

She said that she will be the Obama administration's direct link with cities, according to the release.

"She knows first-hand that cities can be catalysts for economic development," Hannemann said in the statement.

The previous request from Honolulu in the MainStreet Economic Stimulus Package sought 28 projects costing $456 million and creating about 2,900 jobs.

The updated list added about $55 million for 20 new projects, primarily for water system improvements, and street and sidewalk repair. In addition, two other projects were expanded.

If all the new projects were included, about 622 additional jobs would be created.

In one expanded project, Honolulu is seeking money to buy 100 new hybrid buses and 50 paratransit vehicles instead of 80 buses and 25 vehicles in the earlier request. That pushed the cost to $85 million from $60 million.

The second expansion called for $9 million — up from $5 million — to improve the Kalihi-Palama bus facility. The project now calls for replacing a wash rack and oil-water separator, paving the bus parking area and building more bays for articulated buses.

Jarrett told Hannemann that Obama's visit to O'ahu this month will be "strictly personal and private."

Hannemann also joined U.S. Conference of Mayors President and Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley yesterday to announce a new public-private effort to support Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As chairman of the Conference's Standing Committee on Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports, Hannemann said he likes Chicago's chances at landing the games.

"Holding the Olympics in Chicago will attract thousands of new visitors to the U.S. and draw worldwide attention that will inspire other travelers," Hannemann said in the statement. "We believe many of these guests will visit other U.S. cities, including Honolulu, in conjunction with their Olympic travel and that the Games will create new interest in travel to the U.S. We are going to do all we can to support Mayor Daley and his efforts to bring the Olympic Games to our country."

Chicago is one of four candidate cities bidding to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The other cities are Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.

The International Olympic Committee will announce its final selection in October 2009.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.