The city's multimillion-dollar rail information campaign now includes a heart-shaped "I Love Rail" logo that is featured on a monthly TV show and newsletter.

The logo has been generating concern that the taxpayer-funded public involvement initiative now has taken on an overtly pro-rail promotional tone.

City Transportation Director Wayne Yoshioka said the logo is a holdover from Valentine's Day-related transit information materials and denied that the city is using its public information and involvement program to promote the $5.4 billion train project.

"The purpose of what we're doing is public information and to make sure we can get public information out to them," he said. "That hasn't changed."

Federal rules don't prevent the city from advocating for rail. In fact, there is nothing legally wrong with the city promoting rail, Yoshioka said.

"But our emphasis is to continue to give information to the public — make sure they know what's going on," he said.

The city spent nearly $2.6 million from August 2005 through June 30, 2008, on a rapid-transit public information campaign that includes newsletters and radio and television shows. Updated figures on spending were not made available.

The city has maintained that an informational campaign is part of a federally mandated public involvement effort.

However, critics have called the effort thinly disguised rail propaganda.

Honolulu City Council member Charles Djou said the "I Love Rail" logo proves the city is promoting rail.

"I don't think there's any question that that clearly crosses the line from information to advocacy, and it is an inappropriate use of taxpayer resources," said Djou, who contends the city can't afford to build a train system.

LOBBYING FOR SUPPORT

Voters last November approved the East Kapolei to Ala Moana rail project, 51 percent to 46 percent.

Council chair and rail proponent Todd Apo said he wasn't sure whether the city's role following that vote should be to advocate for rail. However, he agreed that the "I Love Rail" logo appears to be an attempt to lobby public support.

"Common sense — yeah, it is advocating for rail," Apo said. "I don't know that you ever get to that point from a standpoint of using city funds, yet part of the city's job is to ensure that this is a successful project especially given the vote that happened in November.

"Maybe that does push it to another level than it was before. I would personally prefer that the information stay factual."

Djou said overtly promotional rail material could have unintended consequences.

"I think this does the exact opposite" from building support for rail, he said. "If they still feel the need, even after the vote, to use taxpayer money to bribe the taxpayers to believe that what they're doing is correct, (it) begs the question whether this is the correct thing in the first place."

Yoshioka said the city would consider removing the logo from its public information campaign if there's a backlash.

"We'll take a look at it and see," he said. "If everybody feels it rubs people the wrong way, then we'll dispense with it."