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I’m so stunned.

What an interesting moment to drop back into Honolulu’s city hall. The budget, full of controversial items, including aggressive funding for the mayor’s rail transit system even before the results of the environmental impact study are assessed, are on the table for final passage at today’s council meeting. According to news accounts today, Mayor Hannemann is moving ahead with a possible rematch against Neil Abercrombie, this time for the governor’s seat. And Neil’s moving ahead with another $200 per person fundraiser at the end of the month. Fireworks ahead, it seems.

I was Neil’s senior advisor the last time I worked at city hall. This time around, I’ll be in a nice little office with other Bainum staff up on the 4th floor, just across the hall from a small office that I was the first to occupy when it was built back in 1989 or so. Bainum’s staff are in the office that, back then, housed Councilmember Gary Gill’s staff, including now state senator Suzanne Chun-Oakland. So it’s a bit of a time warp.

One thing to note is the remarkable painted ceiling in our little office, which must also stretch into adjoining parts of the building, although I haven’t looked around to find out.

Now I’ve got to check with the city librarians to find out about its history. When was this done? Is it original with the building? Added later? Who were the artists? It really is very unusual and quite a treat to look at.

Thanks to Senator Les Ihara for passing along word of a series of newly published state audits, including DOE procurement, a management and financial audit of the tourism authority’s major contracts, and the state’s information technology. It looks like there will be some interesting findings there.

And for you information junkies, here’s an article from a law journal recommending Internet sites for attorneys and others concerned with legal issues. Some less familiar sites are described, with links.

Honolulu City Councilmember Romy Cachola has questioned Mayor Hannemann’s transit funding plan in a June 5 letter to the mayor.

Based on the current financial plan, and not counting possible (and perhaps almost certain) cost overruns, Cachola estimates the city is short over $2 billion needed to complete the minimum operating segment of the proposed rail system.

Cachola asks Hannemann to submit a revised and updated financial plan to the council and, more importantly, the public. Recent attempts to obtain current financial information about the project have been unsuccessful.

Cachola also urges the mayor to apply for a Full Funding Grant Agreement with the federal government.

Most, if not all, municipalities and/or cities with big transit projects such as Honolulu, have applied for an FFGA prior to construction. Currently there are at least 20 municipalities and/or cities ahead of us that have applied for an FFGA. Also, the $1.4 billion that has been reported as the FTA’s share for our projecdt is just an estimate until we have applied for and secured an FFGA.

It’s a good summary of the financial situation, although it perhaps still underestimates the budget squeeze that rail is going to cause. The lack of a current and updated financial plan from the rail planners is definitely a reason to worry.