Honolulu City Council Meeting on Transit Fare Hike and Other Bills – January 28, 2026
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Honolulu City Council Meeting – January 28, 2026
The Honolulu City Council convened on January 28, 2026, to consider several legislative items, with the most contentious being Bill 54 (2025), which proposed public transit fare increases. After extensive public testimony and council debate, an amendment to freeze fares failed, and the original bill passed on third reading by a vote of 6 to 3. Other bills and resolutions were adopted unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jimmy Chen (public) opposed Bill 54, arguing the fare increase is a regressive tax, exacerbates affordability crisis, and penalizes cash users (seniors, immigrants, houseless residents).
- Dale Vanderbrink (Second Vice Chair, Ala Moana–Kaka‘ako Neighborhood Board, personal testimony) strongly opposed, stating the increase would raise only $4 million against DTS’s $400+ million budget and disproportionately burden low-income, non-voting residents.
- Luca Kiberti (North Shore transit advocate, Hawaiian Youth Transportation Council Policy Chair) opposed, warning the fare hike would hurt youth and families, and noted that obtaining youth cards is already difficult.
- Donald Sakamoto (Citizens for a Fair Ride) opposed, citing past council rejection of a similar increase in 2018, raising concerns about paratransit costs and the state’s underpayment for MedQuest riders.
- Jolie Tokusatu (UNITE HERE Local 5) opposed any fare increase, sharing personal experience and urging that public transit be made easier, not more expensive.
Discussion Items
- Bill 54 (2025) CD2 – Public Transit Fare Increase
- Director Roger Martin (DTS) explained that the transit budget is ~$440 million, costs rising ~$11 million/year, and fares cover only 10% of costs. The bill would raise $4 million (20% of the two-year cost increase). He noted that the measure was a compromise: the committee removed proposed increases for seniors, disabled, and low-income riders, and raised visitor fares instead.
- Councilmember Okimoto supported the bill, arguing that without fare increases, service cuts (routes, jobs) would harm riders more than a small fare hike.
- Councilmember Dos Santos Town opposed, stating that 60% of bus riders earn under $50,000/year and 20% under $20,000; a quarter-per-day increase is a burden. He moved to amend (FD1) to freeze all fares.
- Councilmember Wire supported the amendment, concerned about extremely low-income riders and the inequity of the fare structure.
- Councilmember Cordero supported the amendment, noting public opposition at community meetings.
- Councilmember Tupola expressed a “catch-22” – fearing service cuts more than fare increases – and ultimately voted against the amendment.
- Bill 55 (2025) CD2 – Multifamily Rental Housing Program Fees – Passed unanimously with no discussion.
- Bill 63 (2025) CD1 – Real Property Taxation – Passed unanimously after testimony from Natalie Wasa, who supported the intent but criticized the 45-day rollback period and warned about future Res A rate hikes.
- Bill 66 (2025) CD1 – Exceptional Trees – Passed unanimously.
- Resolutions (transfer of funds, gifts, permits, driver’s license test, pedestrian safety, settlements) – All adopted without opposition.
Key Outcomes
- Bill 54 (2025) CD2 – Amendment (FD1) to freeze all fares failed (3 ayes – Cordero, Dos Santos Town, Wire; 6 noes – Kia Aina, Nishimoto, Okimoto, Toba, Tupola, Chair Waters). The original bill then passed third reading (6 ayes – Kia Aina, Nishimoto, Okimoto, Toba, Tupola, Chair Waters; 3 noes – Cordero, Dos Santos Town, Wire).
- Bill 55 (2025) CD2 – Passed third reading (9-0).
- Bill 63 (2025) CD1 – Passed third reading (9-0).
- Bill 66 (2025) CD1 – Passed third reading (9-0).
- Resolution 25-327 (transfer of funds) – Adopted.
- Resolution 25-331 (transfer of funds) – Adopted.
- Resolution 26-5 CD1 (transfer of funds) – Adopted.
- Resolution 25-330 (gift of bench and plaque) – Adopted.
- Resolution 25-332 CD1 (MOU with State Historic Preservation) – Adopted.
- Resolution 25-316 CD1 (community benefits for Hilton Grand Vacations project) – Adopted.
- Resolution 25-299 CD1 (SMA permit for Kailua dwelling) – Adopted (9-0).
- Resolution 25-329 (public safety) – Adopted.
- Resolution 26-1 (driver’s license renewal test) – Adopted.
- Resolution 26-2 (pedestrian and bicycle safety education) – Adopted.
- Resolution 26-14 (gift of warthog shipping services) – Adopted.
- Settlement authorizations (CR 13-26, 14-26, 17-26) – Adopted.
- Meeting adjourned to February 18, 2026, at 10 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, good afternoon, members, members of the public. We're reconvening. We're on page 16, page 16. From the committee on budget. Councilmember Okimoro. I move that committee report one committee 126 be adopted and Bill 54, 2025 CD2 as amended, passed third reading. Thank you. It's been moved and seconded, Councilmember Okimoto for the explanation. Relating to public transit. Thank you. Is there a motion to amend? Yes, Chair. I move that Bill 54 2025 CD2 be further amended to the proposed C FD1 identified as OCS 2026-0043 slash one slash 26 slash 2026 409 p.m. Second. There's uh it's been moved and seconded, Councilmember Dosantos Town for the explanation of the amendment. Chair, the proposed FD1 would retain the current fare structure that is uh not increase um the fares as proposed in the underlying bill. It would retain the provision that allows for the Department of Transportation Services to establish a single special ride fare to and from the airport. It would retain the current fares as they exist for individuals with extremely low incomes, and would delete the provision that would have increased the one-way passenger trip fare for any person issued a paratransit eligibility identification card. Thank you so much. So, Mr. Clerk, can we start with registered testifiers? In person, in person. Yeah, okay. Um is she still oh Mr. Chair, we do have some registered in person testifiers. Um Chu Lan Schubert Qua, Dale Vanderbrink, Jun Mee Cheng. Hello and welcome. Aloha. My name is Jimmy Chen, and I'm here to propose oppose uh the bill 54. My message is clear. The fare is not fair. Reason fair will extraparate uh Holano's affordability crisis and act as a regressive tax for people who rely on public transportation and deepen uh economic inequality in our city. Second, that 25 cents increase is designed to push people towards the holocar and create a digital barrier. But not everyone has a bank account or access to digital payment. Cash writer are disported uh mostly like seniors, immigrants, and our house residents. This policy excludes them. Uh the very community public transit uh is meant to serve. Means more cars, more traffic, and more emissions. You cannot promote climate codes uh while penalizing people for choosing public transportation. Public transportation is the essential service, not a luxury. The fair is not fair. Please reject bill 54 mahalo. Thank you. Sir, please come forward. Welcome. Aloha, uh, chair and members of this council. My name is Dale Vanderbrink. I am the second vice chair of the Alamoana Kakako Neighborhood Board, and this is my personal testimony. I speak in strong opposition to Bill 54. I first want to inform the council this week that the Alamoana Cockako neighborhood board as well as the McCoy neighborhood board both passed resolutions opposing Bill 54.
openpublica.com