Committee advances Cynthia L. McMillan’s reappointment to Rate Commission

The Honolulu City Council Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation and Technology on the morning advanced a reappointment resolution for Cynthia L. McMillan to serve on the city’s Rate Commission, recommending the measure be reported out for adoption by the full council. McMillan, the appointee, told the committee she was “honored that Chair Waters would submit my reappointment to this rate commission” and said her first term gave her new perspective on taking public testimony and making advisory recommendations. She said the commission heard “many bus riders who feel that bus…should be free,” and that commissioners had to balance those views with the city’s operating and maintenance costs. The discussion touched on the farebox recovery-ratio policy and who should receive reduced or free fares. Council Member Dos Santos Tam asked whether the farebox recovery policy should be repealed; McMillan replied that public testimony included calls both for free fares and for targeted discounts and that the commission had to weigh competing needs. She told the committee, “we had to balance the student rates…we don’t want to damage ridership with this action, we want to encourage ridership, and we have to make sure that there is some revenue coming in.” Committee members and McMillan also discussed outreach and access to income-based fare relief. Council Member Weier raised concerns about low take-up among households at lower income levels and asked whether the 30% AMI threshold referenced in committee discussion applies; the committee exchange indicated that 30% was recollected as a HUD-related threshold but not confirmed in committee testimony. McMillan said many users found the paperwork to access relief “way too cumbersome” and suggested the process could be simplified. Members noted nonfare issues that came up in testimony as possible value-for-money improvements, including cleaner and safer bus stops and more visible maintenance. Vice Chair Okimoto and McMillan said the commission hopes to increase public participation for future hearings and to coordinate with agencies that maintain transit facilities. The chair recommended the reappointment resolution be reported out for adoption. With no objections recorded during the committee meeting, the committee ordered the measure advanced to the full council for consideration.