The proposal would have made it easier for the board overseeing the Honolulu rail project to take action.

This marks the first time that city property tax revenue will be used for the project.

Canopies planned for the project’s nine westernmost stations have “constructability issues,” said HART’s executive director.

UPDATED: The City Council move may satisfy rail’s impatient federal partners, but it also reverses a pledge not to use city dollars for construction.

Legislators added nonvoting members for more project scrutiny, but the move made it harder for the board to reach a quorum.

Honolulu will need to come up with $44 million by Nov. 20 — and a good-faith effort to eventually issue bonds for those dollars next year won’t cut it.

An opposition ad puts the cost at $55 million. But that assumes unprecedented full public funding of campaigns for hundreds of delegate candidates.

Backed in a corner, the Honolulu City Council took steps Wednesday to commit $44 million in bonds to help build the 20-mile rail system.

The U.S. territory still hasn’t recovered from Maria. Hawaii officials hope better coordination and a more resilient electric grid will help avoid a similar fate.

Hawaii has been hit directly by a hurricane or tropical storm five times since 1950. Three of those direct hits came in the last four years.

Congress has authorized $345 million to strengthen the aging canal to protect against flooding in Waikiki and nearby neighborhoods.

The state is assessing the conditions of shelters and retrofitting some, but the work is expensive and slow.