UPDATED: The proposal to raise hotel taxes and extend the GET next faces another vote by the full Senate on Wednesday, then likely House consideration.

Hours before the special session begins, the mayor called for renegotiation of the proposed tax increases so “we don’t have to come back again.”

While we’d prefer no more money go to the mismanaged project, it’s heartening that proposed tax increases include closer scrutiny of HART.

But critics say lawmakers should wait for audit results before handing billions more dollars to the troubled project.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and his City Council stalwarts are playing chicken with a political freight train.

State lawmakers also want to require an audit of the struggling rail project. Senate Ways and Means will hear the measure Monday.

Gov. David Ige faced a heavy lobbying campaign from both sides on a bill phasing out commercial collection of fish for the aquarium industry.

Hawaii lawmakers will convene for a week to figure out how to fund the rest of Honolulu’s over-budget project.

After balking two years ago, state officials now feel there are sufficient safeguards to prevent private-paying clients from displacing those on Medicaid.

After providing $600,000 and $750,000 in the last two fiscal years, lawmakers allocated nothing this year.