City Council Puts of Decision on Bus Advertisement

The Honolulu City Council's Budget Committee has decided to wait until at least March to decide on Mayor Kirk Caldwell's suggestion to allow advertising on the sides of city buses. The proposal drew a lot of criticism from members of the community and special interest groups, who argued that the advertising would create a visual blight and have a immeasurable negative impact on tourism.  There were also legal concerns due to current Hawaii laws that prohibit bill boards and other such signs. Ann Kobayashi, the Council Budget Chairwoman, stated, "We're putting it in our toolbox so that after seeing the mayor's budget, we can see how we can raise other revenues. And if not, well, we'll go with the advertising on buses. But it's the last thing we want to do."

The Mayor's office felt that by allow advertising on the sides of buses, it would generate as much as $8 million per year in revenue.  The money was slated to go back to improving bus services and adding routes.  Michael Formby, the director of the city's Department of Transportation Services, commented, "Advertising, as a sustainable revenue source, was a means to the end. The key to me is that this is a sustainable revenue source, meaning if it's $6 million the first year, over 10 years that's $60 million."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 1-18-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
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