Let's see: The rail project won't improve traffic. Even the EIS said so. To improve traffic suggestions include aggressively adding new traffic lanes to existing roads, installing flyovers and bypasses in chokepoint areas, and major improvements to Honolulu’s bus system. These strategies could be accomplished for less than half the money saved by terminating rail now. 

Or let's put it another way. Rail was sold as a solution to traffic. Since it won't be and traffic improvements in its stead will have to be made eventually, realistically the cost and tax burden for actually improving traffic should be viewed as adding to the bottom line for rail.

So now the total cost has gone up by maybe half again. We can barely afford the current escalating figure, so how can we afford the real figure to accomplish the original goal of rail?