"The same family of four would then have to pay about $1,000 per year for operations, maintenance, and sinking-fund contributions. These amounts are in addition to the 30 percent of any such taxes that could be shifted to nonresidents."  While I found this bit of information to be interesting, one thing to note is that it will be residents of O'ahu, who will be stuck paying for the Transit Rail Boondoggle; as the rest of the State of Hawaii is not affected by the transit rail tax or worried about ridership, as such problems do not extend to the other islands!