(AP) — The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has issued proposal requests to hire a federal lobbyist and a board consultant to lobby officials. HART interim CEO Lori Kahikina said on Wednesday, March 10, that the organization responsible for creating Honolulu’s rail line faces a project shortfall of about $3 billion. HART says it plans on spending about $1 million over the next several years on federal lobbyists. The organization added that it is planning on hiring the lobbyists to raise funding for the financially plagued rail system. The request was submitted as the organization prepares a plan to pay for the final leg of a 20-mile rail project.

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