Economic Strain: Instead of thriving, Hawai'i residents learning to survive with less.

• Need for Oversight: The Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which oversees electricity and shipping rates requires increased government oversight (not the people).

• Impact of High Costs:

  • Import Costs: With 80% of food and goods imported, shipping monopolies and mismanagement have inflated costs by 46% since 2020

  • Electricity Rates: Hawai'i residents face the highest electricity rates in the nation, nearly three times the U.S. average and significantly higher than Guam's 16 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared to Hawai'i's 45 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Crime Prevention Measures: Implement policies to get tough on crime, ensuring safer communities for all residents.

• Fight Crime Relentlessly: I am committed to implementing tough, proactive crime prevention strategies to address rising criminal activity and restore safety to our neighborhoods.

• Support First Responders: I will prioritize the needs of our first responders, ensuring they receive the recognition, funding, and support necessary to perform their critical roles effectively.

• Support for First Responders: Provide additional resources, enhancing their ability to serve and protect effectively. This includes finding solutions to understaffed police departments.

• Law and order must be restored to our community. A small percentage of our population from ruining the quality of life for hard-working, productive citizens and their families. Families should be able to take their keiki to our parks and beaches without fear.

• Ban urban camping, legislate for mental health facilities and inpatient drug rehabs.

• Safeguard Athletic Rights: I will fight for policies that ensure girls' and women’s sports teams remain exclusive to biological females, preserving fair competition and blocking biological boys or men from claiming scholarships designated for girls and women.

• Defend Girls-Only and Women-Only Spaces: I will stand firm in preserving the safety, privacy, and rights of girls and women in bathrooms and locker rooms, ensuring these non-coed spaces are protected from the presence of biological boys or men.

• Uphold Equal Rights: I am committed to maintaining the equal rights of girls and women in athletics, ensuring they are not displaced by biological boys or men in competitions or scholarship opportunities.

Reduced Reliance on Imports: Increase support for local agriculture, family farms, fishermen, and food sustainability to decrease dependence on imported food.

• Streamlined Regulations: Fewer restrictions and simplified permitting processes for residents, particularly on agricultural parcels, to encourage local food production.

• Water Conservation: Many in my district utilize water catchment systems, making Accessory Development Units (ADUs, also known as 'ohanas') feasible without straining county water supplies.

• Streamline Regulations: Simplify and clarify regulations to reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, including those related to Climate Change.

• Avoid Additional Bureaucracy: Cease focusing policy on climate change, as it has already resulted in increased regulations, spending, and costs. The Big Island is home to a massive CO2 source, Kīlauea.

• • My personal experience with an electrical car: I had a brand new Nissan Leaf, that died after 1 year / 15,000 miles. The dealer was unable to fix it, and it still remains parked in the free EV parking spot at the Nissan dealer in Kona, two years later.

• Fiscal Responsibility: Implement budget controls and oversight to curb unnecessary spending.

• Efficiency Measures: Optimize government operations to eliminate waste and improve resource allocation.

• Transparency: Enhance transparency in government expenditures and decision-making processes, ensuring compliance with Hawaii's Sunshine Law.

Immediate Action Needed: Action is urgently required to address the severe shortage of rental housing and attainable home ownership, which lies at the core of numerous issues in Hawai'i.

• Government Shortcomings: State and county efforts have consistently fallen short in adequately addressing the housing shortage, leading to a cascade of problems throughout West Hawaii.

• Impact on Residents:

  • Housing Costs vs. Living Wage: The soaring housing costs have pushed the living wage to unsustainable levels, affecting nearly every major industry's ability to attract and retain workers.

  • Family Dynamics: The shortage makes it challenging for multi-generational families to live together.

  • Economic Ripple Effects: Local food prices are directly affected as housing scarcity exacerbates overall living costs.

• Vacation Rentals Issue:

  • On my street one mainland owner owns four houses solely for short-term vacation rentals. This trend must stop!

Conclusion

Effective housing policies are crucial to address challenges and build a sustainable future for Hawai'i residents. Updating the Hawai'i Landlord-Tenant Code (HRS 521) to better protect landlords can encourage more long-term rentals, addressing concerns about evicting non-paying tenants.