Candidates oppose In an appearance before about 200 social workers and human service workers yesterday, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono said she would not tax Hawaii residents to pay for long-term care insurance.
long-term care tax
Gubernatorial hopefuls and
running mates express their
views at a state Capitol forumBy Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.comAt the same meeting at the state Capitol, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor James "Duke" Aiona said he was against abortion, although he said it was a decision that should be made by the woman.
Also at the meeting, the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor and lieutenant governor pledged their support for the private social agencies that are paid by the state to help with homelessness, mental illness, domestic abuse and drug abuse.
In response to a question on long-term care, Hirono said she would not raise taxes to pay for an insurance plan.
Her stance differs from that of the Cayetano administration, which at the urging of first lady Vicky Cayetano had unsuccessfully lobbied the state Legislature for a $10-a-month sur- charge on all Hawaii residents to pay for a state long-term care plan.
"I am looking for other ways of addressing the issue besides taxing. ... I don't think our community is ready for any kind of a taxing plan for long-term care," Hirono said after the meeting.
The Legislature approved a commission to investigate ways of financing long-term care insurance during its last session but deleted a specific tax as the way to pay for it.
Hirono's Republican opponent, Linda Lingle, has come out against the tax plan.
During the meeting, the candidates were asked about their position on abortion.
Hirono, Lingle and Sen. Matt Matsunaga, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, all said they supported a woman's right to choose whether to have an abortion.
Aiona, however, said he was against abortion.
After the meeting, he said he would "recognize that the woman makes the decision."
"I am not saying I am against the woman making the decision," Aiona said. "I am not going to advocate a law, nor would I jump into the fray on it."
Lingle said that she would not "personally choose to have an abortion," but added that "it is the law, and women have the right to choose, and they should have it."
Four years ago, Lingle's running mate, former Sen. Stan Koki, was a strong opponent of abortion, and some analysts said Koki's stance may have hurt Lingle's campaign.
