Honolulu Star-Bulletin Local News
We asked Big Isle
mayoral candidates:
'What's the most important thing
you could do as mayor to stimulate
economic growth on the Big Island?'
Jonathan Adler (Non-partisan): "I'm not waiting to become mayor to help my community. I've already proposed the hemp industry. I can create thousands of jobs, long-term jobs. We have to deal with law enforcement obstruction of these things. They're the only thing obstructing our local economy from becoming more self-sufficient instead of in debt. They're obstructing farmers from making a legitimate living. They're obstructing workers from legitimate jobs. They're obstructing our economy from growing.
"In addition, I am bringing a conference to Hilo to open up our island to the rest of the world and possibly to other worlds, the First Pacific UFO conference."
Aaron Anderson (Libertarian): "The Big Island economy will not be healed as long as we have the huge imbalance of export-import exchange that now exists.
"One sure-fire method would be the implementation of hemp agriculture. Hemp is by far the Earth's premier renewable and sustainable natural resource, producing food, fuel, fiber, fun, and pharmaceuticals: over 50,000 products for local and export consumption. This chemical-free crop creates oxygen, heals the soil, creates thousands of right livelihood jobs and products that are environmentally sound.
"Anything oil can do, hemp can do better. Anything wood can do, hemp can do too. Four and one-tenth acres of hemp equals 10 acres of trees."
Keiko Bonk (Green): "Creating a better economy requires planning in terms of generations, rather than election years or quarterly business cycles. Experience shows that when communities work together to plan ahead, waste and uncertainty can be turned into profits and good jobs. History shows that failing to plan ensures that a handful of powerful interests will use the resulting chaos as an excuse for dividing and endangering our communities. The appropriate response to a world that changes faster all the time is to look farther ahead, rather than blindly cutting corners in a desperate attempt to keep up."
Lorraine Rodero Inouye (Democrat): "Work with the state/federal/county to expedite public projects and seek new federal monies for new jobs. Develop partnership of government/private sector developing diversified agriculture on Hamakua lands.
"Encourage new businesses that are compatible with our island lifestyle and sensitivity to the environment by streamlining regulatory process. Work to transfer College of Tropical Agriculture and Department of Astronomy to Hilo campus. Seek and encourage the use of the Foreign Trade Zone at Hilo Airport.
"Develop with private sector a master plan for ecotourism, a master plan of hotel, resort and ecotourism resources to create a sustainable tourism/ecotourism program for the county."
Virginia Isbell (Democrat): "The most important thing is to aggressively do what is needed to truly support and develop micro and small businesses on the Big Island. This allows for diversification. What is needed includes: streamlining the permitting process; enterprise zones which provide real incentives for these businesses; advance telecommunication systems and services islandwide; multipurpose zoning for home-based businesses and cottage industries; development of water systems to support diversified agriculture businesses; enhancement of ecotourism attractions; a small-business ombudsman-advocate on the county level."
Vivian Monica Manning (Democrat): "I believe the most important thing I can do for the Big Island economy is to show all the residents that our spending on imported products for consumption keeps us paying higher than retail prices, while at the same time we fail to employ local people, use local materials, or even change outdated laws to bring about economic prosperity. Spending on products we could have produced gives away our investment money to pay for the workers, factories, benefits, and profits of the people outside Hawaii we buy and import from."
Jim Rath (Republican): "We can buy computer lists of companies and invite appropriate ones here. Examples are metal roof manufacturing and steel boat building. We don't want new government start-up programs because they don't work. We spent $25,000 to invite Waterworld here and they spent $32 million. Because of our climate, we can do open-air manufacturing under shed roofs, such as plastic injection molding. We can assemble foreign parts and ship out the products. They now become "Made in the USA." The companies will come because of the quality of life here. That's what really attracts people to an area."
Ken Takahashi (Democrat): "Improve the existing Stainback Highway beginning at Highway 11, and to the foothills of Mauna Loa, and extending it to Kona. This highway will end the economic isolation of East and West Hawaii, expand the consumer base, and allow workers to commute to jobs in West Hawaii. The expansion and new jobs will reduce welfare and unemployment compensations, as they broaden the tax base. Additionally, the highway will rescue the failing cultural heritage in West Hawaii with accessibility to cultural events, such as the Merrie Monarch Festival and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce Festivals."
Gerald N. Wright (Republican): "Notwithstanding the fact that same-sex marriage, if legalized, will kill the economy of all the islands, I support four major projects.
"1. A water amusement park between Waikoloa and Kailua-Kona, Disney type, huge.
"2. Saddle Road realignment and development. I would like to see a resort up there.
"3. For the east coast, golf course, recreational, and resort development along the highway.
"4. Residential development on prime Hamakua land near the water.
"If you want to know something that will help the economy more than anything, get rid of 90 percent of the attorneys."
Mayor Stephen K. Yamashiro (Democrat): "Our governmental structure must complement our new and changing economic structure, and our system of regulations must permit changes to occur and encourage new business opportunities. The mayor of Hawaii County must recognize the changes that are taking place in our economy and make sure the structure of county government and the rules and regulations promulgated by government are adapted to address the changes.
"These changes are occurring in agriculture where we are moving from a plantation society to a more diversified agricultural base comprised of small, independent farmers who must have the freedom, opportunity and information to experiment with and market new products."
You ask the questions
Want to know where candidates stand on issues? Here's your chance to get some answers. Call us with a specific question for candidates in the Big Island mayor's race. We'll pick a couple of questions to ask the candidates and print their responses in Thursday's Star-Bulletin.
Call: 533-6977 on Oahu or 935-1012 on the Big Island until 8 p.m. today.
Leave: Your question, name, telephone number, the area you live in. A reporter may call you back.
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