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Honolulu Mayor
Nonpartisan
*Denotes incumbent
Bruce L. Bellows
Age: 44
Job: Ocean safety officer
Years here: 10 full-time, 25 part-timeWhat are the unique qualifications you bring to this job?
Honesty, integrity, problem solver, desire to let the people decide what they want for Hawaii; the majority of voters, not a few, making all the decisions for the whole country.
What are the top three issues facing Honolulu (from most pressing to least)?
Crime, development in undeveloped areas and traffic congestion.
How will you assure voters that you and your administration will act in an ethical manner?
The word of God, Judeo-Christian ethics will be our actions.
What type of mass transit system should Honolulu have?
Not sure at this point. I have not studied it or talked with the citizens to see what they want.
Under what conditions would you raise taxes or user fees?
If the majority of the people want them raised. Because they (we) are the ones paying them. I personally would like to see lower taxes.
Frank F. Fasi
Age: 79
Job: Self employed/investor
Years here: 56What are the unique qualifications you bring to this job?
The only candidate who is a war veteran, state legislator, Constitutional Convention, Council member, mayor, union leader, businessman. More than four times as many years as a chief executive than my two opponents combined. Have come up with almost 100 percent of the programs/projects in use today -- a number of which the present mayor has tried to take credit for ...
What are the top three issues facing Honolulu (from most pressing to least)?
Road repairs, new stadium complex, stop using billions of borrowed dollars for questionable and wasteful spending -- credit card administration -- Natatorium; Hanauma Bay; and state roads.
How will you assure voters that you and your administration will act in an ethical manner?
If after serving as mayor for 22 years, my ethics were not questioned, why now?
What type of mass transit system should Honolulu have?
One we can afford -- paid for by the federal government. Rail transit.
Under what conditions would you raise taxes or user fees?
Under no circumstances will I need to raise taxes in the long run. Harris and Hannemann have spent billions foolishly. I will cut back a number of projects that the Harris-Hannemann duo have budgeted, e.g., Natatorium restoration, repairing state highways, a number of non-productive, so-called "vision" projects.
Mufi Hannemann
Age: 46
Job: Former city councilman and businessman
Years here: 46What are the unique qualifications you bring to this job?
Experience in business, government, and education; a solid record of achievement in economic development at the county and state levels; the proven ability to work with elected officials and business, labor and community leaders; and a reputation for openness and integrity.
What are the top three issues facing Honolulu (from most pressing to least)?
1) Revitalizing an economy that is still suffering from a decade-long period of stagnancy; improving our educational system. 2) A budget developed in secrecy, with no accountability on spending and revenues, leading to Ewa Villages-type fiascoes ... 3) Absence of a comprehensive solution to our traffic woes, particularly for the Leeward-Ewa central plain.
How will you assure voters that you and your administration will act in an ethical manner?
Voters will need to assess the achievements and character of the candidates and decide accordingly. A leader must assume responsibility whenever problems occur, not distance himself from controversy. A leader must also be open and willing to testify under oath voluntarily on local issues of importance.
What type of mass transit system should Honolulu have?
An intermodal system would serve Honolulu best. It would consist of light rail, buses, and even ferries to provide different types of transportation to suit our needs. Our system must be ambitious in scope and service coverage, and not be simply confined to urban Honolulu.
Under what conditions would you raise taxes or user fees?
As a last resort. The rest of the nation has proven that a strong economy means higher incomes and more tax revenues. We must strengthen our economy, using all of Oahu's assets and resources, to raise our standard of living and preclude the need to raise taxes.
Jeremy Harris*
Age: 49
Job: Mayor of City and County of Honolulu
Years here: 30What are the unique qualifications you bring to this job?
Fifteen years with the city: six as mayor and eight as managing director. Even with $59 million less in property taxes, built more police stations, fire stations, parks and playgrounds, and hired more police and firefighters. Work well with county mayors, governor, congressional delegation, City Council and community.
What are the top three issues facing Honolulu (from most pressing to least)?
a) Economy: We're rebuilding Waikiki; developing ... faculties to attract sports tourism; protecting ... lands to promote diversified agriculture; establishing international networks ...b) Transportation: We're developing "Bus Rapid Transit Systems," circulator buses, and electric tram system. c) Environment: We're rebuilding sewer systems, expanding recycling ...
How will you assure voters that you and your administration will act in an ethical manner?
I'll assure that all administrative appointees be totally free of conflict of interest before being appointed. Once appointed, any appointee behaving in an unethical manner will be terminated. Cabinet meetings will continue to be open to the public, and I'll continue to answer any question on any issue from any constituent on live radio.
What type of mass transit system should Honolulu have?
We will implement the "Trans2K" Transportation Plan developed by the community. It will establish a Bus Rapid Transit System, community circulators to link neighborhoods, and a new electric transit system to increase in-town mobility. We will implement the plan without new or high taxes.
Under what conditions would you raise taxes or user fees?
Since I became mayor, property taxes have decreased by $59 million, sewer rates are unchanged since 1993, and bus fares unchanged since 1995. Yet, we've expanded police/fire stations, parks and bus systems, and hired more police and firefighters. I'll continue to hold the line on taxes unless vital services are threatened.
Larry Hitchcock
NONPARTISANWhat are the unique qualifications you bring to this job?
Did not respond.
What are the top three issues facing Honolulu (from most pressing to least)?
Did not respond.
How will you assure voters that you and your administration will act in an ethical manner?
Did not respond.
What type of mass transit system should Honolulu have?
Did not respond.
Under what conditions would you raise taxes or user fees?
Did not respond.
Lillian Lai-Lam Wang Hong
Age: 59
Job: Video producer and jewelry crafter
Years here: 22What are the unique qualifications you bring to this job?
I am a little people fighting back the government. I am a casualty of Kakaako Improvement District III in 1993. My husband and I closed our jewelry store after 20 years. We have two homes foreclosed. We filed for bankruptcy in 1999. It hurts so much to feel other people's sufferings.
What are the top three issues facing Honolulu (from most pressing to least)?
Education: computers in low-income housing areas 24 hours a day with special duty police officers, firefighters, college students, to safeguard the equipment and teach! Money: open up vacant city buildings, vacant city lots, and non-used city parks, free to small businesses. Public safety with school of police officers.
How will you assure voters that you and your administration will act in an ethical manner?
I am a certified video producer from Olelo. I will promote video production in high schools and low-income housing areas: 24 hours a day with special duty police officers, firefighters and college students to safeguard the equipment and teach. Hold us accountable what you see/hear on TV!
What type of mass transit system should Honolulu have?
TheBus. TheBus system on time, convenient and free to the public. No surveys, no studies, no fancy names, just down to basic -- TheBus! Move the people from one place to their destination: on time, convenient and free! Federal money, state money and city money is all people's money!
Under what conditions would you raise taxes or user fees?
None. When the city administration uses the incoming money from the people. The right way the first time, there will be more than enough to go around. To hold us accountable, city's money records will be open to the public and amended spending with the people's advice and suggestions.
Richard 'DICKYJ' Johnson
Age: 69
Job: Retired BATF special agent
Years here: 18.5What are the unique qualifications you bring to this job?
I am the candidate who is interested in what the people want, not what I think they want. Most politicians think they know what is best for citizens, but I feel the citizen is the best-qualified person to say what they want and what they don't want.
What are the top three issues facing Honolulu (from most pressing to least)?
1) Lack of good educational opportunities by the current state-run school board. ... 2) Lack of traffic enforcement. We should use more electronic cameras and strictly enforce the speed laws and the traffic lights. 3) Uninsured motorists. The city should ask the state for permission to seize license plates from uninsured automobiles ...
How will you assure voters that you and your administration will act in an ethical manner?
I would hold all my administrators responsible for the actions of their subordinates. Ask that all employees be held accountable for their actions and not make excuses for the inaction of the workers.
What type of mass transit system should Honolulu have?
More express bus services to the outlying areas other than rush hours. Get more input from the local riders about how to expand the services and to what location the buses should go and where they should stop. Eliminate some current bus stops that are only one block apart in order to speed up the buses.
Under what conditions would you raise taxes or user fees?
I do not favor raising taxes until we eliminate duplication of state and county services.If the county is performing the services, the state should not duplicate that service.
Michael Powers
Age: 57
Job: Retired sheetmetal worker/ writer
Years here: 30What are the unique qualifications you bring to this job?
I am an interested citizen who is out on my bicycle or takes the bus to wherever I go. I see the deteriorating roads. I talk to our underpaid park employees about how hard it is to support their families on $9.75 per hour.
What are the top three issues facing Honolulu (from most pressing to least)?
a) Repair infrastructure; roads, budget and servers, busy utilities. b) Finish bicycle commute system and keep it clean and functional. Repair and clean existing bicycle lanes. c) Restructure HPD top to bottom.
How will you assure voters that you and your administration will act in an ethical manner?
I will ask for one term at half pay, no pension. I will ask Margery Bronster to oversee my administration. I will hire only people who really believe in our principles of "putting the other guy first."
What type of mass transit system should Honolulu have?
Light rail over the Koolaus using the Likelike corridor to help people go from Windward to town and back on their daily commute. I'd suggest light rail from Ewa to town and Wahiawa to town using light rail down the H-1 and H-2 corridor, much like they did in L.A. in the late '80s.
Under what conditions would you raise taxes or user fees?
I will ask the Council to raise the room taxes to help pay for our raises to sanitation and park employees and lifeguards. Also ask the Hawaiian community to build casinos on their new Hawaiian reservations. Our fixed-up hotels and Hawaiian kingdom hotels and casinos should cause our tax base to rise.
