Poll finds voters
ready for change

The survey for local business
interests reveals concerns
for job security and safety

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By Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.com

A new statewide poll shows Hawaii voters want Hawaii's economy and public education system to change now.

The poll, dubbed the "People's Pulse," was taken June 20 to July 17 by OmniTrak Group, a public research firm, for the Pacific Resource Partnership, Hawaii Business Roundtable and Enterprise Honolulu.

Pat Loui, OmniTrak president, said the poll has been taken every three months for the past four years, and she is seeing a shift in voter attitudes.

Today, voters are not debating whether to change, Loui said.

"Voters are more focused on how to change and who will lead it," Loui said.

The issue voters are keeping in the back of their minds as they consider change, Loui said, is security. Because of that fear, voters want to know that they and their families will have decent jobs and that they will have adequate health care and safe neighborhoods.

Also for the first time, Loui said the poll shows that Japanese-American voters are more concerned about the economy rather than the state of education.

For all voter groups, Loui said, there is strong support for tax incentives for job creation and work-force training programs.

In her report, Loui explained that the issue of job creation was closely tied to the specific geographic area. For instance, in areas such as Manoa, with a high proportion of college-age residents, there was more interest in all types of economic growth.

"In the Kahuku area, where unemployment is a higher concern, residents are likewise more favorable to all proposals that will encourage business growth," she said in her report.

But at the same time, "providing necessary funds to ensure that students can read and write" is viewed as very important by 86 percent of the sampled voters.

Carl Takamura, executive director of the Business Roundtable, said the poll, which surveyed 2,500 voters, shows that candidates for office this fall will be expected to produce real changes.

"The poll shows voters are tired of candidates blaming someone. They want these issues resolved," Takamura said.

Loui added that the voters are linking Hawaii's stagnant economy with other problems ranging from a poor education system to increased drug use.

"The economy is perceived as the root cause of social ills, and it is leading to more pressure on middle-income families," Loui said.

She added that the single new issue to show up in the poll is a concern over government ethics. Loui speculated that the recent arrests and convictions of two City Council members and several state legislators, plus the investigations into Mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign have played a part in making government ethics a critical issue.

Government reform is of particular concern in the 23rd Senate district of Kahuku to Kaneohe and also in the 8th Senate District from Diamond Head to Hawaii Kai, according to the poll.