2 legislators face off
for new Moiliili seat

Editor's note: This is the 13th in a series of profiles of political candidates for the primary election Sept. 21.

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By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com

There are many similarities between state Reps. Scott Saiki and Terry Nui Yoshinaga.

Both are veteran Democratic lawmakers who have led the House Judiciary Committee. Both are attorneys who see themselves as independent-minded legislators who support reform.

And now, because of realigned political districts, both find themselves in a head-to-head battle to represent Moiliili.

The new House District 22 is made up of about half of Saiki's current district and half of Yoshinaga's, making this one of the closer Democratic primary races to watch this month.

The winner moves on to the November general election against first-time Republican candidate and physician Christopher T. Kelly, 53, a neighborhood board member who looks to add one more GOP seat in the state House.

"Most of the people really feel it's time for a change," Kelly said. "The current set of legislators have not been acting in the best interest of the state of Hawaii and the people of Hawaii."

Saiki, 38, who has been a legislator for eight years, said residents want accountability in issues such as public education, crime, public safety and transportation. He touts his record of independence and effectiveness in the state Legislature as reasons why he should continue as representative.

Among his proudest work was being co-chairman of the joint legislative committee that investigated over the past year the state's compliance with the Felix consent decree to help special-needs children in public schools.

Saiki said the state had lost control of the issue and felt the panel's work helped it regain some control and accountability. Also, the Felix issue showed it is very difficult to bring change to the school system, an issue that needs to be pursued again next year.

Saiki is equally proud of securing state funding for the Moiliili Community Center, which faced budget cuts in its senior programs that would have affected thousands of people.

He feels his work will help him return to the Legislature.

"I really get the sense, having campaigned for the past two months, I know that voters are informed, and they do keep up with current events," Saiki said.

"And they do have an idea what our records are."

Yoshinaga, 52, said her campaign focus is on making Moiliili the type of caring, close-knit community she remembers as a child. The 10-year legislator grew up in the McCully-Moiliili area and has championed a "Moiliili Village" concept that emphasizes community involvement.

To that end, Yoshinaga said she has given back 5 percent of her legislative income to help schools in the district. It is something all residents can do for their communities, she said.

"It's my roots and it's my heritage here," she said.

Yoshinaga said her advantage in this primary race is her life experiences, such as raising a daughter in the same neighborhood in which she grew up.

As for her legislative work, Yoshinaga said she has pushed various reforms in past years, such as an investigation of Hawaii gas prices in 1997 before it became a hot-button issue this year.

Last December, she quit as chairman of the House Labor Committee after the House majority would not support her efforts toward privatization.

This spring, Yoshinaga pushed for a voluntary union-run health plan supported by the Hawaii State Teachers Association. That measure was barely defeated in the waning days of the legislative session.

"I think my initiatives have been cutting-edge, have been in the forefront," she said.

Among public labor unions, Yoshinaga was endorsed by the HSTA and the Hawaii Government Employees Association. Saiki is backed by the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, the faculty union.

Meanwhile, Kelly said he is excited about his chances for election in November. Among the issues he wants to tackle in the Legislature is education.

Kelly said his work with federal employees has shown him they are concerned about how Hawaii schools compare with those on the mainland. It is something the state needs to address immediately, he said.

"Military people just don't want to deploy here because of the reputation of our schools," he said.

District 22 at a glance Here is a snapshot of state House District 22 (Moiliili-McCully-Kaimuki), based on Census 2000: Total population 23,542 Major ethnic populations Japanese: 31 percent People with two or more races: 16 percent White: 13 percent Chinese: 11 percent Korean: 8 percent Filipino: 4 percent Vietnamese: 3 percent Native Hawaiian: 3 percent Micronesian: 2 percent

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