[ STATE SENATE ]
19
Kalaeloa-Makakilo
Brian Kanno
DemocratAge: 41 Job: State senator Past: Former congressional aide; Parents and Children Together
What qualifies you to be a state senator?
I have a solid record of accomplishments for our community: securing the funding to build Kapolei High School and Kapolei Middle School, funding a 24-hour emergency response vehicle for our community, and funding to start Royal Kunia Elementary School. I am committed to building a future for our young people.
How would you improve Hawaii's public schools, and how would you pay for it?
Let the voters decide on a constitutional amendment that would focus the responsibility of our schools on a reformed Board of Education, empowered to control school funding by giving it control over certain state taxes. Many entities currently share the responsibility for our schools, and ultimately no one is responsible.
What should be done to improve Hawaii's business climate?
Technology is creating opportunities at every workplace. Employees will continually need to upgrade their skills. Entities maintaining the status quo will no longer be competitive. Hawaii can be a leader by creating across-the-board incentives for businesses, enabling them to upgrade their worksites and to upgrade the skills of their employees.
Gerald K. Nakata
RepublicanAge: 36 Job: Registered nurse Past: Graduated Hawaii Community College with high honors
What qualifies you to be a state senator?
I'm a U.S. citizen who's a Hawaii resident. I live in my district. I'm of eligible age. I'm not running to get a job. I'm an ordinary person wanting to represent the ordinary people in the district that we live in.
How would you improve Hawaii's public schools, and how would you pay for it?
Everything hinges on auditing this state and holding people accountable. Then we can work on building more schools and hiring more teachers to decrease the class sizes. Decentralize the school board into local boards capable of quickly responding to community needs. Listen to the people who teach our children.
What should be done to improve Hawaii's business climate?
We need to bring money into Hawaii's micro-economy. We must decrease business taxes comparable to other U.S. states so Hawaii can compete with them for mainland and foreign investors. We need to assist businesses like Ko Olina who will stimulate the economy by bringing in investors and creating thousands of jobs.
