"When a good, strong foundation is laid, we can accomplish anything. We can restore the passion for excellence in everything we do."
Duke Bainum
Candidate for
Honolulu mayor
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Honolulu 20/20:
A clear
vision for
our city’s
future
By Duke Bainum
The prophet Isaiah said, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." During the course of the campaign for mayor, I have focused on the issues that affect the people of Honolulu every day -- easing traffic, fixing sewers and potholes, and protecting our families from drugs and crime.
It's equally important for the next mayor to hold a vision for the future, one that inspires us to do our best going forward. A vision that is optimistic; a vision that gives us hope.
I firmly believe that Honolulu has the potential to become one of the great cities of the world. My vision is to make this a reality by the year 2020.
What is the measure of a great city?
Honolulu is already a beautiful and unique place, made special by its hard-working, honest people. Our city, however, lacks certain elements that keep us from being competitive, and we face growing problems that erode our quality of life. I started with determining what all great cities have in common and offer my ideas on how we can achieve these goals.
A great city has a transportation system that is easy to use, affordable and environmentally friendly. For the long-term, I support a rail system.
» Funding will come from a variety of sources, including public/private partnerships, sponsorship and advertising of trains and stations, ridership fees and parking revenues.
» I will consider partnering with a private developer to do transit-oriented development -- developing entertainment, shopping, restaurants and other activities along the transit route, in concert with community needs and wishes.
» I will work cooperatively with our congressional delegation to secure federal dollars. When we talk about getting funding from Washington, it's a team effort, with the emphasis on "We" not "Me."
» Rail is more than just a transportation system. I've heard from many people that communities feel isolated or unfairly treated. Rail will serve to connect all of our communities, and that includes businesses, the arts, the churches, retail and entertainment.
One of the most important things the city can do is to make sure that the core city services are done well so that businesses can operate efficiently.
» The permitting system is a prime example of this. I have pledged to resolve the backlog of permitting at the Department of Planning and Permitting by fast-tracking the hiring of additional, qualified inspectors and plan checkers. We will process permits in a timely manner so construction can go forward.
» My campaign is about bringing honest change to the way the city does business. That means giving businesses the opportunity to compete for city contracts on a level playing field, based on qualifications and experience, not who you know or how much you contributed to a campaign.
» We will finally implement e-procurement, which will save the city money through greater government efficiencies.
» We will act on new ideas such as using debit cards for parking meters and bus fares.
» We will direct sensible growth in the appropriate areas -- areas where the infrastructure is already in place, such as Kakaako or Oahu's second city. Too often, development is directed to areas that don't make environmental or logical sense, but because they make financial sense for major developers.
» Let's revive and reinvigorate existing neighborhoods, such as Kaimuki, instead of creating urban sprawl.
» I support sustainability. Let's build only what we need and maintain everything that we build.
» We must nurture and develop Honolulu's world-class cultural image, including music, visual arts, dance and film, as well as our rich multi-ethnic cultures.
» I believe we need to support our local talent. Take the film industry as an example: Being a backdrop for films and television from Hollywood is a great thing for Honolulu, but we also need to showcase our local writers and filmmakers.
» Honolulu facilities will be developed to support culture. Let's consider a signature landmark like the Sydney Opera House to showcase our city, and residential, commercial and cultural activities in a centralized location.
» Honolulu needs a local development incubation center for the arts.
» I will not support development that is harmful to our environment.
» Further, we will adopt new ways to preserve our energy resources, and to maintain our precious water supply for generations to come.
» Let's call upon our best and brightest to research and implement new technology. For example, using cold ocean water to power buildings or new technology for solid waste, while also aggressively pursuing recycling, to diminish our burden on landfills.
» Together, we can win the war on drugs and crime. I support a balanced approach, which includes prevention, education, treatment and law enforcement.
By the year 2020, baby boomers will be counted among the elderly, representing a huge segment of our population. We need to start planning now to ensure that we are prepared to care for the elderly and to help them lead active, healthy lives.
When a good, strong foundation is laid, based on honesty and trust, we can accomplish anything. We can restore the passion for excellence in everything we do. We can show compassion for the homeless and the less fortunate. We can follow our dreams.
After all, a city is only as great as its dreams, and we owe it to future generations to dream large and to aim high.
By the year 2020, let the people of Honolulu look back and see that we built this city with honesty and integrity, that we built a city that works for the people, and that Honolulu can stand as one of the great cities of the world.
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"We'll know we've arrived at our destination as a livable city when our young people don't see graduation as the first step toward moving to the mainland for their careers."
Mufi Hannemann
Candidate for
Honolulu mayor
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Honolulu:
The most
livable city
in America
By Mufi Hannemann
Our home of Honolulu, despite its beauty, multicultural society and numerous advantages, has never been named one of the nation's "most livable cities" by the nonprofit Partners for Livable Communities. My vision and goal would be to earn Honolulu this coveted ranking.
A livable city would be based on several qualities, all of which I have emphasized during this campaign or in years past as a community leader.
Jobs: We must stimulate more quality private-sector jobs. Not just jobs, but careers and vocations that command higher salaries provide opportunities for young people to mitigate the brain-drain problem and reflect an expanding and diversifying local economy.
Environment: Preserving the natural beauty that sustains our precious aina for future generations requires that we pay more attention to preserving open spaces through conservation and agriculture, and to properly maintaining our parks and beaches, and water and sewage systems.
Safe neighborhoods: Public safety will be the top priority of a Hannemann administration, which means our police, firefighters and first-responders will have the manpower, resources and support they need to do their jobs. We need to be thoroughly prepared for this post-9/11 world we live in.
Efficient transportation: As I've already stated many times this year, well-maintained roads, efficient mass transit and public transportation, and thoroughfares that enable us to get smoothly from point to point are essential components of our quality of life.
Respect for host culture: What we dismiss as "progress" should not cause us to be complacent about preserving the Hawaiian culture and its underlying spirit. Our aloha, our attitudes, our willingness to welcome friend and stranger alike, reflect the values of the native Hawaiian people, and we must preserve this unique culture and spirit.
Life-long learning: From pre-schools to college and beyond, we must continue to expand our knowledge and improve our skills through life-long learning if we are to stay economically competitive and intellectually vibrant.
The arts: A stimulating culture and arts scene reflects the creativity and diversity of our people, and has the added benefit of supporting new businesses and diversifying tourism.
Becoming one of America's most livable cities requires focusing on our core competencies, those things we do best.
Tourism: Diversifying our tourism activities beyond resorts and beaches, rejuvenating an aging Waikiki and developing Ko Olina, ensuring air service, maintaining safety and security, and otherwise supporting the travel industry can only sustain our economy. Other jurisdictions, including other county governments in Hawaii, have been aggressive in supporting tourism and other economic development initiatives. Honolulu, by comparison, has let the state government take the lead. This passive approach must not continue.
Our agriculture industry has a complementary role to play by preserving the green, open spaces that attract visitors and help the environment. Besides, diversified agriculture provides tremendous opportunity for economic growth.
Technology: Technology, to include research, can play a larger role in our economy, by design and by necessity. The city can assist in the development of a "wireless Waikiki" to encourage more business travel, offer facilities for small business incubators, adopt new technology to improve the efficiency of government, and find inventive ways to use technology and the Internet.
Culture and arts: The language abilities, culture and arts skills, and other qualities inherent in our multi-cultural society are underutilized. A location of such cultural and linguistic diversity is a natural place for international training and education, but also can stimulate travel through more business interaction. We are not realizing our potential.
Exporting expertise: We must not be shy about exporting our expertise. Our architects, engineers and planners have world-class experience, military leaders come to the state for strategic studies, and our tourism executives and employees are among the best. I know how to promote and market "the best of Hawaii," and I will do that passionately as mayor.
Meanwhile, I plan to tap the skills and contacts of our part-time residents, many of whom are prominent business leaders elsewhere. Venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki has volunteered to serve as my technology and entrepreneurship adviser. Japanese baseball Hall of Famer Wally Yonamine will assist with attracting Japanese baseball teams to Hawaii for training. William Ireton, who heads Warners Brothers in Japan, has offered to assist us in pursuing film and television production.
Geneva of the Pacific: This slogan, penned by the late Bud Smyser, continues to resonate with me. We have an impressive convention center, ready access from international ports, the University of Hawaii and East-West Center, language capabilities, and all the ingredients to make Honolulu a gathering place for the world. What we've lacked is a sustained plan of action at the top of government to make it happen.
We'll know we've arrived at our destination as a livable city when our young people don't see graduation as the first step toward moving to the mainland for their careers, when working couples don't believe they have to leave Hawaii to afford a home, when seniors aren't afraid they will be deserted by their mainland-bound children and face their golden years alone, when business travelers don't have to make excuses about why they've chosen Hawaii as their meeting destination.
During this campaign, I've heard terrific ideas from many of you who dream of a better future. But despite these fresh ideas, and despite the exceptional ideas we've introduced in the past, we have lacked the sustained will and determination -- the strong leadership--to turn those dreams into reality.
And, in fact, the aforementioned Partners for Livable Communities cites leadership as one of the key factors in a city's rejuvenation. My proven track record -- at all levels of government, in business and in bringing diverse groups together to pursue common goals -- makes me uniquely qualified to provide this kind of visionary leadership.
As a Cub Scout, I saw President Kennedy when he visited Hawaii. He said then that Hawaii is what the rest of the world is striving to become. That, ultimately, should continue to define us, and I pledge to work toward this goal as your mayor.
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