Why I Would Make the Best Mayor – Kirk Caldwell
On this final day before the election, I want to express my respect and appreciation for the other mayoral candidates. It has been a spirited campaign, one that pushed all of us to do our best for Honolulu.
I鈥檝e listened closely to the ideas and opinions of the others running; the points below explain how and where I distinguish myself, and why I believe I would make the best mayor.
Experience. I鈥檝e served as City Managing Director for nearly two years. Since July, I鈥檝e been the acting Mayor. I鈥檝e managed the day-to-day operations of 21 city departments with about 10,000 employees. No other candidate has had hands-on experience running the city. I think people want someone who can hit the ground running. We face some serious challenges at the city; now is not the time for on-the-job training.
My career has also included legislative and private sector experience. I was elected state representative for the Manoa/University area and became Majority Leader of the State House of Representatives. I worked for U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye and the late Chief Justice William S. Richardson, and, as an attorney, I spent many years working for one of the largest law firms in the state where I rose to become managing partner.
Leadership. One of the things I鈥檝e demonstrated as acting Mayor is that I run toward problems to fix them. I don鈥檛 run away from them, and I also don鈥檛 have the patience for endless talk about how bad things are; I roll up my sleeves and do something about it. As acting Mayor, I did this with the maintenance issues at Hanauma Bay, approved new materials for signage that deflect graffiti, started an emergency text alert system, took on the homeless issue and arranged transportation for them to get much needed social services, found a solution for Kalihi homeowners and their skyrocketing property taxes, and more.
I鈥檝e heard a lot of talk about the problems we face, but I have yet to hear any specific plans from the other candidates on how they would, for example, actually balance the budget or reduce solid waste or get the homeless off the streets, including how much it would cost. Real change starts with the kind of action I have taken, not with political talk.
Vision. As much as I love Honolulu, it has yet to live up to its potential as one of the world鈥檚 great cities. When faced with a weak economy, our first priority must be to take care of basic services and ensure that public health and safety are protected. But, I never lose sight of the fact that great art and music lift us and must also be protected, that landmark architecture and green, open spaces feed our sense of place, and that the way we sustain our Hawaiian and ethnic cultures defines us as a society.
In the world鈥檚 great cities, everything is connected. Government, commerce, education, environment and the arts all thrive on and contribute to the strength and vitality of the other sectors. Beyond the basics, this is my vision for Honolulu.
Heart. A little league baseball team from Waipio showed us that we have what it takes to compete with the world, to be great. I asked them how they knew they could win, and they all agreed that it was because the team had heart. I certainly don鈥檛 claim to have more heart than anyone else, but I know that heart is at the core of what I stand for, and why I think I would make the best Mayor.
