The Last Word: Duke Aiona on Why Voters Should Elect Him Governor
We began this grassroots campaign with a simple goal of doing what’s best for the working families and small businesses of Hawai鈥榠. It’s why I met with more than 120 small business owners over 100 days to listen to their concerns, hopes and ideas. And it’s why Lynn and I traveled from community to community to meet with and talk story with our citizens on the issues they care about most – jobs, the economy and education.
These citizens helped Lynn and I to shape a detailed plan of real solutions to immediately create job opportunities, strengthen our economy over the long term and reform our public education system.
Our plan is aggressive and innovative, but achievable and within our means.
My opponent, on the other hand, is trying to bring the big spending, big government agenda of Washington to Hawai鈥榠, and he has no plan to pay for it.
He’s not being honest with the people of Hawai鈥榠 about whether he will raise taxes or cut programs to pay for his empty promises.
Our citizens are tired of politics-as-usual, and our positive grassroots campaign offers a fresh approach. To begin a new chapter in Hawai鈥榠’s history, Lynn and I are laser-focused on improving the business climate, especially for our small businesses.
We are committed to driving down the costs of doing business by reducing the pending unemployment insurance premium increase, cutting business fees and assessments, reducing government-created delays, investing in our human capital and naturally competitive industries, and opposing tax increases.
We will also further reduce the regulatory barriers by imposing and enforcing time limits on state government approvals and permits, and further increase transparency and certainty through online real-time tracking of permit and approval status.
To facilitate immediate private sector job creation, we’ll expedite approximately $946 million of capital investment projects and use the small business preference and set-aside to expend over $200 million on local procurement.
We must also bring accountability into our public education system. I believe the biggest challenge facing our schools is that not enough education funding is getting into the classroom to benefit teachers and students.
A comprehensive, independent audit of the Hawai鈥榠 Department of Education, which hasn’t been conducted since 1973, will show how our education dollars are spent and ensure that funding will go toward student achievement. My opponent has said that “the last thing we need is an audit of the educational system.”
Hawai鈥榠鈥檚 successful Race-to-the-Top proposal contains principles that, if implemented, will ensure every Hawai鈥榠 public school graduate will be qualified and ready for a college education or a career, and I’m committed to implement these critical educational reforms.
For more than 40 years, the people of Hawai鈥榠 have had little choice. One party has dominated politics in these islands.
This campaign is not about electing a political party; it’s about electing an independent, principled leader who will make the tough decisions in the best interests of our citizens.
I’ve served as a city prosecutor, city attorney, state judge, and as Lt. Governor. I take pride in being an impartial, dispassionate decision maker who will stay open-minded and make the right decision.
There are no winners and losers in this campaign. The next Governor must serve all the people of Hawai鈥榠. That is why it is so important for Hawai鈥榠 voters to turn out and make their voices heard. It is time for real solutions – not rhetoric.
I ask you now for your support and your vote to be a part of ensuring balanced, honest and fiscally responsible leadership for a brighter, more prosperous future for Hawai鈥榠.
