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Editor’s note: For Hawaii’s Aug. 10 Primary Election, Civil Beat asked candidates to answer some questions about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following came from Leomana Turalde, candidate for Hawaii County Council District 3, which includes parts of Orchidland and Hawaiian Paradise Park, Panaewa, Puainako and Keaukaha. The other candidates are Kelton Ku’uelani Chang, Dennis Onishi and Kaola Robinson.

Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the Primary Election Ballot.

1. What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what would you do about it?

Small business support is a primary issue for my district.

Small businesses in Hilo face a bunch of hurdles, like sky-high rents, expensive utilities and crazy shipping costs. They’re also buried in complex regulations and high taxes, stuff that no one understands. Getting a loan or grant is tough, and finding skilled workers is a challenge since many leave the island for better opportunities. Plus, they have to compete with big chain stores and deal with the ups and downs of tourism. Marketing on a budget and keeping up with tech advancements? Super hard. 

Providing subsidies, grants and tax breaks would ease the financial burden. Simplifying the red tape and offering a one-stop compliance service would save time and money. Investing in training programs and offering incentives to keep young talent on the island is a must. Upgrading infrastructure, especially with renewable energy, could cut costs. Plus, helping with marketing and tech training will give these businesses a better shot at competing.

Amazon has a hub on Oahu that will affect local small businesses. We need to learn how to adjust, and adapt. 

2. Overtourism can degrade the environment, threaten biodiversity, contribute to wear and tear on infrastructure, generate traffic and disrupt neighborhoods. What do you think about the amount of tourism on the Big Island and how it’s managed?

Overtourism is a concern. Sustainable tourism practices must be implemented like limiting access to special areas. We have to invest in eco-friendly practices. For instance, banning harmful chemicals that pollute our resources, like chemical bleaching sunscreens. We have to train and incentivize local nonprofits and non-governmental organizations to become a part of tourism management, like hosting paid hands-on classes or experiences.

Tourism should be a reciprocal relationship with the local community instead of an extractional transaction for foreign own business. 

3. What needs to happen to relieve traffic congestion in and around Kailua-Kona and along the Puna-Keaau-Hilo corridor?

To address congestion, we need better public transit systems, improved road infrastructure and smart traffic management technologies. Expanding bike lanes and pedestrian pathways will also help.

But nothing will work if I don’t win. Motivation of the council and community plays a huge role in getting big projects approved and started. I’m the only one that can motivate the people to make it happen.

They have $1.5 million out now and they can’t even get a survey done. When money doesn’t work, only leadership can make it happen.

4. The cost of living on Hawaii island is rising rapidly. How are working and middle-class people expected to buy a house or pay the rent as well as take care of other expenses? And how can the county government help?

I’ll say the politically correct thing first, then a vision of some sort.

The county can assist by promoting affordable housing projects, offering subsidies for first-time homebuyers and supporting policies that increase wages and lower living costs.

But what we should really do is figure out small-scale power grids that can be supported by localized hydrogen power stations and offer residential properties a free allotment of energy. 

5. Do you support the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea?

No. But I support the reservation of naming rights to all discoveries through legacy catalogues and future discoveries made, confirmed or predicted by Hawaii-based observatories to a board of native people, the kanaka maoli.

Also looking into a percentage royalty on all new technological patents used in Hawaii-based telescope that would be considered new tech, first use or anything of the sort, renaming of all Hawaii-based telescopes, and 49% ownership of Mauna Kea observatories to Hawaii County, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, or a special trust managed by kanaka maoli.

6. Homelessness remains a problem statewide, including on Hawaii island. What would you do to come to grips with this persistent problem?

Homelessness is a critical issue for me as I myself grew up homeless living in a tent. Collaboration with local nonprofits and non-governmental organizations is an immediate solution.

Long-term solutions look like the community development block grants that Hawaii County has awarded to people with HIV victims? Those grants should be prioritized and go to housing families.

7. Half of Hawaii’s cesspools are on the Big Island, some 49,300. Seepage from cesspools can make people sick, harm coral reefs and lead to a variety of ecological damage. By law, cesspools must be upgraded to septic systems by 2050. What can be done to help people who may not be able to afford the conversion?

I need two years minimum to study finance and engineering. This will help me create new options; the current options are limited and place most of the burden on the resident. District 3 faces building a new wastewater facility as most of the district is connected locally to the plant.

8. What is the first thing Hawaii County should do to get in front of climate change rather than just reacting to it? 

Hawaii County should increase agriculture grants and provide county emergency funding for projects that protect against the coconut rhino beetle. East Hawaii is home to the largest coconut groves that hold our shorelines, stop erosion and provide resources for other life to flourish. The deadly rhino beetle will also eat the hala groves in Puna, the Waipio taro and all the banana fields.

This should be a primary objective in 2025. This bug is a killer!!

9. Should the Hu Honua biomass energy plant be allowed to start operating? Why or why not?

Having a secondary power station is crucial for emergency readiness, particularly during natural disasters and states of emergency. I view this as an emergency backup, ensuring we are well-prepared for any unforeseen events.

10. How would you make the county administration more transparent and accessible to the public?

I will advocate for holding council hearings during after-work hours, specifically from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., to ensure more residents can participate.

To increase transparency and community engagement, I will enhance the flow of information and updates on our county/District 3 website, social media platforms and through local news media. Additionally, I will be proactive in community spaces, attending events, special occasions and local gatherings to directly engage with residents and address their concerns.