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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 Kanani Souza, Republican candidate for state House District 43, which covers Kapolei and Makakilo. Her primary opponent is Sheila Medeiros.

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?

I was raised in Kapolei and spent over three decades calling Kapolei home. I have resided in Kapolei since its infancy. As such, I genuinely understand our community issues. In addition to cost of living, homelessness and crime, one of the biggest issues facing District 43 is infrastructure. Addressing traffic, roadway safety and ingress/egress, such as the Makakilo Drive Extension (MDE), are critical.  I have already been working on these issues since I was elected to represent District 43 in 2022.

When I was elected in 2022, I made it my mission to move the MDE into state jurisdiction because the project has stalled at the city level. Therefore, I introduced HB 1321, which required the city to transfer to the state the city’s authority to construct the MDE which would connect Makakilo Drive to Kualakai Parkway.

Moving the MDE forward collaboratively at the city, state and federal level is vital to finally completing this project to provide an alternate route for the safety of Makakilo residents.

We also need to ensure that we place traffic lights at certain intersections that are currently four-way stops, add crosswalks in areas that need them and add speed humps, especially near our schools.

2. How do you feel about the massive income tax cut just approved by the Legislature and the governor? Do you have any concerns that it will force reductions in state services in the years to come?

I supported the income tax cut because we need to ensure the well-being of our local families. Many Hawaii residents are leaving the islands because they cannot afford to live here due to cost of living. The income tax cut is one way to help our residents.

I am concerned that the income tax cut will force reductions in state services in years to come, but we can combat that as we move forward and find other means of boosting our local economy. Helping our local families now is necessary for them to thrive here for generations to come.

3. Hawaii continues to struggle with pay-to-play politics and corruption in government. What meaningful reforms do you think would change state government for the better?

A meaningful reform that will help halt pay-to-play politics would be to expand the ban on government contractor campaign contributions. Individuals linked to these contractors, such as officers and immediate family members, should not be able to donate to candidates.

4. Candidates often say they will support reform proposals in the Legislature. And yet major reform proposals don’t pass. Will you back good-government proposals even if it means going against leadership? If you are an incumbent, can you point to an example of a reform that you supported?

I will continue to support reform proposals that will help our Legislature operate effectively with ethical standards and improve public confidence. We work for the people of our districts and the residents of the State of Hawaii and it is a privilege to hold public office. Conducting ourselves in a manner that is worthy of the public’s trust is paramount. 

As a member of the House Judiciary Committee for the past term, most reform legislation came through our committee. More specifically, my first year in office dealt with reform recommendations provided by the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct.

This experience allowed me to have a broad vantage point of where our laws fall short in addressing the gamut of issues from ethics to campaign spending. I have been very supportive of reform efforts such as banning campaign contributions from lobbyists during the legislative session.

5. Do you support comprehensive public financing of elections for candidates who choose to participate? Why or why not?

Yes, I support comprehensive public financing of elections for candidates who choose to participate. However, this past legislative session, legislation introduced regarding public financing did not properly address funding logistics.

When we are dealing with legislation, bills are often multi-faceted and include many aspects that could hinder legislation from moving forward.

6. Hawaii is the only Western state without a statewide citizens initiative process. Do you support such a process? Why or why not?

Yes, I support a statewide citizens initiative process. I am a strong advocate for my community members and the people of Hawaii to always have a seat at the table. A statewide citizens initiative process is another route for public involvement in government.

7. Thanks to their campaign war chests and name familiarity, incumbents are almost always reelected in Hawaii legislative races. Should there be term limits for state legislators, as there are for the governor’s office and county councils? Why or why not?

I support term limits. However, some legislators stay in office for many years if they continue to be voted in by their constituents and are effective and hardworking well into their tenure, while others may not be as effective as time goes on and may just be holding on to their seat.

This is the dichotomy that term limits present, as longevity at the Legislature looks different for every elected official. Currently, without term limits for legislators, voters can decide each election if they want to continue to elect their legislators.

Another issue when dealing with term limits that we grappled with at the Legislature is how long term limits should be. We must also understand that building relationships in government takes time and having experience in the legislative process and policymaking matters.

8. What will you do to ensure accountability at the Legislature? Do you support ideas such as requiring the Sunshine Law to apply to the Legislature or banning campaign contributions during session?

Finding ways to constantly evolve and strengthen our Legislature will ensure accountability and deter complacency. I support applying the principles of the Sunshine Law (open meetings law) to the Legislature.

The Sunshine Law itself would need to be revisited and improved to apply to the intricacies of the legislative process. I support banning campaign contributions during session, but also recognize that campaign contributions in the interim could have the same influential effect.

9. How would you make the Legislature more transparent and accessible to the public? Opening conference committees to the public? Stricter disclosure requirements on lobbying and lobbyists? How could the Legislature change its own internal rules to be more open?

The Legislature can be more transparent and accessible to the public by first identifying where we can bridge the gap in creating a more open environment for community members to be heard.

I often read through the Rules of the House of Representatives and the House Administrative and Financial Manual to see where improvements can be made or where the rules are silent on issues that should be addressed. I hope to bring forth ideas to improve these internal rules, especially in relation to conduct, so we can make sure we are aiming for transparency and civility.

10. Many people have talked about diversifying the local economy for many years now, and yet Hawaii is still heavily reliant on tourism. What, if anything, should be done differently about tourism and the economy?

Tourism is our economic force, but we need to diversify our economy and fully tap into other industries that will be lucrative for Hawaii and capitalize on our position in the Pacific.

For the 2024 legislative session, I created the Aviation and Space Caucus, a bipartisan caucus to explore Hawaii’s role in the new space economy that is slated to grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035. As other states position themselves to be a part of this market, Hawaii needs to determine its role in the space economy and take necessary steps now to realize our potential in this realm. Our caucus introduced the maximum two bills this past session to include HB 2153, which would formulate an air and space law program at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law, and HB 2154, which would re-establish the Ellison Onizuka Space Center.

We also need to bolster our film industry. While an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, I minored in cinema/television (critical studies). I was able to immerse myself in the culture of the film industry in Southern California, where numerous opportunities were available for me. Growth in this industry will boost our economy and provide opportunities for local film students and everyone involved in the film industry.

11. An estimated 60% of Hawaii residents are struggling to get by, a problem that reaches far beyond low-income and into the middle class, which is disappearing. What ideas do you have to help the middle class and working families who are finding it hard to continue to live here?

Hawaii residents are dealing with increasing grocery costs, gas prices and our overall high cost of living. Many locals also cannot afford to buy homes here and resort to moving to the mainland for more robust opportunities and the ability to own their own home.

Alleviating some of these issues would require the Legislature to explore further tax breaks, first-time homebuyer tax credits (similar to the Mortgage Credit Certificate program at the federal level), down payment assistance programs and strengthening paid family leave, child care assistance and caregiver assistance.

Listening to constituents’ concerns as I go door-to-door in District 43 sparks ideas for positive changes. I look forward to continuing the work we started in 2022 and further create meaningful change together for the residents of District 43 and the State of Hawaii.