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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 Ranson Kuiokalani Soares, candidate for State House District 45, which covers Waianae and Makaha. His primary opponents are Cross Makani Crabbe, Desiré DeSoto and Philip Ganaban.

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?

Well, the biggest issues all low-income areas face in our great country are the income inequalities that come with our American policies and tax revenue streams that are not always being directed or implemented for all, at all times.

This world is still in the infancy of growing into the full-fledged world we all understand it could be. For now though, I do believe like everyone else that the American dream should be accessible to all, not obstructed, so that everyone can get a leg up no matter the district in this country.

We all know it costs money for mansions and planes and boats. But the fact of the matter is not everyone wants that lifestyle, but we do want to be able to live, to earn for our families.

This is why policies should change and leaders should make the adjustments where they see fit to help the country along, not hamper it. We’re all in this ship together.

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 believe tax cuts for the rich as I do for the poor shouldn’t be played with as this country’s debts are growing, $35 trillion and mounting.

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?

I believe Hawaii should play to its strengths. If it’s coming time that the lobbyists here in Hawaii can’t pay for all their obligations and are not meeting the quotas that we would take in if we did many things they pay us not do, then I believe that’s the next big change.

We’re slowly getting choked like Puerto Rico and other island nations and countries.

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?

Well, first off, being a candidate that runs on my own money and can’t be bought is my slogan.

If it benefits this state and all us people, then I’ll always vote for those issues.

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

I believe these are areas where we should ask less of the state to save money instead of dropping money into a bottomless pit.

Spending less should be the state’s concern, not dumping money into “voluntary elections.”

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 totally support letting the people decide more. I’m also in favor of a lottery in Hawaii.

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?

Simply stated, term limits across the board. All politics in this nation should be governed by this policy.

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?

Yes on Sunshine Law, and also banning all contributions during sessions.

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?

I would open all meetings and conferences as well. Anything with the state should be open. Also stricter disclosures for all lobbyists.

I believe this state should be more open after how long a lot of the people were taken advantage of in this state’s history — more protections.

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 here to stay and rightly so with the many issues this state has with my people and our rightful claims to the lands. That being said, Hawaii was a powerhouse in the 1800s with agriculture. Foreign lobbyists decreased this over time.

The state right now is one of the biggest landowners and hampers itself because of the many lobbyists and policies that do not meet what obligations are needed to be filled to nourish our people and economy.

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?

Rent control.

This system here in Hawaii now still reeks of racism’s past and Hawaii’s wild history.

Also more Hawaiian homes and lands for Hawaiians as well as more housing and state housing for our local people, because we are all one. The local population still exists today, thank goodness, and still resembles that old populace that was reverse-assimilated by my people’s government until the overthrow.

Rent is the biggest issue next to land use and useless pork like the rail that should be ended at Middle Street. Stop it there for now until we have a chance to recover a bit and then build more later. Projects such as the rail and the H-3 are not the type of mass projects that help this state — history shows us that.

Moving forward I feel confident in knowing how tied together we all are and that wanting for equal respect as promised to us in the Constitution, a real model for the world. It was written by our forefathers in a young nation filled with immigrants.

No problems are too big.