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Editor’s note:��For Hawaii’s Nov. 5 General 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 Monique Cobb-Adams Perreira, Republican candidate for State House District 8, which covers Hawi, Halaula, Waimea, Makahalau, Waikii, Waikoloa, Kawaihae and Mahukona. Her opponent is Democrat David Tarnas.

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

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

Real affordable housing is the biggest issue in my district. It’s not a coincidence that a state with the worst housing problems has the highest housing regulations in the nation. If we want to keep more of our local families home in Hawaii we need to do better.

Ease regulations, reform the state Land Use Commission. We must also build homes for our Native Hawaiian community, fulfilling the mission of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act as intended by Prince Kuhio’s legacy. It’s time to honor our commitments and create a sustainable future for all residents.

We should also allow plantation homes to be built on agricultural lands for farm workers.

Keep affordable housing prices truly affordable by tying the cost to local wages instead of competing with the international market. We need to build more houses only if we can control the value, and help our local families attain homeownership. 

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 have mixed feelings about the massive tax cuts. I am very happy to see some relief for our local families but this massive tax cut is still lopsided and benefits the top 1% that will receive tax cuts 10 times more than those earning below $90,000. And the escalating revenue losses will jeopardize key priorities like affordable housing and public school facilities.

Replacing that revenue loss will be challenging. Either services will have to be cut or taxes will increase elsewhere. Year after year the Legislature has failed to pass policies such as taxing capital gains at the same rate as ordinary income and raising conveyance tax on high-value properties. These reforms would generate just over $500 million per year under the most optimistic conditions. And still we would not be able to fill the financial gap that HB 2404 has created.

But it’s an election year, so they had to throw up some smoke and mirrors.

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?  

The Institute for Corruption Studies at Illinois State University named Hawaii one of the most corrupt in the United States. Shame.

Foreign investors, lobbyists and contractors exploit the state’s resources with corrupt politicians that put their personal profit above the people of Hawaii. We’ve seen it all before: bribes, kickbacks and campaign contributions in exchange for support and influence.

Pay-to-play must die and you kill it by electing new honest public servants that put the people above profits.

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 always support major reform proposals that puts the people of Hawaii first. The “leadership” are public servants that work for the people, or at least they are supposed to.

If something doesn’t benefit the people of Hawaii and the generations to come I will not support it. I will always stand on the side of the people of Hawaii.

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

Yes I would definitely support public funding as opposed to private or corporate funded campaigns.

Hawaii has a system of partial public financing that has been in place for more than 40 years. Hawaii should replace its current public funding matching system with a system that covers all campaign costs or super-matched programs that multiply the value of small donations and campaign vouchers that allow residents to distribute public funds to the candidate of their choice.

Public funding can increase public trust in government, reduce corruption, boost voter turnout and participation in the electoral process. It also will foster public policies that reflect the needs of the average citizen.

Generous public financing for campaigns in Hawaii would create more political competition by leveling the playing field.

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 would support a citizens initiative. A citizens initiative is a way to take all the power out of the hands of the Legislature and put it in the hands of the people.

You might be able to buy or make sweetheart deals with legislators but you can’t do that with all the voters in Hawaii.

A citizens initiative will force the Legislature to address the issues and be more responsive to the people they serve. Examples of reform that people often want but the Legislature refuses to introduce are: term limits, campaign finance reform and applying the Sunshine Laws to the Legislature.

There are pros and cons to citizens initiatives like badly drafted laws, unconstitutional laws and a slew of proposals on issues that the voters are expected to vote on. We wouldn’t need citizens initiatives if the Legislature would better represent the people.     

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 absolutely support term limits. I would support a constitutional amendment on term limits to be put on the ballot to let the voters decide.

Term limit measures are proposed every session, and they never make it out of the initial committee they’re referred to. They don’t even get committee votes before being squashed by the chairs.  Why? Term limits would also curb corruption.  

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, I support requiring the Sunshine Law to apply to the Legislature; this will help to keep them accountable. It is amazing that these legislators refuse to apply the Sunshine Law to themselves, yet others have to abide by it.  

With the new law banning fundraising during the legislative sessions, campaign donations still flowed to senators and reps. Major special interest groups continue to generously give to lawmakers. This is wrong and needs to be stopped.  

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?  

We need to do away with allowing lawmakers to vote “yes with reservations.” Just a yes vote or no or abstain. No other state allows voting “with reservations.”

Make testimony available to lawmakers and the public 24 hours in advance of a hearing, especially a hearing where decision-making is going to happen. Take away the power of the committee chairs to single-handedly kill bills. The full committee should be required to vote for a bill to advance or die.

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?

We need balance. A well-diversified economy will bring that balance. Investing in aquaculture and our agriculture industry and capitalizing on our warm year-round weather, Hawaii can become more self sustainable and we can also export Hawaii-grown, or made in Hawaii products.

Create a highly educated workforce that can work in high-paying industries and create innovations that Hawaii can export. We also need more high-tech and knowledge-based industries like computer programming, research and development, agriculture biotechnology and 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?

I would advocate a general excise tax exemption on food, medicine and hygiene products to help famlies afford the everyday necessities.

Ensure “affordable housing” is truly affordable by tying the values to the local wages. Encourage more self-help housing programs to help families realize their dream of homeownership.