Candidate Q&A: State House District 29 — Carole Kaapu
“There is always room to streamline and make public services more efficient, but there isnÊ»t often motivation to do it.”
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 Carole Kaapu, Republican candidate for state House District 29, which covers Kamehameha Heights, Kalihi Valley and a portion of Kalihi. Her opponent is Democrat Ikaika Hussey.
Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the General Election Ballot.
Candidate for State House District 29
Website
Community organizations/prior offices held
1. What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what would you do about it?
Cost of living, crime, homelessness, lack of affordable housing. All point to the same root: We are not supporting local businesses and industries. Our economy is faltering.
My answer to question 11 about the economy is what I would do about it.
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 think it is necessary to bring down the cost of living in Hawaii. The tax cuts are a good first step to help working families survive.
There is always room to streamline and make public services more efficient, but there isnʻt often motivation to do it. This could be that motivation.
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?
Teaching civics and community involvement. Many donʻt understand what goes on in the political world and government, so they donʻt know how to make change happen or how to hold officeholders or government officials accountable.
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 stand up for what is right; it doesn’t matter what leadership is pushing for.
5. Do you support comprehensive public financing of elections for candidates who choose to participate? Why or why not?
I have participated in partial public funding. Iʻm not sure that increasing it to full funding would make any difference.
6. Hawaii is the only Western state without a statewide citizens initiative process. Do you support such a process? Why or why not?
The process has pros and cons. I’ve seen meaningful change happen with ballot initiatives. I’ve also seen well-financed groups push change that was not in the best interest of the community.
I would need to see the structure being proposed before deciding.
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’ve heard good arguments on both sides. Looking at how the term limits for the governor and mayor have worked, I think itʻs an idea that works better than what we have now. So I support term limits.
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?
Due to the length (60 days) of the legislative session I donʻt think the Sunshine Law would work in the Legislature. If the session was year-round, like the City Council, it could work.
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?
Now that hearings are accessible online, and testifiers donʻt have to travel to the Capitol, that has helped more people get engaged in the process.
We need to educate people on the process, how it impacts them, and why being involved matters. With more public involvement there would be more of a demand for change. And conference committees are open to the public.
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 should stop funding tourism. The industry should be paying for its own promotion. The public funds now spent for promoting tourism should be used to build small business and local 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?
Reduce barriers to building affordable housing. Reduce regulations and red tape for small businesses.
Stop forcing the cost of utilities to increase because of restrictions and new regulations.
Stop massively over-budgeting public work projects (the rail is a good example). Reduce the cost of shipping goods to Hawaii.
