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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 Timothy Connelly, Republican candidate for state House District 50, which includes Kailua and a portion of Kaneohe Bay. His opponent is Democrat Mike Lee.

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?

As an action-oriented leader, I am dedicated to driving progress and finding solutions. Our community faces significant challenges, such as dilapidated infrastructure, poor water quality from Kailua Beach runoff, and their impact on safety.

As a competitive athlete who trains daily, I experience firsthand the unsafe waters and roads in Kailua. Advocating for a healthy lifestyle means we must address these issues for our residents.

In my role as a brigadier general in Hawaii, I have established strong working relationships with state, county and city leaders, and I will collaborate with them to bring meaningful improvements to our infrastructure and community safety.

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?

No economy has ever been taxed into prosperity; flourishing businesses drive economic and job growth, which can only happen through tax cuts and reduced regulation.

I fully support the income tax recently passed by the Legislature and Gov. Green. However, it doesn’t go far enough to reduce the tax burden on Hawaii residents and businesses, nor does it provide local businesses with a stable, less restrictive, and predictable environment that encourages investment and growth.

We should strive to reduce taxes to a reasonable level, lower the cost of living for all Hawaii residents, and reduce business regulations.

I am not concerned about potential reductions in state services because reducing taxes in high-tax states like Hawaii can actually increase tax revenues by stimulating the economy and growing the state’s tax base.

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?  

There should be limits on the money individuals and organizations can spend on campaigns, because money corrupts politics.

Politicians often listen to big donors instead of the voters who elected them, leading to laws that harm Hawaii residents. This issue is about integrity: supporting special interests over voters is corrupt.

We need laws that reduce big donor influence and encourage more people to run for office, even without connections or money. Campaigning has become a big business, but only legislative change can curb big donors’ power. Reducing their influence and adding term limits will help restore true democracy.

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 am running on common sense leadership and will support reforms that make sense for our economy, environment and society. While I value party unity, I will oppose any proposal that doesn’t align with common sense. I will work to convince leadership of my position when it’s best for Hawaii’s citizens.

Healthy debate is essential to democracy and politicians must engage in it or not run for office. Though not an incumbent, my experience in the Army’s Legislative Affairs office taught me how to craft and pass important legislation, often overcoming resistance. Progress is possible through constructive debate.

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

Yes, in general, but before implementing anything, we need careful planning to prevent abuse of the system. If public financing is available for all candidates, we must ensure it doesn’t lead to thousands of people running just to disrupt the process, overwhelming voters with too many choices.

The term “comprehensive” must be clearly defined, with limits on using taxpayer dollars for campaigns. The process needs 100% transparency and independent, nonpartisan oversight to ensure funds are used correctly.

While there are benefits, improper implementation could cause significant problems.

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

I support giving citizens the power to decide on important issues. I fully back a statewide citizens initiative process, allowing any citizen or organization to put measures on the ballot by gathering a set number of signatures. This is pure democracy, giving people a way to act when they feel unheard by the government.

Other states have versions of this process, so we can adopt best practices to create an effective system in Hawaii that everyone can be proud of.

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 anything that moves us closer to true, representative democracy, including term limits. Lifetime politicians who have never held real jobs, run a business, or served in the military can frustrate the political process, block new ideas, protect special interests, and often don’t serve Hawaii’s best interests.

Politicians should serve for a limited number of terms and then bring their experience to their political parties or the private sector, where they can continue to positively impact their communities.

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?

In almost all cases, I support government transparency and accountability. The government at all levels in Hawaii is fully funded by taxpayer dollars, so it should be open to the observation and inquiry of Hawaii residents. All Senate and House voting sessions and committee meetings should be open to the public, except in rare cases involving classified topics.

State funds appropriated by the Legislature should be posted online in formats easily understood by typical residents without needing a lawyer or accountant.

Sunshine Laws should apply to the Legislature, especially when voting or debating the state budget. The ability of special interest groups to lobby and fund legislators during sessions is a clear conflict of interest, as legislators should remain unbiased and focused on the best interests of Hawaii residents.

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 core of my response is reflected in the question above. If there’s resistance to disclosure, it should be questioned. Closed committee meetings need to be fully justified and open to public challenge.

Rules that oppose transparency should be reviewed and possibly changed for the sake of public openness. Much of what I said in response to No. 8 also applies here.

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?

Diversifying the economy is an exciting prospect because it brings new opportunities to our residents and enhances our state’s economic vitality and growth.

While tourism will always be a strong sector due to Hawaii’s natural beauty, expanding into other industries presents challenges. These include heavy regulatory burdens, high entry costs (like the recent $25,000 example for landscapers to do business with the state), and the high costs of operating a business in Hawaii.

There are significant opportunities in various market segments, but we need to address and reduce these barriers and costs to make diversification more feasible.

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?

The cost of living in Hawaii — covering taxes, housing, fuel, business operations and groceries — is excessively high, and the ruling party has failed to make meaningful changes.

Their inaction seems deliberate, contributing to economic division and pushing the middle class to move to places like Las Vegas, where people can avoid working multiple jobs to get by.

The artificial constraints and restrictions on our economy have confused residents and harmed those who could benefit from a truly free marketplace. This approach, combined with high tax rates, restricts economic opportunities and negatively impacts everyday Hawaiians who need more chances to earn and keep income.

If elected, I will fight for comprehensive tax cuts and the elimination of business regulations that drive up costs to consumers.

Further, I will propose legislation that directly addresses reducing the costs of energy to Hawaii residents in their homes and the increasing costs they face to put gas in their car. Reducing business and energy costs will tie directly to reducing prices at the grocery stores because these costs are directly reflected in consumer prices. Much more can be done, and I will pursue these efforts as a major priority.