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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 Kevan Wong, Democratic candidate for state House District 20, which includes Leahi, Kahala, Waialae, Kaimuki and Kapahulu. His primary opponents include John Choi, James Logue, Tina Nakada Grandinetti and George Hooker.

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?

The biggest issue facing the district is homelessness and the problems that come with it. As more and more homeless individuals are being pushed out of Waikiki, we have seen an increase here in House District 20.

Programs that address the different types of challenges that homeless individuals face are crucial to solving the issue. They include mental health and rehabilitation services, increasing access to services that provide housing and job opportunities and help with obtaining the various documents required for employment and increasing enforcement of current rules and regulations that have gone unenforced, which allow intentional wrongdoers to remain in the community and thrive without repercussions.

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?

While I do appreciate and agree with the income tax cut, I do have some concerns as to how it will impact state services. Normally, I would suggest that a close look at the budget and careful planning would be sufficient to ensure state services continue unimpacted. However, we face unprecedented times and current state services may need to be expanded and improved.

Over the past few years, our state has suffered tremendous tragedy. The impacts of Covid-19 are still being felt and the Maui wildfires have created a new list of significant challenges. These issues will significantly impact the budget for years to come.

I look forward to the opportunity to work on the state budget and work toward innovative programs and solutions that minimize impacts to existing services and create new opportunities for growth.

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 proper access to our elected officials is imperative, no matter who you are.

Proper reform in this area is complicated and will take time, I believe the potential unintended consequences of rushed changes could be harsh. In the meantime, quick change can be accomplished by individual elected officials. Personally, I have made a commitment to be available to my district and to stakeholders as much as possible regardless of any contributions. 

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?

Over the past 12 years working in both state and county offices, I have seen great strides toward better government. While I understand the frustration of the public when certain proposals fail, any efficient, lasting reform takes proper vetting and a holistic approach rather than rushed patchwork jobs to partially close loopholes. This is a process that deserves proper consideration, even if it takes a few years to complete.

My commitment is to the community, and I am keenly aware of the importance of building trust with residents as I seek office, so if there are well-founded, good-government proposals, I am more than happy to support them.

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

While I generally support public financing of elections for candidates who choose to participate in the program, I have strong concerns regarding any expansion of these services.

Without unfair restrictions that would limit the number of candidates in a race, we face potentially unlimited numbers of candidates who would be eligible to take advantage of significant amounts of tax dollars. I find the potential abuse of these funds and the unclear amount the state would be obligated to earmark concerning, particularly when funds could instead be allocated toward state services promoting the safety and well-being of our residents.

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

While I understand and value the intent of a statewide citizens initiative process, as someone who has been working with legislation for the past 12 years, I do have concerns with unvetted legislation being passed without considerations taken in open, public hearings and any resulting unintended consequences that may come with this lack of oversight.

In addition, I have extra concerns regarding the lack of protection from out-of-state interest groups coming and pushing for things that may negatively impact our residents.

While walking door-to-door, I have had many good conversations with residents regarding their concerns and ideas for the district and for the state. I am committed to working with constituents and, if elected, already have plans to introduce a number of bills reflective of the concerns that have been shared with me. My hope is that these bills can be discussed in hearings and fine-tuned to address the issues and areas of concern, while not negatively impacting others unnecessarily.  

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 understand the concern regarding term limits. However, I also have concerns about creating a future where our elected officials lack experience and knowledge as decision-makers.

I spent the last 12 years in various government positions listening, learning and collaborating in pursuit of a better quality of life for our residents. While I have learned more than most people, it took time, more than the eight years that governors, mayors and council members are allowed by their term limits.

While those positions are often filled by people as their second or even third elected office positions, this is not the case when it comes to the House of Representatives and the Senate. Many people elected to these positions are dealing with real issues for the first time in government service and require time to find their footing.

Ultimately, I put my faith in voters holding their elected officials accountable.

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?

To me, the biggest and best method for accountability rests with voters. As a candidate for the state House, I need to earn any votes and support from my community every two years. My commitment is to the residents of the district, and I have asked them to hold me accountable.

Regarding Sunshine Law and banning campaign contributions during session, I understand and appreciate the intent. However, I do have some concerns and think these ideas need to be discussed further to avoid any unintended consequences.

Sunshine Law requires posting of notices at least six calendar days in advance, with thousands of bills being heard multiple times, this will significantly extend the time required for the session, increasing staffing costs and delay any time-sensitive legislation that may be required to address emergency situations.

As a first-time candidate, banning campaign contributions during the legislative session would create additional challenges to new candidates trying to start their work. Incumbents already cannot host fundraisers during the legislative session. Having already seen the side effect of new fundraising laws this past year, preventing donations completely would give new candidates even less time to raise money and campaign.

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?

As someone who has been working in and adjacent to the Legislature for 12 years, I think the Legislature has made great strides in making the process more transparent and accessible to the public, especially during the pandemic.

When I started as a staff member in 2012, and during my seven years at the Capitol, the building and all hearings, including conference committees, were open to the public. However, you did have to be physically present in the building.

During my five years working in the mayor and managing director’s office, that openness has expanded, allowing for remote testimony and live and recoded viewing of every hearing, including conference committees. I have found these improvements very useful in my current role and has made testifying, tracking and understanding amendments infinitely easier.

Furthermore, the Legislature has implemented additional requirements for lobbying and lobbyists, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Regarding any additional rule changes, I think it is imperative to evaluate the impact of these new requirements before making additional changes. Then we can see which areas continue to be of concern and work toward further improvements.

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 has been a staple for our economy for decades, the main attraction for this part of the economic portfolio is the bringing in of out-of-state funds and resources.

Our focus should be to reduce reliance on tourism and increase the quality of tourists coming to our islands. At the same time, we need to continue to push for programs and initiatives that will bring other out-of-state funds here.

The difficulties of a self-sustaining economy here have been apparent for years. While we continue to work toward changing that, we should be doing all we can to remove the burden that the high cost of living causes for struggling local families.

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 have always had a strong passion for education. Having access to a good education that teaches financial literacy and promotes pathways to good and understaffed jobs is essential to help struggling families.

Our worker shortage has touched all industries, from teachers and nurses to engineers and laborers. To keep our families here, we need to ensure that our residents have the education, training and access to these jobs while ensuring that these workers are paid the prevailing wage for that industry. Otherwise, we will continue to see our residents struggle and leave for out-of-state work.