State Senate District 8 candidate Larry Price answers community questions

HAWAII KAI—There are two candidates in the Senate District 8 race as of the Office of Elections Candidate Report on July 23.

District 8 is composed of Hawaii Kai, Aina Haina, Kahala, and Diamond Head.

The Hawaii Independent submitted questions to each candidate. Responses will be published in the order in which they are received.

Larry Price is a computer systems administrator and an information technology consultant who lives in Hawaii Kai. Here are his responses.

Why are you running for office?
I’m running because I believe I can be an effective legislator and get things done for the people of my district and the state. I’m a big believer in public service. I’ve worked behind the scenes in politics for many years, organizing and campaigning for candidates. I’ve written and called elected officials, and signed petitions about issues I care about. Now I feel I should do more.

What is the single most important issue for your constituents?
The most important issue for everyone right now is the economy. Every other issue or concern depends on getting our economy back on track and getting people back to work.

What would you change in the way that issue is being handled presently?
We’ve talked for over 30 years about diversifying our economy and becoming less reliant on cyclical industries like tourism and construction. We’ve made some progress, but not nearly enough. We have a number of good legislators who understand what we need to do and where we need to go, but there are still too many in the Legislature who don’t “get it” and don’t seem to care. They pay lip service to the issue, but then stick to the status quo. I want to add my voice to those who are pushing for the changes we need. We need to promote our high technology industries. Not only information technology, but biotechnology, alternative energy, etc. Hawaii has the talent and resources to excel in each of these fields.

Who is your largest campaign contributor?
At the moment, my parents are my largest contributors.

Who do you plan on including in your staff?
Anyone willing to help me! I’ve got my entire extended family involved to various degrees. I have a number of politically active friends advising me, including three former candidates, a couple of current candidates, and some party officials. A few elected officials have also offered advice and suggestions.

What’s your strategy in dealing with the “homeless”?
This is a chronic, complex problem that will require cooperation of the City, State, and the private sector to solve. The lack of affordable housing is a core component of the problem. We have to find a way to provide housing at prices that people can afford. Unemployment is another component. We have to get our economy back on track and create jobs. Transitional housing and shelters need to be expanded and improved.

What’s your stance on rail? Can Hawaii afford it?
I support the rail project. It will be expensive, but I believe we can’t afford not to do it. The gridlock we’d face would be an even bigger drain on the economy than the excise tax we’re using to finance the system.

Where do you stand on civil unions? Would you have voted for HB 444?
I’m in favor of civil unions and would have voted for HB 444. I see it as a civil rights issue. All people are entitled to equal treatment under the law. I believe that this issue will ultimately be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court, probably within the next two to four years.

Do you support the Akaka Bill?
I support the idea of Hawaiian sovereignty. If the Akaka Bill is the vehicle that ultimately brings that about, then I support it. I’m also open to considering any other ideas the Hawaiian people put forward. While the majority of the Hawaiians I’ve talked with favor the Akaka Bill, I’ve also met several who are vehemently opposed to it. We need to ensure that all Hawaiian voices are heard on this issue.

How do we get Hawaii residents active in the elections process?
This question is asked in every community, in every state in the country. We have to convince people that their vote matters and that they can make a difference in how things are done. Somehow, we need to reduce the corrupting influence of money on our politics and strengthen the voices of average citizens.

How can we help Hawaii’s small businesses to stay alive during these hard times? How do we solve Hawaii’s unemployment problem?
I’ll take these two together since they’re related. For better or worse, our economy is based on consumption. People and businesses need to spend money for the economy to grow. Right now, no one is spending unless they absolutely have to. Businesses won’t expand and create jobs unless there’s demand for their products and services. People won’t spend money on products and services unless they’re employed and secure in their jobs. Government is the only entity with the capability of breaking that stalemate. We need to make investments in infrastructure to revitalize the economy. We also need to build more affordable housing. We need to provide incentives to promote investment in technologies. All of these will create jobs and provide a much needed stimulus to the economy. We also need to look at our regulatory structure and see where we can streamline processes for small businesses. We need to make sure the tax burden is shared fairly among all of our taxpayers, businesses and people alike, and kept as low as possible. We need to do a top-to-bottom review of state government to prioritize services, improve efficiency, and lower costs.

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/LarryPrice4Sen8.

To view responses by State Senate District 8 candidate Sam Slom, click here.