State Senate District 24 candidate Tracy Nakano Bean answers community questions

KANEOHE—There are 2 candidates in the Senate District 24 race as of the Office of Elections Candidate Report on July 23.

District 24 is composed of Kaneohe, Kaneohe MCAB, Kailua, and Enchanted Lake.

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

Candidate Tracy Nakano Bean is a small business owner who was born and raised in the Windward side and is a graduate of Castle High School and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Bean has served as an officer in her union, has run a non-profit organization with her husband for the last 12 years, and ran for City Council in last year’s special election.

Why are you running for office?
As a mother of two daughters, a wife, and a woman deeply concerned about the future of my family and community, I have chosen to run for office because I believe that Hawaii deserves a rebirth of freedom, prosperity, personal choice, and excellence.

What is the single most important issue for your constituents?
People are very distressed about the condition of the economy. Those who are employed are struggling to make ends meet and recent statistics show that those who are unemployed are on average without a job for the longest time ever in 20 years. Less than 4 out of 10 people have $10,000 in savings and the dollar is purchasing less at home and abroad as inflation has caused it to slide against all nineteen major world currencies. We are in the greatest economic crisis to ever face America and, at present, few seem to understand how to resolve it.

What would you change in the way that issue is being handled presently?
The Austrian economist Murray Rothbard said that in an economic crisis, the proper injunction of government is to cut taxes and reduce government spending so as to increase private savings. Even the Chinese tactician Sun Tzu wrote 2,300 years ago that “when wealth is exhausted, local taxes are oppressive.” Recovery from an economic crisis can only come when the people are able to save money and produce goods and services to export abroad. If elected to office, I will cut or repeal as many taxes as possible and look for ways to reduce government to give Hawaii’s people a break and release them to produce and prosper again.

Who is your largest campaign contributor?
In general, the people who contribute to my campaign are politically independent, non-partisan individuals who just want a better future for themselves and their children to follow. In fact, one of my largest campaign contributors is someone who has never contributed to a political campaign before in her entire life.

Who do you plan on including in your staff?
The focus of my campaign has been the words “Ready on Day One.” Hawaii needs leaders who know what to do and have the right people advising them. I will put together a team of only the most professional, servant-minded, and intelligent staffers to serve District 24. My chief of staff and strategic policy advisor will be Danny de Gracia who is an alumni of the Mises Academy and holds two degrees in political science and public administration. Danny is an expert in economics, public policy, and has been featured numerous times in national and international news media for his expertise. He will be an essential team asset in helping to provide immediate solutions for the people from day one.

What’s your strategy in dealing with the “homeless”?
The best way to deal with the “homeless” is to remove the conditions that cause “homelessness”: property tax assessments that have been overvalued for the purposes of benefiting big government, market manipulations by the government, and a lack of personal savings brought on by too many taxes and fees. I will also seek to foster greater community involvement and private support to remedy those who are in need and looking for a way to get back on track.

What’s your stance on rail? Can Hawaii afford it?
While I support all forms of transportation, right now our focus must be on cutting taxes, cutting spending, and increasing personal prosperity and private savings.

Where do you stand on civil unions? Would you have voted for House Bill 444?
I believe in protecting traditional marriage and do not believe that the government has a constitutional authority to be able to define what marriage or a spousal relationship is. Ultimately, whenever the government defines something, they take rights away from everyone—irrespective of what their sexual preference is. For these reasons I would have voted “no” to HB 444.

Do you support the Akaka Bill?
I believe that the Native Hawaiians need an effective remedy for the numerous challenges that face them but I do not believe that the solutions offered by the Akaka Bill are the best way to approach them.

How do we get Hawaii residents active in the elections process?
Hawaii’s people are the greatest in the world. They need people who are worth supporting and worth voting for. I hope to be that kind of a choice that stirs interest and renewed hope here in Hawaii.

How can we help Hawaii’s small businesses to stay alive during these hard times?
Small business is the core of our economy. I don’t just want our people to “survive,” I want them to thrive! The best way to help Hawaii’s business owners is to cut their taxes, which will allow them additional income to save, invest, and acquire more capital, which they can use to expand and increase their opportunities.

How do we solve Hawaii’s unemployment problem?
I believe in full employment, but the only way that full employment can come is if we reduce the barriers to the companies providing these a jobs as well as to the people. High taxes and excessive regulation cause compliance costs for employers that takes away from money they could be paying workers. More workers means more production and more profits for a company; the only reason why Hawaii businesses are hindered from full employment is because the government makes the cost of doing business in the islands so expensive. It’s also important that not only do people get a job but that the money they do earn has purchasing power at home and abroad. Excessive government spending and bailouts has caused the dollar to purchase less because of inflation. I will work to stop high taxes, high spending, and inflation so that Hawaii’s people can start prospering again.

For more information, visit http://www.beanhawaii.com.