Council District 6 candidate Tulsi Gabbard-Tamayo discusses the issues

HONOLULU—There are now 10 candidates for Honolulu City Council District 6, as of the Office of Elections Candidate Report on July 23. The Hawaii Independent submitted the same list of questions to each of the 10 candidates. Responses will be published in the order in which they are received.

District 6 is comprised of a portion of Makiki, Downtown Honolulu, Punchbowl, Liliha, Pauoa Valley, Nuuanu, Alewa Heights, Papakolea, Kalihi Valley, and a portion of greater Kalihi.

Tulsi Gabbard-Tamayo has served as a public advocate and legislator for the Ewa plain since 2002.

What do you feel is the single most important issue you will face as a Councilmember if elected?
The most important issue that I will face is our current economic and budget crisis. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. My parents are small business entrepreneurs, and I grew up working in the family restaurant. I also have a degree in international business. I understand the challenges and hardships faced by business owners. We need to encourage these businesses to prosper, rather than standing in the way of their success. Encouraging responsible and sustainable growth and finding new ways to diversify our economy will both help in this regard. 

What would you change in the way that issue is being handled by the Council presently?
The City needs to learn to do more with less, find smarter and more efficient ways to deliver basic city services, and be creative in finding ways to make ends meet, rather than continually looking to taxpayers to fork over more hard-earned cash. With constantly evolving technology, the City needs to also evolve and be more efficient in day-to-day operations. One thing the Council could do is to seek innovative ways for the City’s Office of Economic Development to do more to stimulate our economy and create jobs.

What is another important issue in your District?
As I’ve been visiting homes across District 6, a constant and common complaint in every neighborhood is the complete state of disrepair of our roads, sidewalks (oftentimes non-existent), and street drainage. Some residents in Kalihi have been waiting over 40 years for their road to be fixed.  Others in Makiki complain of basic infrastructure problems, such as sidewalks that go nowhere, and drainage problems which cause flooding in homes. The City needs to re-prioritize the budget, and focus more on the smart delivery of basic city services. 

What is different about your approach to that issue?
The City should do an inventory to determine the status of all the roads under its jurisdiction. We then should prioritize which roads need to be fast-tracked for repairs and upgrades, and provide good quality repairs which will last, and not turn out to be just a temporary band-aid. We should also have better enforcement and response for illegal dumping. These trash dumps are a black eye in our neighborhoods, with no quick way to clean-up and rid the community of this safety and health hazard. 

Who is your largest campaign contributor?
At this point, I am the largest contributor to my campaign. Every day, I am humbled and sincerely touched by the outpouring of support I am receiving from people throughout our community, either through donations, putting up signs, or promising their vote on election day. I am honored.

What’s your strategy in dealing with the “homeless”?
The “homeless” are prevalent within urban Honolulu. The City and State need to work together and implement long-term solutions, create more affordable housing, and a place where “chronic homeless” can go for shelter and treatment. There must be a multi-faceted approach with involvement and collaboration at all levels of government, to include the community. We need to stop pointing fingers, and work together to implement solutions that work. While I support the Housing First model, I do not support it being placed at the River Street location due to security concerns, and its close proximity to neighborhood schools and elderly.

What’s your stance on rail? Can Hawaii afford it?
Through the ballot box, the people have spoken in support of the rail, and it’s important for elected officials to listen to the people’s voice, and implement this mandate in the smartest, most cost-efficient way possible. Mass transit has been talked about for decades. Now is the time to move Honolulu forward. It will create jobs and stimulate the economy. It will give our residents another public transportation option and reduce congestion in and out of Honolulu. Additionally, transit oriented development will help create more walkable communities, affordable housing, and improve our overall quality of life. 

How do we get Hawaii residents active in the elections process?
In order to get people excited about the elections, we need to give them choices and show them their votes count. This race is a perfect example, with the choice of 10 candidates who should all be commended for offering to serve and improve our community. As a young person, my hope is to motivate and inspire others in my generation who have a poor history of voting, that they can get involved and truly make a difference. Additionally, the new permanent absentee voting system is a step in the right direction, because it will make it easier for thousands of people to vote without having to sign up each election or show up at the polls.

How can we help Hawaii’s small businesses stay alive during these hard times?
We should be very careful that we don’t hit small businesses with any additional large tax increases. We need to look at the rules and regulations currently in place to see what is working and what needs to be changed. Most importantly, we need to listen to small business owners and community leaders, and have real, constructive conversations about how we can make Honolulu a more productive place to do business, which will result in benefits in all areas. 

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

See the responses of all District 6 candidates:

Lawrence Fenton 1| 2
Timothy Garry
Shawn Hamamoto 1
Frank Lavoie 1
Carlton Middleton 1
Sesnita Moepono
Dennis Nakasato 1
Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo 1
Robert Vieira 1
Christopher Wong 1