City Council District 6 candidate Shawn Hamamoto 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.

Candidate Shawn Hamamoto has worked as a legislative assistant and community liaison for former City Councilmember Rod Tam, the seat for which he is now running. His stated priorities if elected are to “give high priority to infrastructure maintenance and upgrades,” and to “encourage legislation to enhance public safety and other quality of life issues.”

What do you feel is the single most important issue you will face as a Councilmember if elected?
Without a doubt, the most pressing problem for our county is our City’s fiscal situation. If elected, my first order of business will be to prepare for the City Council’s annual budget hearings, which begins next year in mid-March. The City’s budget is arguably the most important piece of legislation the City Council passes each year. This year, the City faced a $120 million dollar budget deficit, which resulted in increased fees, as well as a decrease in certain City services. It has been estimated that next year the City will face an even greater budget deficit of close to $140 million dollars. That being said, it will be very important to 1) Prioritize our City services, 2) Review our current tax structure in relation to its tax classifications, exemptions, and credits, and 3) Communicate with the Legislature as to any intentions they may have to withhold our Transit Accommodation Tax.

Any services that we are to provide to the public, whether it be police protection, bulky item pick-up, bus service, recycling, addressing our homeless issue, road resurfacing etc., ultimately depends on the availability of funds. As for me, I can say that public health and safety will be a top priority. I will always work to maintain, if not improve, police, fire, emergency services, and sanitation-related services. After that, I will rely on public input to help prioritize remaining funds.

What would you change in the way that issue is being handled by the Council presently?
I would encourage the public to be more constructive when testifying on budget matters. If a person or group demands more service than what already exists, input should also be given as to how to fund these requests. Likewise, if a person or group demands that taxes be decreased, input should be given as to what services they would like to see cut. I have observed Council budget hearings for 8 years, and testifiers seldom incorporate suggestions to fund additional services or cuts to existing services.

What is another important issue in your District?
Council District 6 has some of the oldest infrastructure on the island. Streets and sidewalks need to be better maintained and/or reconstructed for the safety of pedestrians and drivers. Sewer lines need to be replaced to insure reliable operation and public health and safety. Regardless of demographic separations, our infrastructure affects the quality of life for everyone in our district. I am committed to ensuring that our infrastructure maintenance and upgrades remain on track.

What is different about your approach to that issue?
My approach to this issue will be to ensure that sufficient funds are appropriated in the City’s annual Capital Budget, which details the various Capital Improvement Programs (CIP) throughout the county. Because our infrastructure is correlated to public health and safety, I will definitely prioritize these infrastructure upgrades and work with the City Administration to make sure these projects are done in a timely manner.

Who is your largest campaign contributor?
My family has contributed the largest amount to my campaign.

What’s your strategy in dealing with the “homeless”?
Any solution must involve a partnership of City, State, federal, and private agencies. Currently, the City is not set up to provide the social services necessary to assist “homelessness” as is the State. The City can offer housing and employment assistance through its Department of Community Services. City properties can be offered for public/private initiatives through collective partnerships. It will be an ongoing challenge to balance the need to preserve public health and safety and the aesthetic beauty of our island versus the constitutional rights of the “homeless.” I support the current administration’s proposal to create a housing department as a means to more effectively address our “homeless” issues.

What’s your stance on rail? Can Hawaii afford it?
I voted “yes” on the rail question in 2008. I view rail as necessary transportation alternative for the future generations of our island. Also, the rail will have a more immediate benefit to our county by greatly stimulating our economy by providing thousands of jobs and facilitating the circulation of millions of dollars within our county. In terms of the rail’s affordability, I have to rely on the City administration’s statements that the funding mechanisms are adequate. I don’t think anyone can actually predict this, but we will have to continually monitor this situation. I am also very interested in reviewing the State administration’s financial analysis of the rail project when it is completed and made available to the public.

How do we get Hawaii residents active in the elections process?
I believe the first step in participating in our democratic process is to first have some basic knowledge of what is going on in our community. District 6 has six neighborhood boards, of which only one is currently televised on Olelo. I am committed to getting more of our neighborhood boards televised. I’ve attended neighborhood board meetings throughout the district for many years and have been impressed by the wealth of information presented regarding our government in relation to our communities. I believe if people were more aware of the structure and process of government they would be more intrinsically motivated to participate in our democratic process.

How can we help Hawaii’s small businesses to stay alive during these hard times?
The City will be able to offer opportunities for small businesses when their transient oriented developments are created along the rail line. Tax increment financing (TIF) is a tool that can be used to fund such developments. TIF is when a city loans money to a developer for a project that otherwise could not get built, with the funds paid back through the increased value and property taxes of that developed area.

For more information, visit http://www.shawnhamamoto.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