Top Priorities
We need strong schools that will provide the education our keiki need in order to be able to navigate their own future.
We need to expand job opportunities so that there is less reliance upon the visitor industry that drives up our housing costs, and wastes water, exploiting limited resources. Our water needs to flow to the people who live here and to farmers before hotel pools are filled. If we are paying an “infrastructure improvement surcharge”, then we’ve got to see improvements to the infrastructure that we all use every day, not just when we walk around Ka`anapali or Kapalua. We must have essential services that are easily accessible to the West Side, without a 45 minute drive that may be jammed up with traffic, surf, or fire.
The balance between local needs and the visitor experience has got to be reshaped. We can achieve greater returns from tourism that are sustainable and better serve locals instead of being priced out - and pushed out - by the visitor industry.
Education
Strong schools are at the heart of strong communities. When schools struggle, families leave and when families leave, communities shrivel. Our future begins in our classrooms and on school campuses because when schools thrive, communities thrive with local talent that stays, builds, and gives back. When schools thrive, families stay and grow, businesses invest, and our keiki grow up seeing a future for themselves at home.
As a teacher I see an urgent need to invest in public education. It is time to quit paying lip service to the importance of education and start truly funding it. Our school facilities are crumbling. We are losing dedicated educators to better-paying, less stressful jobs. In the coming years, the Hawai`i Department of Education will see thousands of teachers retire with far too few new educators prepared to fill those positions.
Several years ago, the Hawai`i State Teachers Association proposed a real estate tax surcharge on investment properties to create a stable, sustainable revenue stream for schools. Those who can afford to own short-term rental properties or vacation homes that sit empty much of the year can afford to help support the public schools that sustain our communities. The surcharge was a smart solution then and it still is.
Investing in public education is not optional. It is essential to Hawai`i’s future.
Housing & Affordability
Our cost of living is unsustainable for local families. Rising housing prices are pushing residents out of their homes, and while planning and permitting are largely county responsibilities, the State must also act. If we fail to address affordability and housing for our residents, more and more people will leave the islands. Without a labor pool to support our industries, they will falter, and state revenues will decline. We risk a downward spiral that threatens essential services like our fire departments, police force, public schools, emergency medical services, and public hospitals.
Some challenges—like the increased cost of shipping under the Jones Act—require federal action. But the State can still take meaningful steps to lower costs by expanding affordable workforce housing programs, reducing dependence on imported food and fossil fuels, creating and attracting quality local jobs so residents can live on one income, and addressing the rising cost of homeowner insurance.
Our tax structure demands a second look, as well. Point-of-sale taxes are regressive, and place a heavier burden on lower-income families. While much of our revenue comes from visitor spending, we’ve got to shift the tax burden away from those who are already struggling to survive. Hawai`i has among the lowest property taxes in the nation and while nobody should want to raise taxes on primary residences, investment properties—such as short-term rentals and vacant vacation homes—should be taxed at a higher rate. Owning multiple properties is a privilege, and it should come with a fairer share of responsibility.
If we want Hawai`i to remain home for local families, we must make it affordable to live and work here.
Infrastructure
For too long, we have focused time and money on improving the visitor experience while our own communities have been left behind. Many neighborhoods need major upgrades to roads, sidewalks, water and sewer systems, and the power grid. But infrastructure is more than what we can see—it also includes the technology that keeps our state running and our economy competitive.
In today’s world, opportunity depends on reliable internet access and modern digital systems. Without strong connectivity, families fall behind. Students struggle to complete schoolwork, our kupuna are increasingly isolated, job seekers miss opportunities, and small businesses cannot compete. We must expand high-speed broadband to underserved areas, strengthen service across the islands, and modernize the state’s outdated computer systems. The pandemic exposed how fragile those systems are when unemployment claims surged and they could not keep up—even with extra staff stepping in. Outdated technology leaves us vulnerable to delays, crashes, and cyberattacks.
The plantation era has passed, and while tourism will remain a cornerstone of our economy, we are not limited to a single industry. Hawaiʻi can be both a world-class destination and a world-class place to live and work. By investing in strong infrastructure and reliable connectivity, we can attract and retain residents who work remotely and make it easier for employers around the world to hire our residents into high-paying careers.
Ultimately, if we want a resilient, future-ready Hawai`i, we must refocus on the needs of our residents and strengthen our self-reliance. We may always import some of our food but we can grow more locally. We may always import fuel but we can expand renewable energy to reduce our dependence. People will always leave for opportunities or adventure, but we can invest in the people who call this place home and build a stronger, sustainable Hawai`i.
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