Ige defeats Aiona and Hannemann for governor
Mark Takai defeats Charles Djou 52% to 48% for Congress
Schatz takes the Senate race over Cavasso
Maui GMO ban barely passes
Takashi Ohno over Max Fowler for State House District 27
Hey, here's a Republican who won. Gene Ward over Chris Stump for State House District 17 - Kalama Valley, Queens Gate, Hawaii Kai. Another one Aaron Ling Johanson over Lei Sharsh, State House District 31 - Fort Shafter, Moanalua Gardens, Aliamanu. One more. Beth Fukumoto Chang over Marilyn Lee, District 36 - Mililani, Mililani Mauka, Waipio Acres. OK, it wasn't quite a clean sweep. Andria Tupola over Karen Leinani Awana, District 43 - Kalaeloa, Ko Olina, Maili. Lauren Cheape Matsumoto (former Miss Hawaii) over Michael Yadao Magaoay, District 45 - Mililani, Schofield, Kunia. Cynthia Thielen over Holly Broman, District 50 (Kailua, Kaneohe).
OHA. Waihee, Rowena Akana, Lei Ahu Isa,
Constitutional amendments (I voted yes on all of them).
The one on early childhood education (preschools) didn't pass. There were commercials against it saying it would take away money from the public schools. I guess the public school teachers union was against it.
[8/10/14] Ige trounces Abercrombie, Schatz and Hanabusa still too close to call
I have little idea who to vote for. Let the fun begin.
Clayton Hee vs. Shan Tsutsui for Lt. Governor
Hee characterizes radio ad as a smear campaign
Star-Advertiser endorses Tsutsui
Stiff competition
Star-Advertiser endorsements
[8/7/14] Better mail in my ballot
I'm going to vote Democratic in the primary because that's where the large majority of the main candidates are.
I'm going to base my decision on the Star Advertiser. Hey, that's what I'm paying them for..
Governor: Abercrombie vs. Ige
Abercrombie is not getting enough credit for the progress that has been made, and it's on the strength of that effort -- and the promise of further advances -- that the Honolulu Star-Advertiser endorses him for the Democratic nomination to a second term.
Abercrombie
is locked in a tough contest with Ige, outgoing chairman of the
Senate's Ways and Means Committee. Ige is genial and refreshingly
devoid of the theatrics the governor often brings to his encounters.
Ige, who
still works as a private-sector engineer, has vowed to bring a
tech-savvy business perspective often lacking in government.
So Abercrombie is a loudmouth who gets things done. Sometimes you need somebody loud. Ige is genial and intelligent. I like that combination. Ige (though conceding the Abercrombie will probably get more things done, like it or not).
Lieutenant Governor: Tsutsui vs. Hee.
Among the
field of five candidates vying for the Democratic nomination, the
Honolulu Star-Advertiser endorses incumbent Lt. Gov. Shan S. Tsutsui.
The 42-year-old Maui native represents the future of his party and of
Hawaii, as a new generation rightly takes the lead and as neighbor
islands add population at a faster rate than Oahu.
The
former state Senate president, who previously served as vice chairman of
the Ways and Means committee, is known as an inclusive collaborator who
brings a fresh perspective to state government's Oahu-centric power
circles.
The incumbent's most serious challenger is Clayton Hee, 61, an effective
state senator who vows to be a galvanizing lieutenant governor.
Hee has a long record of laudable public service, including as an
advocate for Native Hawaiians, a key player in the approval of same-sex
marriage, the driver of Hawaii's ban on shark-finning and a catalyst for
the conservation of priceless North Shore land. However, he also can be
a polarizing figure and ruthless power broker, a reputation gained over
the decades he's been elected to serve in the state House, Office of
Hawaiian Affairs and state Senate.
Ruthless power broker? What does that mean? According to wikipedia: A power broker is a person who can influence people to vote towards a particular client in exchange for political or financial benefits.
Oh, a politician. Tsutsui it is.
U.S. Senate: Schatz vs. Hanabusa
In what
has to be one of the most momentous primary elections in recent Hawaii
history, voters are confronted with a difficult choice between two
eminently qualified candidates for a U.S. Senate seat.
Although
both clearly possess the intellect and political savvy to serve the
state well, the Star-Advertiser endorses Brian Schatz, who has held
the seat since his appointment in 2012, for the Democratic nomination.
In that short time, the 41-year-old former lieutenant governor and
state lawmaker has demonstrated a commitment to his party's ideals and
an ability to connect with D.C. power-brokers who can advance a
progressive agenda on the state's behalf.
Hanabusa, 63, in 2006 became the first woman to be elected president of
the state Senate, where she represented Waianae's 21st District from
1998 to 2010. Throughout the campaign she has touted her legislative
leadership record among her chief credentials for advancing to the
U.S. Senate.
Hanabusa blindly supports the protection of Social Security and Medicare for Seniors (Kapuna). But no mention on whether the country afford it as is. This is pandering for votes.
Meanwhile, a group of US senators and representatives, including Sen.
Bernie Sanders, an independent socialist from Vermont, Sen. Elizabeth
Warren (D-MA), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen.
Mark Begich )D-AK) and Sen. Bryan Shatz (D-HI), is calling for
eliminating the cap on income subject to Social Security taxation, so
that all Americans, including millionaires and billionaires, pay the
full FICA tax on their income, a move which would effectively end any
talk of the Social Security program “running out of money.”
Is Hanabusa protecting the millionaires and billionaires from paying more Social Security tax? (Actually, no.)
Video of debate on Social Security. Hanabusa against chained CPI (which was part of Obama's budget). Otherwise, I dunno. It sounds like Schatz is saying he is more for Social Security than Hanabusa?
I'll go with Schatz. For reasons increasingly unclear..
1st Congressional District: Takai vs. Donna Mercado Kim
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser endorses state Rep. Mark Takai's bid
for the Democratic nomination in this important national race.
Takai, a 20-year lawmaker, lieutenant colonel in the Hawaii National
Guard and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, has a strong grasp of
the national issues that are most vital to Hawaii residents and a keen
understanding of the relationship-building necessary to match the
state's needs with the federal resources available to fill them. One
example is the six-year effort he coordinated to net more than $40
million in federal impact aid for the Hawaii Department of Education —
money that made a real difference in the lives of public
schoolchildren throughout the state.
We believe that Takai's amiable but persistent style would serve Hawaii
well in this divisive environment. He has not been the type to wield a
cudgel, and no Democrat will have a cudgel to wield if he or she gets
to Washington. Takai's experience as a dogged consensus builder would
be useful as he strives to build necessary relationships across the
aisle.
Mark Takai was a champion swimmer.
No mention of Donna Mercado Kim in the story. Despite the race being a dead heat.
Let's see what I can dig up. I guess she likes Ritchie Valens. Kim said the nation's budget, ObamaCare, and foreign policy top her list of issues. She said her Kalihi-Palama upbringing gave her a fighting spirit to get things done.
Fighting spirit is good. But I like consensus builder. Takai.
Charles Djou is the Republican candidate.
In the Republican primary, former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou, 43, a major in
the U.S. Army Reserve, merits the Star-Advertisers's endorsement.
Djou, also a former state lawmaker and Honolulu City Councilman, held
the 1st Congressional seat in 2010-2011 and emphasizes economic
issues in his campaign. He insists that after 60 years of one-party rule
in Hawaii, Oahu residents besieged by the high cost of living are
ready for a change. The U.S. House is expected to remain under GOP
control, meaning that if Djou prevails in the general election, he
would be part of the majority caucus — a potential plus for Hawaii and
its junior delegation of Democrats.
I kind of like Djou but I'm voting Democratis in the primary.
City Council District 6: Carol Fukunaga vs. Joli Tokusato
In District 6, Carol Fukunaga
won a special election in 2012 to fill the last two years of now-U.S.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's seat. Those two years have been momentous ones
for the district, which stretches from Makiki to Aiea and includes
Chinatown-Downtown and Kakaako, ground zero for homelessness and
urban development.
Fukunaga's
process-oriented approach to solving problems reflects her long
experience as a state legislator. Of the four candidates for this
seat, Fukunaga, 66, possesses a unique combination of political
experience and policy knowledge that makes her the best qualified for
the city's most complex problems. She supports rail and the potential
benefits of transit-oriented development for this district's older
residential communities, as well as the Complete Streets approach.
Joli Tokusato has a strong grass roots campaign (since I've been visited a couple of times) and is running seemingly because Fukunaga voted against the Hotel Workers.
From Tokusato's flyers:
While Carol Fukunaga tried to lower the minimum wage for thousands of hospitality workers in Hawaii, Joli defended her co-workers. After Carol Fukunaga voted to give condo and hotel developers millions in tax breaks that takes money from local services, Joli decided to run for City Countel.
Carol Fukunaga proposed a law to lower the minimum wage for thousands of hotel workers on Oahu.
Carol Fukunaga voted to cut property tax increases on big hotels but end senior citizen's property tax exemption.
From Fukunaga's flyer: Aikea's advertising is out to win votes by smearing my record. Such tactics call into question the integrity of the organization that distributes it - and Joli Tokusato, the candidate who relies on deception, not accomplishments, to run for office.
Akea Smear Number 1
Aikea misled voters by claiming Carol Fukunaga and the City lowered property taxes for hotels.
[my response: they didn't say that property taxes were lowered for hotel, they said she voted to cut property taxes on hotels]
Simple Truth: Carol and the City raised, not lowered, property taxes for hotels. The resolution passed unanimously with all nine members voting in favor.
So if it was unanimous, then Fukunaga couldn't have voted to cut property taxes. Maybe she was arguing for it, but in the ended didn't vote for it (?)
Actually the negative flyers are from Aikea, not from Tokusato.
Aikea Smear Number 2
Aikea tries to mislead voters by saying Carol Fukunaga and the City ended the senior citizen's property tax exemption.
[Actually they didn't say that. They said she voted to end senior citizens' property tax exemption, not that it was ended.]
What does Aikea say in response to the response?
Carol Fukunaga has claimed that she did not vote to raise property taxes on elderly homeowners. Unfortunately, this is just not true. Let us explain how this tax increase on low-income elderly homeowners works:
Currently, for every house that is occupied by the owner as their principal residence, there is a home exemption for property tax of up to the first $80,000 of value of the house. That means the taxes are only charged on the value above $80,000. At age 65, that exemption goes up to $120,000.
It used to be that the for low-income residents who applied, the exemption would increase again to $140,000 at age 75, $160,000 at age 80, $180,000 at age 85 and $200,000 from age 90 on.
In 2013, the Honolulu City Council passed Bill 40 (which became Ordinance 13-32). Council voted to end all of the exemptions over the $120,000, except for people who applied for them prior to September 30, 2013. Even for those people, the exemption will end within 5 years unless they were age 90 or above. Carol Fukunaga voted three times to pass this bill through.
[Actually I don't see that Fukunaga claimed that she did not vote to raise property taxes. Only that it wasn't raised.]
Aikea Smear Number 3
Aikea misleads voters by saying Carol Fukunaga supported lowering the minimum wage for hotel workers.
Simple Truth: The minimum wage is a state law and was never an issue before the City Council.
I thought I saw something on Tokusato's website on the minimum wage issue. Something like allowing tips to count toward their wages. But don't see it there now.
So apparently the facts are that Fukunaga voted to raise property taxes for hotels.
But voted to end property tax exemptions for the elderly. Which didn't pass.
Why would somebody vote to end the exemptions? Well not all elderly are poor. Some have a lot of money, so why exempt them?
Much ado about nothing.
It seems that Tokusato is fixating on property taxes and the minimum wage, but that's Aikea. Her actual campaign seems more far-reaching. I don't see either property taxes or minimum wages as issues mentioned on Tokusato's website.
I don't find Fukunaga's defense pretty weak. But I'll go with Fukunaga because I don't like negative campaigning. And apparently nothing that Aikea is decrying Fukunaga for, actually came to pass.
State Representative, Dist 27
Takashi Ohno (D) vs. Max Fowler (R). Don't know much about Max. But Takashi seems very active. And very friendly as he hits the pavement himself. Seems to be well-meaning, sincere, and a hard worker. I'll vote for him again.
That leaves OHA.
Don't see the StarAdvertiser endorsement. Here's a the primary election guide. OHA starts on page 37.
I don't know. Peter Alo sounds good as a singer-songwriter and body boarder at age 75. Lei Ahu Isa is an experienced name, but I don't know how much she knows about OHA. Maybe I should let the Hawaiians vote for their own affairs. Rowena Akana sounds familiar. Mililani Trask sounds like she knows what she's doing. John Waihee, Jr. too. Harvey McInerny is the head coach of track and field at Kamehameha. Lorraine Shin-Penn is B.J. Penn's mother.
OK, I'll go for Alo. Trask. Isa. Akana.
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