Issue Position: Keiko's Top Priorities

Issue Position

My top priorities as your Hawaii State Representative come in two basic categories: priorities for the state, and priorities for District 20 residents.

My primary focus for District 20 is to improve its infrastructure/services, and support the local business district. District 20 is fast becoming one of the finest examples of local business and healthy local living, but we still have many challenges to insure that it develops in a way that preserves its unique character. I will focus on strengthening:

* The Kaimuki/Palolo business district
* The rural aspects of Palolo valley
* Supporting community gardens for food and beautification
* Connecting agriculture and town based economic development with markets, restaurants
* Creating a beautiful, safe, walkable, and livable community

My focus for the state involves two interconnected issues: 1) more open, fair, efficient, and responsive government, and 2) facilitating a shift away from our historical dependence on a few large unstable international industries toward community-based sustainable economic development. Making government more open, fair, efficient and responsive will include:

* Protecting the Sunshine Law from councils and boards to include the legislature
* Using Facebook, email, and other internet technology to inform citizens immediately of all gifts to politicians, all campaign contributions, and all votes taken in the legislature
* Investigating government corruption
* Reducing government bureaucracy
* Increasing public and scientific input into government decision making
* Government report cards and itemized tax bills
* Support and enforcement of civil rights, and existing laws that protect the people, the environment
* Insuring that the most vulnerable members of our society, such as children, the elderly, and the sick are prioritized in our budget

Shifting the focus of our economy to a more community-based sustainable model of economic development will include:

* Supporting small business with tax advantages and adequate research and infrastructure
* Supporting diversified agriculture and food security
* Supporting clean renewable energy and energy research
* Improving education so that our young people can represent our most sacred values and compete in the global economy
* Investing in science and research that serves our social and economic goals

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