English seeks reelection to Senate seat

Haleakala Times
September 17, 2008

HANA — Independent John Blumer-Buell of Hana is running against incumbent J. Kalani English (D) for the State Senate District 6 seat.

The district includes Hana, East and Upcountry Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kaho'olawe.

Haleakala Times asked English to complete a candidate questionnaire.

Here are his responses:

State Candidate Profile:
J. Kalani English, 42

Occupation: Senator

Educational Background:
2003 — Certificate, Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
1995 — Masters of Arts, University of Hawai'i, Pacific Islands Studies, Manoa, HI
1991 — Certificate, East-West Center, Institute of Culture and Communications, Manoa, HI
1989 — Bachelors of Arts, Hawai'i Loa College, Pacific Islands Studies, Kaneohe, HI
1988 — Certificate, National Chengchi University, Center for Public and Business Administration Education, Taipei, Taiwan China
1984 — Diploma, The Kamehameha Schools, Kapalama Heights, HI

Community Involvement:
President, Association of Pacific Island Legislatures; Vice Chair, National Council of State Legislatures Transportation Committee; Delegate, National Caucus of Native American State Legislators; Member, American Council for Young Political Leaders; Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & International Affairs; Vice Chair, Senate Committee on Agriculture & Hawaiian Affairs; Member, Senate Committee on Economic Development & Taxation; Member, Senate Committee on Ways & Means; Co-Chair, Joint Task Force to Conduct a Review of the State Highways Fund; Member, Hawai'i Ignition Interlock Implementation Task Force; Member, Hawai'i Energy Crisis Task Force; Member, Moloka'i Action Team; Member, Hawai'i Invasive Species Committee; Member, O'ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee; Member, Hawai'i Energy Policy Forum; Board Member, Maui Arts & Cultural Center; Board Member, Friends of Maui Drug Court; Board Member, Ho'onipa'a no Hana Foundation; Board Member, Ka 'Ohana o Kalaupapa.

Political Experience:
UN Diplomat, Two-term Maui County Councilmember, Three-term Senator

1) Why are you running?

I want to complete the energy reform I started in 2006, and continue to work with alternative energy producers to lessen our dependency on fossil fuels. My work in this area has set a firm foundation for alternative energy producers to compete in Hawaii. We have a lot more to do in energy reform, and I want to continue to be a strong force in this process.

As the Senate Chair of Transportation & International Affairs, I have put in motion the Airports Modernization program and the Harbors Modernization program. I would like to implement the Highways Modernization program, and to this end I am currently working closely with the Governor, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism to conceptualize this project. I plan to introduce this legislation in the next session of the legislature.

I want to continue to provide for our food security by supporting our local farmers and encouraging the use of our own foods in our diets. To this end, I have taken on the Vice Chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Hawaiian Affairs. I want to continue to keep the focus on food security in the legislature. As a three term Senator, I have the seniority, experience and ability to protect the rural lifestyle we cherish in Hana, East & Upcountry Maui, Molokai and Lanai. I also have a proven track record of accomplishments over a 10-year period in pubic office, from the Maui County Council to the State Senate.

As one of two Native Hawaiians in the Senate, I also bring a unique perspective to the issues and have effectively voice those concerns in the public debate. I have a wide range of knowledge of the district, and the needs of Lanai, Molokai and Maui are well articulated in the Senate because of this intricate understanding of the 6th District.

I have accomplished much for this unique district, and will continue to look after the best interest of our residents. As my family has been on Maui and Molokai for generations, I also have the deep roots to understand the needs of our people from a Hawaiian perspective.

2) What is your personal vision for the future of Maui?

The county of Maui — including Moloka'i, Lana'i and Kaho'olawe — is probably the most complex community in our state. We comprise major resort developments, as well as agricultural and rural areas, within a relatively small geographic space. Our challenge as a community is maintaining this variety of individual characters, while creating an integrated community that works as a whole.

My district is largely rural. I believe any vision for Maui must include the preservation of our rural districts, our agricultural opportunities, and the lifestyle that they represent. However, we must ensure that these are realistic opportunities that do not call on our residents to make untenable sacrifices in order to preserve their lifestyle. That means real and meaningful support for agricultural industries, including the availability of land, water, financing, and markets. It also calls for a healthy respect for those who choose a rural lifestyle and the unique benefits it provides. At the same time, we all understand that our county relies on the visitor industry to support our economy. We must maintain our focus on maintaining ourselves as a visitor destination and providing the kinds of activities and experiences that make us a desirable vacation spot.

Finally, our preferred future must also ensure the quality of life for our residents. That includes the availability of quality affordable health care, a reliable transportation infrastructure, and economic and educational opportunities. The Maui I envision respects each of these aspects of life in our community, and balances their needs without rancor or divisiveness. They are interrelated parts of our preferred future, with the preservation of open rural lands adding to our desirability as a visitor destination, and the varied aspects of our economy supporting economic and educational opportunities for our residents. The key elements of developing and protecting this vision are mutual respect and the building of viable coalitions that share common goals. My overall efforts will be focused on creating that kind of Maui for our future.

3) As the most oil-dependent state in the union, it is crucial for Hawaii to develop alternative methods of energy. In your opinion, what is the most viable alternative fuel source to meet the needs of Maui County residents and businesses?

Create the regulatory framework for "wheeling."

Redefine "firm power" to include sources other than fossil fuel and nuclear, such as wind and wave power.

Direct the Public Utilities Commission to mandate a standard Power Purchase Agreement (PPP) for independent providers of power.

Streamline the process for indigenous power producers to bring their product on-line.

4) Healthcare is an issue of great concern to island residents. As an elected official, what will you do to keep physicians on Maui, improve Maui Memorial Medical Center and expand healthcare options? Addressing our community's medical needs will require attracting and keeping medical professions, assuring the availability of rural healthcare, and planning for the expansion of health services as our community grows and changes.

While some healthcare providers have emphasized tort reform as a major concern related to keeping doctors in our state and our county, it is not a panacea; the reality is much more complicated. It appears that reimbursement levels do not meet the actual costs of treatment; our state's commitment to universal prepaid healthcare is a boon to patients, but low reimbursement levels offered by health insurers and Medicare/Medicaid place a strain on doctors. We need to continue to focus on how to bring those reimbursements to a more appropriate level. I believe that at that point, many of the benefits of our lifestyle will draw doctors to out community.

We must also face the reality that many of our rural residents rely on hospitals within the purview of the Hawai'i Health Systems Corporation (HHSC), the collection of community organizations that operate our state hospitals. While HHSC is facing financial challenges, it is our responsibility as legislators and responsible citizens to help HHSC overcome its difficulties, and help keep health services available to those who rely on these health centers.

Finally, we must look at our healthcare system as just that: an interrelated system of healthcare providers and services, making the best use of our available resources to serve the greatest number of people at a reasonable cost. That must include both acute and long-term care, emergency services, and rural services that fill the needs of the full spectrum of our residents. No single healthcare initiative or planned health center will address the total needs of our community as a whole. Rather, we must examine each proposed piece to ensure that we do not serve one need at the expense of others.

5) With population growth impacting old facilities, how can the state better the quality of education in the classrooms and improve physical upkeep of schools? What projects or improvements do you see as important?

We need to ensure that the funds are available to improve our classrooms and the teaching that goes on there, and remove the impediments to productive action. However, our state's economy is slowing, which will ultimately limit the number of new dollars we can allocate to education.

I believe our best approach will be to examine the efficiencies of our educational system, identify areas where money is not being put to the most productive use, and emphasize those efforts that are producing the greatest results. In some cases, that will mean streamlining bureaucracies in education and making sure more of our education dollars go to the classroom.

In my opinion, our most important educational projects are those that directly impact students. For that, we need to go to the experts, and those are usually the teachers who understand and work within the reality of our classrooms and our student population. On the federal level, getting rid of No Child Left Behind and its one-size-fits-all model of education will be an important step. Within our state, we need to reexamine what is working and what is not, refocus on high-impact activities, and reemphasize the importance of measurable, meaningful student improvement.

6) What can be done to diversify the economy, promote agriculture, create jobs, and keep young people from moving from Hawaii in search of better opportunities?

Recent events have shown that Hawai'i's economy will be the issue that most concerns us going forward. In recent business closures, the loss of jobs, and unsettling signs from our visitor industry, we have seen how quickly our economic picture can change. Rapid—and apparently continuing—increases in oil prices warn us that these economic pressures are unlikely to be short-lived.

Addressing our economic situation will require honestly confronting the factors that have led to it, and being willing to develop and support real solutions.

For example, we must address the question of whether our state's reliance on the visitor industry will be healthy for the future. We have made economic transitions before, from whaling to agriculture to tourism. Our question now, as difficult as it may be, is where our economic base will be if not in the visitor market. Now is the time for our state government—including the Legislature—to begin laying the groundwork for those new economic opportunities.

At the same time, we must acknowledge that as the most petroleum-dependent state in the nation, we need to develop a plan for our energy future. We are fortunate to possess the natural resources that could serve as a foundation for alternative energy production, including wind, solar, ocean thermal, and wave kinetic generation systems. With a University that has a proven track record in research, our state has the potential to be not just a consumer, but also a developer of alternative energy systems.

In developing both economic and energy alternatives, our state government may become involved, for example, through tax breaks, public-private partnerships, educational programs, or state-funded research. But it is vitally important that we remain open to the various possibilities, and committed to the "heavy lifting" that will likely be required to move proposals forward. At the same time, it is vital that we not lose sight of other, non-economic, factors that are an important part of our lives. We cannot lose our native culture, nor endanger our natural environment. If we follow the track of serving as a bridge between East and West, we must not lose our unique identity in the flow of information and commerce that is likely to follow.

7) What do voters say are the three biggest issues in the 2008 elections, and what can you do as a state legislator to address them?

My district includes Hana, East & Upcountry Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe. With such diversity, three key issues are energy, transportation and food security.

ENERGY — Our state's reliance on fossil fuels represents one of our greatest vulnerabilities and our most challenging economic and environmental weakness. We must increase our efforts to move toward alternative and renewable energy sources, and reduce or reliance on petroleum as a major source of energy. The technologies that support energy independence exist today, and are in use around the world. Given Hawai'i's location and natural resources, we should be looking toward the wind, the sun, and the ocean to meet our future energy needs. Geothermal also represents potential benefits, although we will need to address pressing cultural issues before we avail ourselves of that source of energy. Still, there is no magic bullet when it comes to energy independence. New energy developments must consider environmental, cultural, and lifestyle impacts. Windmills often represent considerable visual impacts, with the physical requirements of wind farms competing with our desire to keep view planes unspoiled. Solar energy production on a large scale may require dedicating land that may otherwise be used for agricultural purposes. Wave or ocean kinetic generators may affect our beaches and shorelines. In addition, as we have seen, permitting for new energy enterprises can be a challenge. While we all want to move ahead with the development of renewable energy enterprises, we must proceed in a way that respects our other goals. I believe that the solution lies on developing a comprehensive statewide energy policy that balances our energy needs with our other community values. Such a policy would also form the framework for future energy development and establish priorities to assist in planning and permitting. Finally, our state and county governments must join with the federal government in providing incentives to alternative energy research and development. With a number of natural energy resource available in our state, it would be beneficial to involve our educational institutions in alternative energy research.

TRANSPORTATION — On the transportation front, the sheer vastness of the district exemplifies the need for a sound, multi-modal transportation system between the islands, and the rest of the state.

Hana is precariously on the edge of being totally isolated, with the Kaupo road still closed from the 15 October 2006 earthquake and many of our ancient bridges on the verge of structural failure.

This in combination of the downgrading of the certification for Hana airport and our current condemned pier leave this side of the island in a crisis. I have been addressing this by providing for infrastructure renewal such as a new emergency back-up pier, the upgrading of the small boat harbor and insisting that Hana airport remain open. Upcountry and the rest of East Maui face traffic congestion as our population grows. I have allocated many millions of dollars to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for improvements to the Haleakala Highway for the Pukalani-Kula region, and this project is nearing completion sometime in September. Likewise, the Paia bypass is still in the works, and I continue to push the DOT to accelerate this much-needed improvement.

Molokai and Lanai are both isolated yet in better condition than other parts of the district. On Molokai, we are improving the pier in Kalalupapa to ensure delivery of food and supplies, and created better facilities for the ferry system in Kaunakakai harbor. The airport in Kalaupapa faces the same loss of certification as Hana, however the Hoolehua airport is well used and maintained. On Lanai, Manele harbor has received new infrastructure as this entry point receives at least 80% of the people – mostly residents – to Lanai. This new harbor was dedicated on 20 August 2008.

FOOD SECURITY — The entire district – indeed the whole State – faces a serious problem with food production, storage and transportation. While we have great abundance in our islands, we also import more than 90% of our food. Thus, if there were an interruption of our transportation system for more than a few days, we would quite literally be out of food.

I am encouraging everyone to raise a garden, plant some food and enjoy the riches of this land. This will help to reduce our dependency on imported food, and also help us to reduce our carbon footprint by eliminating the transportation of our food across the vast ocean.

While this may seem like a small task, when we add it all up it amounts to better nutrition, better use of our land and a sense of accomplishment. Our food security is vital if we are to maintain our rural character; and is in concert with our values of keeping our lands in agricultural use.

On a lager scale, encouraging our emerging organic foods sector and helping them to develop local markets is key to creating the economic base for our own liberation from food dependency. This means allowing local farmers to compete with imported foods in our restaurants, schools, supermarkets and hotel industry. These two key issues – transportation and food security – are tied to another important underlying issue, energy. And transportation, food security and energy are all part of the economy. Thus, our economic well being directly relates to these important topics: transportation, food security and energy.

Stated differently, the state of our economy will dictate the terms of our transportation, food security and energy stability.

8) Sound off... Anything you want to say?

Walk with me
As we build on the successes of our past.
Grow with me
To cultivate our future.

Original article URL: http://www.haleakalatimes.com/News/story3260.aspx

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