This is Part 2, of my Jobs Action Plan.  Everything from Hilo to Waimea, shows signs of economic slowdown.  Coupled with spiraling fuel and power costs, people have asked me “What are you going to do about it to help our families and friends?”

The long term solution is that we need an economy that is not so dependent on tourism.  Although we can never completely be separate from the ebb and flow of the tourism industry, we can expand our economic base so when the downturns do come, we can still maintain a healthy economy where more people can continue to work. 

Families are the most important part of our society.  Families are the forge upon which our future is made.  They are the foundation upon which values are taught, support and guidance is given and dreams can come true.  A family provides spiritual, emotional and physical support as well as financial support.  Government's role is to make sure that a family and family members have the opportunities to financially succeed and support themselves.

Several people have talked about a Legislator's ability to have government buildings built and implement programs within a particular district.  My focus is not on a building or a program, but on the quality of life for the families and children that use that building or program.  We can use taxpayer money for all the multi-million dollar buildings and programs we want.  If we don't have strong families with good jobs, those buildings and programs will be useless (e.g. Kohala Task Force).

As I mentioned in Part 1 of my Jobs Program, families with a stable source of income are in better position to succeed.  Children coming from stable and healthy homes are better prepared to come to school to learn. Teachers can teach instead of being babysitters.  Jobs and a strong economy leads to stronger communities and less crime, fewer broken families, less child and elderly abuse, fewer teen pregnancies.  Families can focus on their future instead of trying to cope with the constant stress about where to find the money to eat that day or how they can simply get to their jobs given the high cost of gas.

There are two fundamental parts of this problem.  The short term of what to do now and longer term reshaping of our future.  I would be honored if you would look over my plan.

Long Term Solutions:  Make our economy less tourism dependent.

We need to have an economy based on our ability and perspective, instead of selling our culture.  These are my ideas to make our State and Hawaii Island economy broader.

Small and Medium Sized Business: 

·        Overhaul and streamline laws and regulations for small and medium sized businesses.

·        Target laws that prevent companies like Hoku Scientific from building facilities and maintaining a workforce in Hawaii. 

Tax Relief:

·        Tax credits for small and medium sized businesses for every employee given medical insurance, equal to the value of cost of coverage.

·        Eliminate General Excise Tax on agriculture, agricultural products and supplies, food, health care and child care.

·        Eliminate General Excise Tax on any Ag export.

·        Tax credits for start up businesses.

Sustain Agriculture: 

·        Establish an Invasive Species Control Center, a statewide intensive research and applied research center for all invasive species, where around the clock, intensive, focused research and experiments can be conducted.

·        Require consistency in the application of land use laws for Agricultural lands.

·        Stop Ag producing lands from being taxed at artificially increased property values due to development and speculators.

·        Establish a world class “ East-West Center ” research and applied research facility dedicated to Aquaculture and Agriculture.  The goal is to be the center for Pacific-Asian aquaculture and agriculture research and applied research.

Renewable Energy:

·        Establish an international research and application center for alternative, renewable energy.  Look at European (e.g. Germany) and Asian models.

·        Require electric utilities to buy electricity from alternative and renewable energy producers, at reasonable prices.

·        Identify unusable public lands for renewable energy development.

Job Training:  Increase funding for Community College job training programs to become more fluid and flexible.

Infrastructure: 

·        Build the Waimea By-Pass Road.

·        Build a new federal Interstate Highway on Hawaii Island , mauka of existing state highways that will incorporate existing changes to Saddle Road and Waimea By-Pass and plan for mass transit system.  We need newer and stronger bridges and a less congested roadway system.

Every solution starts with an idea and people build on that idea based on their experience and expertise.  My ideas are a starting point.  It would be easy to tell voters that “I know times are tough right now,” or “I feel your pain” or even, “That's something we really need to take a careful look at.”   Those kinds of statements demonstrate a lack of vision and leadership.  We deserve more, we deserve answers, our leaders need vision and leadership.  I would be honored to stand up for you and represent that change.