The song “Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne is one of my favorites.  Today's headlines and our current lack of political leadership are reflected in this lyric.  My favorite bakery, O'Keefe's is closing.  Two hospitals on our island have laid off over 100 workers.  The cost of animal and livestock feed is going sky high.  Foreclosures are up across the country over 121% compared to last year. 

As I walk through the district, small business owners, contractors, hotel workers and families tell me how rising fuel prices have hurt them.  They talk about having to make painful choices like closing the business, laying off employees just to keep the business open, stop driving, giving up animals and being forced to balance the cost of gas to get to work against feeding their family. 

The rising cost of gas, causes many of us to “run on empty.”  Our gas tanks have become a black hole that we just keep pouring more money into.  What cost me about $45 to fill my tank last year cost me nearly $75 this past week

Last month I offered short and long term economic plans to help us get through this tough time.  To date, no candidate for any office, including my opponent, has offered voters a plan to help turn our economy around.  So I want to highlight one aspect of my plan. 

I have called for a suspension of the General Excise Tax on fuel, agricultural supplies and products.  One of the causes of the high cost of fuel, are the taxes added onto each gallon of gas we buy.  In Hawaii , for each gallon of gas, we pay about 51 cents in taxes.  Every time you put a gallon of gas in your car or truck, you're paying a federal tax, two separate state taxes, a county tax and on top of that, the State General Excise Tax.

The worst part of all those taxes is the General Excise Tax.  For each dollar of gas we buy, add on the four other taxes, and on top of that add the General Excise Tax.  We're paying a tax on other taxes.

If I spend $75 a week to fill up my car, I would save about $156 a year under my plan to suspend the General Excise Tax.  Any construction company or company that uses fleet vehicles would have those savings multiplied.  Restaurants using natural gas or propane to bake their bread and cook the food we order would also save money.  The savings could be put to use to pay bills (rent, electricity, water, employee benefits).

This part of my plan, is just a small part of what our political leaders should and could be doing now.  But my opponent and other politicians have been in power so long, that they don't understand  how their lack of leadership and lack of vision directly affects families throughout the island.  It's easier for them to turn a blind eye and let more companies fail, more people get laid off and have more people collecting welfare and food stamps instead of taking a hard look at how to change our economy.

I am running for State Senate, because the same old politicians and the same old way of doing things are simply not working.  Too many people and families are suffering.  My opponent was in power during the nearly decade long recession of the 1990's and the recession following the 9-11 attacks.  Now we are facing another downturn in the economy.

Can we really expect that  the same people can or will do anything differently in this third economic downturn?  We need a change in leadership, a change in vision, otherwise, we'll still be “Running on Empty” and “running blind.”  Change starts here and change starts with you.

I would be honored to have your support in this election.