HAWAII COUNTY IS THE LARGEST  ISLAND IN THE STATE, AND HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST POPULATION WITH MORE THAN 200,000 RESIDENTS.

THIS YEAR, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING THE COUNTY’S TOP JOB.

WE’RE KICKING OFF OUR PRIMARY ELECTION COVERAGE WITH CANDIDATES FOR HAWAII COUNTY MAYOR, NEXT ON INSIGHTS.

HAWAII COUNTY MAYOR MITCH ROTH IS LOOKING TO SERVE A SECOND TERM IN OFFICE.

BUT BEFORE HE CAN DO THAT, HE NEEDS TO ADVANCE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION.

ROTH IS BEING CHALLENGED BY SEVERAL CANDIDATES IN THE AUGUST CONTEST.

THEY INCLUDE A FORMER CANDIDATE FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, A DOCTOR WHO SERVED UNDER TWO PREVIOUS HAWAII COUNTY MAYORS AND A HILO BUSINESSWOMAN.

HEAR WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE AND SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS.

TONIGHT’S LIVE BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAM OF INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII START NOW.

¶¶ ¶¶ ALOHA AND WELCOME TO INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII.

I'M YUNJI DE NIES.

THE PRIMARY ELECTION IS ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH.

IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO IT, WE’LL FEATURE AS MANY RACES AS WE CAN TO HELP VOTERS BE INFORMED.

TONIGHT, WE FOCUS ON THE PRIMARY RACE FOR HAWAII COUNTY MAYOR.

INCUMBENT MITCH ROTH IS SEEKING A SECOND TERM, BUT HE’S FACING A HANDFUL OF OPPONENTS.

IN THIS RACE, IF NO CANDIDATE RECEIVES A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST IN THE PRIMARY, THE TWO CANDIDATES RECEIVING THE MOST VOTES WILL APPEAR ON THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TONIGHT'S SHOW.

YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL IN YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOU’LL FIND A LIVE STREAM OF THIS PROGRAM AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND THE PBS HAWAII YOUTUBE PAGE.

NOW, TO OUR GUESTS.

MITCH ROTH WAS ELECTED MAYOR OF HAWAII COUNTY IN 2020.

PRIOR TO THIS HE SERVED EIGHT YEARS AS HAWAII COUNTY PROSECUTOR.

MAYOR ROTH IS A GRADUATE OF UH MANOA AND HAS A JURIS DOCTORATE FROM WHITTIER LAW SCHOOL.

HE LIVES IN HILO WITH HIS WIFE.

SEAULA TUPAI JUNIOR WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CALIFORNIA.

AFTER RECEIVING HIS MASTER’S DEGREE FROM WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY, HE MOVED TO HILO IN 2007.

HE RAN FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN 2020 AND IS CURRENTLY THE SENIOR PASTOR AT OVERCOMING FAITH CENTER IN HILO.

BORN AND RAISED ON HAWAII ISLAND, DR. KIMO ALAMEDA EARNED HIS DOCTORATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN.

THE FATHER OF SEVEN PREVIOUSLY LED THE HAWAII COUNTY FENTANYL TASK FORCE AND WAS ALSO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE HAWAII COUNTY OFFICE OF AGING.

HILO NATIVE BREEANI KOBAYASHI HAS A MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX.

SHE’S THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE SCP HILO HOTEL, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HAWAII RISE FOUNDATION NONPROFIT AND THE OWNER OF THE KEAUKAHA GENERAL STORE.

THREE OTHER PEOPLE ARE ALSO ON THE BALLOT IN THIS RACE.

THEY ARE DANIEL CUNNINGHAM, KAVIN KAHIKINA AND YUMI KAWANO.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

I WANT TO STARTED WITH YOU.

I WOULD LOVE FOR EACH OF YOU TO TELL US.

CAN YOU BRIEFLY TELL US WHY YOU'VE DECIDED TO GO FOR THIS RACE, YOU WANT TO BE THE MAYOR OF HAWAII COUNTY.

>> YOU KNOW THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

HAD TO DIG DEEP TO ASK MYSELF THAT QUESTION.

ULTIMATELY COMES DOWN TO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITY, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED CHANGE.

THE BEST TIME FOR CHANGE IS IMMEDIATELY.

SECOND BEST TIME IS NOW.

AND I'M READY TO TAKE ON THIS KULEANA AND I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET TO CHOOSE YOUR KULEANA OR YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT KULEANA CHOOSES YOU.

AND IN THIS SPACE THAT I'M CURRENTLY IN, I FEEL LIKE THIS KULEANA HAS CHOSEN ME AND I'M READY TO TAKE IT ON.

>> WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ENTER THAT RACE.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

200,000 PEOPLE BIG ISLAND.

200,000 REASONS ALL KINDS OF REASONS BEEN ALL OVER THE ISLAND.

TALKING TO CONSTITUENTS AND ALL KIND OF ISSUES.

DIFFERENT PRIORITIERS.

SO WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT IS MY PRIORITY, PRIORITY IS YOU.

EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT RUNNING FOR THE PEOPLE.

I THINK BEEN TRYING TO ADVANCE CHANGE AND I KNOW CHANGE TAKES TIME.

AND I THINK MAYOR ROTH DOING THE BEST HE CAN WHAT HE'S GOT.

BUT I THINK WE NEED A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LEADERSHIP.

THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE ENERGY.

I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX THINKING.

AND ME BEING PRIVATE SECTOR, GOVERNMENT FOR STATE GOVERNMENT FOR 15 YEARS, COUNTY GOVERNMENT FIVE YEARS.

ONE OF ONLY CANDIDATES ACTUALLY TO HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.

I THINK AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE NEED A LEADER WITH KIND OF MATRIX OF SKILLS BECAUSE IT'S DAUNTING.

FACED WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF CHALLENGES.

I'M UP TO THE CHALLENGE.

I HAVE A GREAT TEAM.

A LOT OF SUPPORTERS.

I THINK TIME IS RIGHT AND THE TIME IS NOW.

>>Yunji: THANK YOU.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS ON.

>> FEEL LIKE I'M AN AGENT OF CHANGE.

FEEL LIKE I'M A CHANGE CANDIDATE.

I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC.

>> I'M INVOLVED WITH LOOK FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU FOLKS HAVE BEEN DOING, I THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

AND I KNOW MAIL IN BALLOTS COME OUT IN 40 DAYS IN PERSON VOTING 43 DAYS.

WHOEVER ASSIGN AUGUST 10 MOVE ON TO THE GENERAL ELECTION, I'LL RESPECT THAT.

I THINK SOME PEOPLE LIKE CHOCOLATE, SOME PEOPLE LIKE VANILLA.

THE SOME LIKE COOKIES AND CREAM.

MORE OPTIONS THE COMMUNITY HAS BETTER.

I'M ALL FOR THAT.

>>Yunji: WE HAVE THREE FOLKS SAY IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE.

MAYOR WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S NOT.

>> HAVING AMAZING SUCCESSES AS OF LATE.

JUST HAD OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT.

HAD 28% DECREASE IN HOMELESSNESS.

THAT'S THE LARGEST IN THE STATE, ARGUABLY, AMONG THE LARGEST IN THE NATION.

TOOK ON A LOT OF PROBLEMS WHEN HE CAME IN.

QUESTION FOUR YEARS AGO, WAS WHERE ARE WE GOING TO ABLE TO KEEP THE COUNTY AFLOAT FINANCIALLY?

AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT AND REALLY START TO THRIVE.

SEEN SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'VE HAD WITH OUR BUILDING PERMITS.

WE WENT FROM THE WORST IN THE COUNTRY TO THE BEST IN THE STATE.

STILL MAKING PROGRESS IN MAKING CHANGES THERE.

REALLY FOR ME, IDEA IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS CAN THRIVE HERE AND RAISE THEIR KIDS AND THEIR NEXT GENERATIONS.

IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, LOOK AT HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE USE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HUD TERM, WE CAME IN, SAW THERE WAS A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN PIPELINE.

1,423 UNITS.

HAVE 8,200 UNITS.

THINGS ARE STARTING TO MOVE.

>> STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF VERY POSITIVE CHANGES AND WE DON'T ONLY WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THOSE CHANGES.

WANT TO MAKE IT SO EVERYBODY CAN THRIVE.

OUR KIDS ASKS STAY HERE.

RAISE THEIR KIDS.

BEEN FOCUSING A LOT ON INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> WE INHERITED SOME MESSES, BUT LIKE I SAID WE'RE HAVING SOME VERY GREAT SUCCESSES AND REALLY PROUD OF THAT.

>>Yunji: YOU REFERENCED OUT OF BOX THINKING.

INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE, BIGGEST THING THAT YOU WOULD TAKE ON AND WHAT KIND OF OUT OF THE BOX THINKING YOU WOULD APPLY TO THAT ISSUE.

WHAT SPECIFICALLY WOULD YOU TAKE ON THAT?

>> WELL, FIRST, LIKE TO GIVE SOME PERCS.

WORK UNDER BILLY KENOI AND HARRY KIM.

I THINK TEED UP FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION.

TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS SITUATION.

IT WAS THE COUNTY COUNCIL, CHUNG IN PARTICULAR WHO PASSED THAT BILL TO TAKE SOME OF THAT PROPERTY TAX AND TO DIRECT IT TO THE HOMELESS.

IT'S PAYING OFF.

SO THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION THEY DID A LOT.

I THINK TEE IT UP FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION.

WANT TO GIVE THEM SOME CREDIT.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS ECONOMY.

PERMITTING, TALK ABOUT PERMITTING.

>> CURRENT ADMINISTRATION SAYING THAT'S BETTER.

BUT IT'S NOT BETTER.

THEY CHANGED WAY YOU MEASURE THE DAYS.

SO IF YOUR PERMIT IN THE QUEUE, DOESN'T GET COUNTED YET.

MY PERMITS IN THE QUEUE AND AT ZERO DAYS.

SO IF YOU REALLY WANT TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, GOT TO FIX PERMITTING.

AND TO ME, OUT OF BOX IDEA WOULD BE TO GIVE CONDITIONAL OR PROVISIONAL APPROVAL TO THOSE PERMITS AND PUT THE BURDEN ON THE COUNTY, NOT ON THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

RIGHT NOW, HOLDING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND CONTRACTORS HOSTAGE WHILE THEY WAIT FOR PERMITS.

LONGER YOU WAIT FOR PERMITS, THE MORE COSTLY HOME WOULD BECOME.

PUT THE BURDEN, THESE ENGINEERS STAMP IT, THEY WENT SCHOOL.

STAMP IT EARNED THAT DEGREE.

KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

GIVE PROVISIONAL APPROVALS FOR THE PERMITS.

SO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CAN GET STARTED ALREADY.

YOU GET THEM STARTED, THAT'S PLUMBERS, CONTRACTORS, DRYWALLERS, GET THE ECONOMY BOOMING AGAIN.

AS LONG AS YOU HOLD OUR CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HOSTAGE KEEPING PERMITS IN HOUSE, NOT DOING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

OUT OF THE BOX IDEA WOULD BE TO GIVE PROVISIONAL APPROVALS TO ALL PERMITTERS WITH THE BURDEN ON THE COUNTY ANY ISSUES CALL THE DEVELOPER BACK TO FIX IT.

BUT LET THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS START WORK ALREADY.

>>Yunji: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, BIGGEST ISSUE FACING IT'S COUNTY RIGHT NOW AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY WOULD YOU DO TO ADDRESS IT?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

THERE'S A MYRIAD OF THINGS THAT I HEAR THROUGHOUT BIG ISLAND FROM RISING CRIME, HOMELESSNESS, PERMITTING PROCESS, DR. JUST ADDRESSED, I THINK FOR ME BIGGEST ONE RIGHT NOW WOULD BE RISING CRIME.

WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII.

SAFETY, SECURITY, SHOULD BE YOU UTMOST PRIORITY FOR US.

AND I KNOW DIFFERENT THINGS FROM I KNOW THAT FOR BIG ISLAND, FOR EVERY SHIFT, 43 OFFICERS.

BY NATIONAL AVERAGE.

>> YOU NEED 2.5 FULL TIME POLICE OFFICERS TO OVERSEE 1,000 RESIDENCE.

REALLY WITH OUR RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW OVER 200,000, ONLY 43 OFFICERS PER SHIFT 4,000 RESIDENTS PER OFFICER.

I THINK WE NEED STRONGER SHOW OF FORCE.

I KNOW POLICE CHIEF CURRENT POLICE CHIEF DOING A GREAT JOB.

TRYING TO HAVE MORE RECRUITMENT CLASSES IN.

I THINK MESSAGING COULD BE STRONGER.

I KNOW ALSO WE NEEDY KNOW THERE IS AS FAR AS MORE PEOPLE WANTING TO WORK IN PD NEEDS MORE INCENTIVES TO COME IN FOR THE PEOPLE RETIREMENT PACKAGING.

THINGS WE CAN LOOK AT.

I THINK THERE HAS TO BE A STRONGER SHOW OF FORCE AND WE HAVE TO BE FOR THE RULE OF LAW.

WHEN I HEAR DIFFERENT THINGS, RURAL AREAS LIKE WAIMEA, OCEAN VIEW, WHAT NOT, THINGS HAPPENING, CRIMINALS ARE ARRESTED, IMMEDIATELY WE RELEASED OUT NEXT DAY, WE'RE WHEN I TALK TO CONSTITUENTS, STRONG CONCERN.

CANVASSING TALK TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, OCEAN VIEW RECOMMEND TEAM NOT GOING TO THE COMMUNITY OCEAN VIEW BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW IF GOING TO BE SAFE OR NOT.

DO A LOT OF OUR CANVASSING LOCAL STORE RIGHT THERE.

>>Yunji: HEARD CRIME AND ECONOMY.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHT?

BIGGEST ISSUE THINK FACING COUNTY AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY WOULD YOU DO TO TAKE IT ON.

>> I WAS IN OCEAN VIEW LAST WEEK.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

RIGHT NOW, BIGGEST NEED, I FEEL, IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT REFLECTING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.

IN EVERYTHING WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.

WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS A LOT.

THESE HAVE BEEN LONGINGSTANDING STRUGGLED WITH.

WE NEED CREATIVE SOLUTIONS BOLD IDEAS LISTENING TO OUR COMMUNITY, HEARING THEIR COMMUNITIES.

LISTENING TO THEM A LOT OF TIMES MAY INCLUDE THEM PUBLIC TESTIMONY OR ORAL TESTIMONY.

BUT ARE WE HEARING WHAT THEY'RE SAYING?

ARE WE LISTENING TO THEIR NEED?

BEST PLACE TO START IS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES AND TO REFLECT THAT IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN GOVERNMENT.

WHEN YOU DO THAT, EVERYTHING WILL ELSE WILL FOLLOW THAT STRATEGY.

AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

REGULARLY TAKE UPSTREAM APPROACH TO UNDERSTAND ROOT CAUSES OF ISSUES REALLY IMPORTANT.

TO HAVE MORE DATA DRIVEN RESEARCH, UNDERSTAND WHERE THE PROBLEMS LINED BE REALLY STRATEGY AND ANALYTICAL IN THE SOLUTIONS.

>>Yunji: HEARD VARIETY OF AREAS HERE THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE.

WHAT KEEPS UPAT NIGHT.

>> WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE.

IN PARTICULAR, HILO WASTEWATER FACILITY.

WE CAME IN AND JUST DECADES OF KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, WE NOW HAVE A SITUATION WHERE ABOUT SPONGIE CONCRETE OVER THERE.

ONE MAJOR EARTHQUAKE AWAY FROM POSSIBLY PUTTING MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF RAW SEWAGE OUT INTO THE KEAUKAHA.

VERY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY.

COULD AFFECT THE WHOLE STATE.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.

HAVE A PLAN.

THE OUT FOR BID AT THIS TIME.

WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.

>> THOSE ARE THINGS THAT KEEP ME UP.

BUT I THINK YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON MAKE SURE OUR KIDS ARE NOT LEAVING HERE.

AT A TIME IN HISTORY WE HAVE MORE HAWAIIANS LEAVING THE STATE LITTLE LIVING OUTSIDE THE STATE THAN IN THE STATE.

LOSE OUR HAWAIIANS LOSE OUR CULTURE.

>> LOSE OUR IDENTITY.

BECOME SOMEPLACE ELSE REALLY BEEN FOCUSING BUILDING CONTRARY TO WHAT MR. ALMEIDA SAID, TIMES OF COUNTS THAT UHERO DID START FROM THE FINISH.

AND BACK HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF ISSUES RECENTLY.

BUT LAST YEAR, IN DECEMBER, WE ARE SEEING PLANS COME OUT AS LITTLE AS 3 WEEKS FROM SUBMISSION.

NOT THERE RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE COMING BACK TO IT.

OTHER THING IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS HOUSING.

TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUES LIKE HOMELESSNESS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WHEN HE CAME IN, PUT TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, 13 DIFFERENT AREAS.

YES, WE HAVE SOME FUNDING THAT IS HELPED THAT.

BUT IT'S REALLY FOCUSING AND BEING INTENTIONAL TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS.

THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

>>Yunji: GET TO SOME OF THE VIEWERS THE THANK YOU TO FOES OF YOU CALLING IN.

WE HAVE A STACK OF QUESTIONS HERE.

I WOULD LOVE TO GET TO AS MANY POSSIBLE.

THREE FOLKS, JUST GO AROUND THE TABLE.

ASKING ABOUT TMT.

ALL THE CANDIDATES FROM MELVIN IN HILO, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON TMT?

FLYNN WHERE DO THEY ALL STAND ON THE THIRTY METER TELESCOPE?

MO SAYS TMT PROJECT MAY BE A STATE ISSUE WITH TELESCOPE BUILT ON SACRED LAND.

WHERE DOES EACH CANDIDATE STAND ON THIS.

WHAT IS YOU'RE POSITION ON THIRTY METER TELESCOPE?

>> IF WE'RE DOING IT KEEP OUR KIDS HERE, TO HAVE QUALITY JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEM.

A LOT OF THE KIDS RIGHT NOW ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON STEAM.

SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING ARTS AN MATHEMATICS.

RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON TMT, I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON ASTRONOMY.

I THINK ASTRONOMY IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR ISLAND.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT I THINK FOR THE HAWAIIAN CULTURE.

YOU LOOK HOW HAWAIIANS GOT HERE, THEY GOT HERE BY NAVIGATING THE STARS.

ASTRONOMY COMMUNITY PROVIDES MANY JOBS AND PROVIDES POSSIBLIES FOR OUR LOCAL KIDS TO STAY HERE.

WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE DOING IS FOCUSING ON HOW WE GET OUR LOCAL KIDS INTO ANY OF THOSE ASTRONOMY CENTERS.

>>Yunji: DO YOU THINK THE TELESCOPE SHOULD BE BIT.

>> I THINK IT SHOULD.

>> I DO THINK IT WILL?

HARD QUESTION.

WILL THEY HAVE THE FUNDING DO IT?

>>Yunji: WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.

WHERE DO YOU STAND ON TMT?

>> I THINK BEFORE WE EVEN CONSIDER ANY TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, WE NEED TO CONSULT COMMUNITY AND ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY.

AND BE ABLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

BACK TO MY FIRST POINT.

FOR TMT ON MAUNA KEA.

NO.

AGAINST TMT IN GENERAL?

KNOW.

I THINK TMT COULD BE GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT BELONGS ON MAUNA KEA.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO ALWAYS CHOSE PEOPLE OVER PROFIT.

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

NO MATTER HOW MANY JOBS WOULD COME.

NO MATTER HOW MANY DEVELOPMENTS COULD SPOUT UP FROM DIFFERENT THINGS.

ANY TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT WE NEED TO LOOK AT GOOD DEVELOPMENT AND WE NEED TO SET HIGH STANDARD AN PRINCIPLES FOR WHAT WE ALLOW TO HAPPEN WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT STARTS WITH ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND HEARING WHAT THEY SAY AND LISTENING TO THEM.

>>Yunji: WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE THIRTY METER TELESCOPE?

>> I'M FOR SCIENCE BUT AS CURRENTLY ITERATION, I DO NOT SUPPORT THE TMT.

THE REASON BEING WITH THE DRILLING DOWN THERE, DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE WATER TABLE.

THAT WATER 46 STREAMS LINKED TO PEPEEKEO.

92% OF OUR IMPORTED LOOK TO INDEPENDENT.

PROTECTION THE WAI.

SKILL SET AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE TO DO THOSE HIGHER PAYING JOBS, LOCALS HAVE THAT SKILL SET?

IF NOT, WE HAVE TO IMPORT THOSE DIFFERENT WORKERS WHATNOT.

IN THE END, FOR ME, I THINK HAS TO COME FROM THE PEOPLE.

I MEAN, LOOKING STATE CONSTITUTION.

MYTHICAL POWER IN THE STATE.

INHERENT IN PEOPLE.

RESTS WITH THE PEOPLE.

POWER DOESN'T EXIST ON SECOND FLOOR WITH THE MAYOR.

COUNTY COUNCIL.

POWER DOESN'T EXIST BERETANIA, FIFTH FLOOR WITH THE GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT.

POWER WITH THE PEOPLE.

I THINK WE HAVE TO PUT IT BACK ON THE PEOPLE.

WHAT DO THE PEOPLE WANT?

>>Yunji: TWO WHO OPPOSE IT AND ONE FOR IT.

>> THAT QUESTION CAN BE DECISIVE.

SAME QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED IN 2020.

TAKE A LITTLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THAT I AGREE.

IT'S NOT A MATTER OF TMT ON NO TMT.

MATTER OF RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT VERSUS IRRESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.

SO THE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE RECIPE FOR RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT?

LEGAL?

WHAT IS THE CHECKLIST?

I WAS PROTECTOR IN 2019.

ME AND MY FAMILY.

2019, 2024, HAVE A WHOLE NEW TAKE ON ASTRONOMY.

I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THE ASTRONOMERS.

AND SO THIS IS MORE THAN JUST TMT.

TRUST ISSUE AS WELL.

SO JUNIOR IS RIGHT.

THEY'RE ALL A LOT OF CONDITIONS THAT HAVE TO BE IN PLACE BEFORE WE EVEN TALK ABOUT FIRST OF ALL, BEST MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD.

DESERVES BEST SCIENCE.

THIRTY METER TELESCOPE REALLY 98 FEET.

13 TELESCOPES 22 STRUCTURES.

A LOT HAPPENING ON THAT MOUNTAIN.

>> OUR ADMINISTRATION CRITICALLY AT SOME OF THE CONDITIONS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE IN PLACE FIRST.

DOLLAR A YEAR.

YOU CANNOT EXPECT US AS LOCAL PEOPLE TO ACCEPT A DOLLAR A YEAR.

THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING.

THAT HAS TO CHANGE.

NUMBER 2, GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WATER TABLE IS PROTECTED.

AQUIFER IS PROTECTED.

3, IF THERE IS TMT, IS WE KEEP OUR PROMISES, DECOMMISSION SIX.

ALSO, NOTICE DECOMMISSIONING PROCESS, THAT JOB GOT TO GO FOR LOCAL PEOPLE.

MOUNTAIN IS VERY HIGH ELEVATION.

ONLY CAN WORK FOUR DAYS SIX HOURS.

CANNOT BE WORK TOO FAST.

SO THAT HAS TO BE CONSIDERED.

ALSO, YOU NEED A CULTURAL EXPERT AT THE TABLE.

SO THAT'S DONE WITH INTEGRITY.

THEN YOU ALSO NEED ENDANGERED SPECIES EXPERTS THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONDITIONS THAT GOT TO BE IN PLACE BEFORE WE CAN EVEN TALK ABOUT TMT.

THOSE CONDITIONS ARE IN PLACE, AND PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, BECAUSE IT WILL BRING BENEFIT TO THE PEOPLE TERMS OF JOBS.

I HAVE A SON, TWO SONS AND A LOT OF COUSINS WHO COULD COULD BENEFIT FROM JOBS.

>> YOU CANNOT HE ENJOY THAT MOUNTAIN IF YOU'RE NOT IN HAWAII KEEP OUR LOCALS IN HAWAII.

DO IT WITH INTEGRITY AND DO IT WHICH HEARING VOICE OF PEOPLE, AND DECOMMISSION LIKE WE SAID, BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE ADDITION NOT SUBTRACTION.

HAS TO BE BETTER.

IF IT'S BETTER, IT WILL WORK.

AND THE NEW MAUNA KEA AUTHORITY WILL MAKE IT BETTER.

SO THE MAYOR, WE INTEND TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

ONLY HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

I WOULD SIT AT THAT TABLE.

>> WOULDN'T SEND A DIRECTOR TO SIT AT THAT TABLE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROCESS, DECISION, WHAT HAPPENS ON THAT MOUNTAIN, IS DONE WITH INTEGRITY.

>> OUR ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE VERY INTO THAT DECISION.

THANK YOU.

>>Yunji: NUMBER OF QUESTIONS HERE WHAT IS NICE SOME OF THE VIEWERS HAVE ADDRESSED TO THE CANDIDATES SPECIFICALLY.

I APPRECIATE.

MAHALO FOR THAT.

WHERE DID YOUR PASSION TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII START?

>> ACTUALLY STARTED TEACHING, EDUCATION ASSISTANT AT WAIAKEA HIGH SCHOOL ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

COACHED FOOTBALL HILO HIGH SCHOOL.

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS.

DEPARTMENT RECRUITED ME INSTRUCTOR FOR HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD.

ABOUT 13 CYCLES, KEPT HELPING OUT.

THINGS SHUT DOWN 2020, MANDATES LOCKDOWNS AS A PASTOR OF LOCAL CHURCH I FELT THAT WHY ARE YOU GOING TO DIVIDE PEOPLE WITH ESSENTIAL NONESSENTIAL?

EVERYONE IS ESSENTIAL.

EVERYONE SHOULD BE ESSENTIAL.

WE SHOULDN'T SHUTDOWN ANYTHING.

LET THE BUSINESSES LET THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES GROUPS SIDE FOR THEMSELVES.

JUST SAW IT COUPLE MONTHS AGO, CDC CAME OUT AND COMPARE COVID TO THE FLU.

THEY DOWNGRADED IT ALL THE WAY.

AND SOMETHING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE TIME.

I WENT AROUND THE ISLAND TEACHING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS HELP PEOPLE.

STAND ON INHERENT INALIENABLE RIGHTS.

WHERE PASSION CAME FROM.

>>Yunji: HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS FOREIGNERS PURCHASING LAND BEING NONRESIDENT?

THIS IS A VIEWER EMAIL SENT THAT IN ASKING YOU SPECIFIC A THAN.

>> YEAH, DEFINITE ISSUE.

WE'RE IN A CRISIS RIGHT NOW.

EVERYONE HAS SAID.

OUR LOCAL PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.

RIGHT NOW.

WE NEED TO REALLY BE SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN BE AT THE SAME PLAYING FIELD AS OTHER PEOPLE.

PEOPLE CAN COME FROM ANYWHERE AND THEY CAN JUST CONTINUE TO BUY OUT LAND AS MUCH AS THEY WANT.

I THINK REAL GOAL IS TO TAKE THAT UPSTREAM APPROACH AGAIN.

AND REALLY BUILD UP OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

SO OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

THEY CAN PURCHASE HOMES.

THEY CAN BE LIVE HERE AND SUSTAINABLY.

I WANTED TO MENTION.

IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT HAWAII AS A WHOLE, WE NEED TO BE PROTECTING OUR RESOURCES.

WE NEED TO BE PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE.

WE NEED TO BE DOING WAY MORE TO ENGAGE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

JUST SHARING WITH THE LAST QUESTION, ABOUT BRINGING JOBS HERE, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO SHIFT OUR MINDSET EVEN THERE AND BE MORE CONSCIOUS IN SAYING HEY, LET'S CREATE JOBS HERE.

WE DON'T NEED NECESSARILY NEED PRIVATE COMPANIES TO COME IN AND PROVIDE JOBS FOR US.

REALLY BOOSTING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

AND OUR RESIDENTS THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES THAT ARE GROWING.

>> LOCAL DIVERSIFIED BUSINESS ECONOMY.

THINGS WILL REALLY STRENGTHENED IN THE COMMUNITY AND LAUHUI SO PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO PURCHASE HOMES.

HAVE SECOND HOMES.

NOT STRUGGLING WITH MORTGAGES.

I THINK THAT IS THE REAL GOAL HERE.

HAVE THAT SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE SO THEY'RE NOT EVEN HAVING TO COMPETE WITH OUTSIDERS.

GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

>>Yunji: THANK YOU.

MR. ROTH.

DECREASE IN HOMELESSNESS.

COMMUNITIES SEES DIFFERENT.

FLOODED WITH MAINLAND HOMELESS AND MENTALLY ILL FOLKS ARRIVING IN HAWAII.

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE?

>> SO NUMBERS WE GOT FROM THE RECENT POINT IN TIME COUNT.

WASN'T DONE BY THE COUNTY.

INDEPENDENT COUNT, ONE THING WE'RE DOING, YES, COMING FROM MAINLAND.

PUT OUT GRANT HOMELESS TASK FORCE HOMELESS 808 TASK FORCE.

REUNITING FAMILIES ON THE MAINLAND, HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN GOING BACK TO MAINLAND.

LAST FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, I THINK THEY'VE DONE ABOUT 42 PEOPLE FROM OUR ISLAND IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY'VE SENT OVER 100 PEOPLE BACK TO BE REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS.

WE'VE ALSO COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR HOMELESSNESS.

WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT PLAN.

13 DIFFERENT AREAS TO FOCUS ON.

AND WE'VE FOCUSING ON ALL OF THOSE.

FUNDS NOW THAT WE PUT UP TO THAT.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY STARTING TO SEE SOME POSITIVE EFFECTS.

>>Yunji: WOULD YOU SAY THAT WHILE RUNNING FENTANYL TASK FORCE, YOU WERE SUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING DECLINE IN KEEPING FENTANYL OUT OF HAWAII?

>> YES.

IT'S HARD TO MEASURE PREVENTION.

AND SO WHEN I FELT LIKE WHEN THE COUNTY AND STATE WAS KIND OF RUNNING AWAY FROM FENTANYL, WE WERE RUNNING TO FENTANYL.

BECAUSE IT'S NONPROFITS THAT REALLY STEPPED UP TO PLATE ON THAT.

SHOUT OUT TO CHIN AND MERGER OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER.

FUNDING GOT US A HEAD START OF OUR COUNTY HAS BEEN THE TEMPLATE ADDRESSING FENTANYL.

SO PRESENT AT THE SCHOOLS.

PRESENTING AT THE BUSINESSES.

FENTANYL IS ISSUE.

NOBODY GOES FROM CHOCOLATE CANDY TO FORGET.

ALSO GOT TO TALK ABOUT GATEWAY DRUGS.

I THINK EFFORT TO EDUCATE AND BRING AWARENESS TO OUR STUDENTS TO OUR FAMILIES, ABOUT GATEWAY DRUGS, HAS BEEN SUPEREFFECTIVE.

AND CURRENTLY, COUNTY HAS TAKEN THE BATON AND LIMITED TO NONPROFIT, BISAC RAN WITH IT AND I'M STILL INVOLVED.

AND I THINK WE'RE DEFINITELY BETTER NOW IN TERMS OF AWARENESS THAN WE WERE IN THE PAST.

>>Yunji: STICK WITH YOU FOR THIS QUESTION.

FROM EMORY.

ACTUALLY LOVE EACH OF YOU TO ADDRESS IT.

>> SOMETHING THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR HAWAII COUNTY FOR OUR STATES OVERALL, BUT HAWAII COUNTY SPECIFICALLY.

ISSUE OF CESSPOOLS.

MAYOR REFERENCED WASTEWATER TREATMENT CENTER AND ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THREATENING WATER SYSTEM AND STATEWIDE ARE NUMBER, THOUSAND OF CESSPOOLS.

WHAT CAN THE COUNTY DO TO HELP WITH THE CESSPOOL PROBLEM, PROPOSED FIXES TOO EXPENSIVE.

A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS HAVE THESE.

MOTHER IS ONE OF THEM.

HOMEOWNERS IN HAWI AND IF SHE CAN'T HOOK UP TO A SEWER SYSTEM WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT COST, HOW DO WE ADDRESS.

>> GOOD POINT.

NOT A BIG FAN OF MEDICAL MANDATES WITHOUT FEDERAL DOLLARS.

BEEN IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, DID THIS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION.

>> WE NEED TO CONTACT OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION, I KNOW JOE.

NEED TO SAY YOU CANNOT HELP WITH THIS.

CANNOT EXPECT HOMEOWNERS TO BEAR THE BURDEN MOVING TO CESSPOOL TO SEPTIC.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE MADE THE WHOLE ISLAND MANDATE.

AREAS MAUKA, HIGHER YOU GO TO THE MOUNTAIN, THE EARTH PROVIDES NATURAL FILTRATION.

OF COURSE WHEN YOU GO LOWER SHORELINE AREAS, YEAH, DEFINITELY.

SO I THINK FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE I THINK MAY HAVE OVERREACTED.

AND THEY HAVE NOT PROVIDED FUNDING.

SO I WOULD AS YOUR MARY WOULD WORK WORK WITH STATE AND HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES.

WORK WITH FEDERAL DELEGATION YOU HAVE TO HELP FUND THIS.

JUST LIKE WATER, AIR AND WASTEWATER TO ME, BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.

AND OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE TO HAVE THAT FUND.

BECAUSE THEY DESERVE BETTER.

>>Yunji: THERE IS ISSUE THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY ON MINDS OF MANY HOMEOWNERS ACROSS ISLANDS.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ADDRESS IT.

>> >> I AGREE.

WHAT HE WAS SAYING.

>> THAT ESPECIALLY HOUSES THAT ARE IN MAUKA, NOT AFFECTING THE WATER TABLE.

SO FOR ME, THAT'S A NATURAL FILTRATION SYSTEM.

I KNOW WITH THAT, I KNOW WITH THE EPA, DOH, I GUESS REQUIRING BY 2050, I KNOW THAT THEY PROGNOSTICATED CONVERSION OF CESSPOOL TO SEPTIC.

FROM 15 TO 70,000 AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS A FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAM, I THINK HAMAKUA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, HAVE FEDERAL FUNDING CAN COVERS UP TO 20,000.

EVEN WITH THAT, IF IT GOES OVER THAT, I DON'T SEE HOW LOCALS CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR THAT CONVERSION.

FOR THE CESSPOOL, YOU NODE 10,000 SQUARE FEET FOR LEACH FOR GENERATION.

>> AND I KNOW SOMETIMES THEY PUSH THINGS FROM THE MAINLAND.

BUT HAWAII IS DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE TO LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED WHAT IS FEASIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT BEING PUSHED FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GONE, SHOULD PROVIDE FUNDING.

>>Yunji: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THE PLACES MOST HEAVILY IMPACTED AND REALLY MAKING A PRIORITY NEEDS LIST ON WHERE NEED TO BE ADDRESSED FIRST.

THEN LOOKING INTO PROVIDING SUBSIDIES FOR RESIDENTS STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY.

>> SIMILARLY WHAT WE DID WITH SOLAR.

TRANSITIONS PEOPLE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY.

TRANSITIONING.

INCENTIVIZING RESIDENTS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP THEM, SUBSIDY FROM START TO FINISH FINDING WASTEWATER AND SOLAR TO COMPLETING PERMIT PROCESS TO FINDING EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO GET GOING WITH THIS.

IS WHAT THE COUNTY COULD DO TO SUPPORT THEM.

THEY THEY KNOW COUNTY THERE FOR THEM.

HELP THEM SEE THIS THROUGH, LOOK AT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR FENTANYL, EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING PARTNERING MORE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS.

>>Yunji: MAYOR, WHAT WE DOING ON THIS AND WHAT MORE CAN WE DO?

>> ACTUALLY HIRED CONSULTANT.

WE'RE GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE ACTUALLY TRAINING COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

WE HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO ALL OF OUR FEDERAL AND TO OUR STATE STAKEHOLDERS.

VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

TALKED TO STATE.

>>Yunji: HAVE THEY GIVEN ANYTHING?

>> A LITTLE BITS.

WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING WITH EPA.

EPA CAME AND LOOKING AT GANG CESSPOOLS IN KAHALA.

FIX THAT.

BUT SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM IS REALLY DAUNTING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT IN OUR CONSULTANTS LOOKED AT HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO PUT WASTEWATER FACILITY JUST IN PUNA.

AND THAT COST IS BETWEEN 4 AND 12 OR $13 BILLION WITH A B.

SO WE'RE TALKED ABOUT GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO COMMUNITY.

WE'RE SHOWING THEM ALL OF THE OPTIONS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT.

PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET ALL THE MONEY THAT WE NEED FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE AND IT WILL COME DOWN TO PARTIALLY STATE COUNTY, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

>> ALSO TAXPAYORS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT NOW.

YEARS WHERE IT HAS TO HAPPEN IS IN THE FUTURE.

AGAIN, WE'RE TACKLING THAT NOW BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

THAT'S WHAT OUR ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON.

LET'S TAKE THOSE THINGS AREN'T WORK WELL SHOULD HAVE FIXED AND HADN'T FIX.

I ALSO WANT TO STATE THAT FENTANYL TASK FORCE THAT, CAME ABOUT WHEN DR. KOONCE AND WALLY LAU CAME TO MY OFFICE.

ASKED IF WE CAN START THE FENTANYL TASK FORCE.

TASK FORCE CAME UNDER THE COUNTY.

AND THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE.

STILL SEVERAL PEOPLE.

AT A MEETING TODAY WITH A FENTANYL TASK FORCE.

THAT ARE WORK TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES OF FENTANYL.

>>Yunji: STICK WITH YOU FOR A SECOND.

THIS ONE FROM SHANNON.

WHAT YOUR OPINION ON DIVIDING BIG ISLAND INTO TWO OR THREE COUNTIES WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF MAYORS.

ONE MAYOR ISN'T ENOUGH TO ADDRESS NEEDS AN DELIVER RESULTS FOR PEOPLE RESIDING ON AS MUCH A LARGE ISLAND.

INTERESTING POINTS.

JUST BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT HISTORICALLY, MAYORS ARE ALL FROM HILO.

WEST SIDE OF THE ISLAND MIGHT FEEL LIKE THEY GET A LITTLE NEGLECTED.

MR. MAYOR YOUR THOUGHTS?

DOES THE WEST SIDE GET, OTHER PARTS ISLAND, GET THE RESOURCES THAT HE THIS NEED GIVEN HOW HILOCENTRIC IT CAN BE?

>> IN THE PAST, IT HAS BEEN VERY HILOCENTRIC.

PUTTING A LOT OF EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT P WEST SIDE HAS A TENSION.

BEEN FIXING ROADS OVER THERE.

BEEN WENT INTO WAIKALOA TRYING TO BUILD A EMERGENCY EXIT OUT OF WAIKALOA WE'VE DONE A WHOLE BUNCH OF ROADS.

LOOK AT THE ROADS, DOUBLED AMOUNT OF ROAD THAT IS WE PAVED.

A LOT OF THEM ARE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ISLAND.

WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE.

QUESTION ABOUT SPLITTING THE COUNTY, IS INTERESTING QUESTION.

I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT IN THE PAST.

BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE COUNTY WORKS AND DEPARTMENTS, SETTING UP THREE DIFFERENT POLICE STATIONS, WOULDN'T BE VERY FEASIBLE.

>> SETTING UP THREE DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS WOULDN'T BE VERY FEASIBLE.

SETTING UP ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, WOULD MAKE IT VERY FINANCIALLY DIFFICULT FOR COUNTY TO THRIVE.

IF YOU DO THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

I WORK UNDER MAYOR KENOI AND MAYOR KIM.

GOT TO TELL YOU, BEEN IN WEST HAWAII A LOT.

AND PEOPLE STILL COME UP TO ME AND TELL ME, THOUGHT MAYOR KENOI WAS KONA RESIDENTS.

BECAUSE HE PROVIDED THAT GEOGRAPHIC EQUITY.

AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, WEST HAWAII NOT FEELING THE LOVE.

ALL KIND OF ISSUES RIGHT NOW IN WEST HAWAII.

I CAN TELL YOU FROM HOSPITAL.

THAT HOSPITAL IS IN THE SOUTH SIDE.

NEED ONE IN NORTH KONA.

NEED KEALAKEHE REGIONAL PARK NOT REALLY BROKEN GROUND YET.

>> NEED A MULTIPLE PURPOSE PLAY COURT IN SOUTH KONA.

COME ALL THE WAY TO PLAY.

PALI IN HIGASHI PARK UNFAIR NEED WATER.

AND NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR WASTEWATER.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES.

FEEL NEGLECTED.

YET DISTRICTS 7, 8 AND 9 PRODUCE ABOUT 70% OF THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT BECOMES BUDGET FOR THE COUNTY.

YET ONLY FEELING 30% OF THE LOVE.

SO IT'S LIKE BUYING ALL THE FOOD BUT NOT INVITED TO THE PARTY.

WEST HAWAII NEEDS ATTENTION.

THEY HAVE BEEN LACKING THAT ATTENTION I BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING ALMOST EIGHT YEARS.

OUR ADMINISTRATION WILL BRING THAT ATTENTION TO WEST MAUI HAWAII THEY DESERVE IT AND LONG OVERDUE ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE, KONA, AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.

SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.

ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS MAKE IT OVER TO KONA AS WELL ON A REGULAR BASIS.

FUNNY THAT KIMO SAYS ABOUT KENOI.

MAYOR KENOI LIVING IN KONA.

I HAVE PEOPLE SOMETIMES COME UP TO ME AND SAY, I THOUGHT YOU LIVED IN KONA.

WHEN YOU GO TO SOME AREAS THINK YOU'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH ATTENTION OVER THERE.

SOMETIMES IT'S KIND OF FUNNY TO LOOK AT AND TO HEAR.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

IT DOES SOUND LIKE IT WOULD BE QUITE EXPENSIVE TO ACTUALLY DIVIDE THE ISLAND INTO THREE COUNTIES.

HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS WHAT MR. ALAMEDA SAID, GEOGRAPHIC EQUITY.

>> RIGHT.

TOUGH ONE BECAUSE IT'S LIKE KIDS.

THERE'S SO MANY STUDENTS IN CLASSROOM.

GOING TO DELEGATE.

DIFFERENT TAX OR RESPONSIBILITIES.

FAMILY.

CLASSROOM.

FOR ME, IT'S ACTUALLY HAVING INFRASTRUCTURE OR A TEAM IN PLACE THAT ACTUALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO MESSAGING, TRANSPARENCY, HAS TO DO WITH BEING OUT THERE AND I UNDERSTAND GOING OUT ONCE OR SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, EVERYWHERE WE GO, IT'S HARD TO PLEASE EVERYONE.

IT IS.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF IDEAS.

THINK WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF POLITICAL WILL.

SEEING WHAT IS RIGHT AND THEN MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.

NOW, WHAT IS RIGHT, ALLUDED TO EARLIER, WILL HAVE THE PEOPLE.

PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT, PUT IT ON THERE, WHAT DO THE PEOPLE WANT?

I WOULD BE OPEN TO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

>>Yunji: WHAT YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS MAKING SURE THE COUNTY FEELS THE LOVE?

>> WHERE NEED TO MAKE SURE COUNTY FEELS LOVE.

DO OUR PART.

>> DO OUR JOB.

WE'RE NEVER GOING TO ALWAYS MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.

BUT THAT'S NOT ANY REASON TO NOT TRY.

AND WE NEED TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.

AND EFFECTIVE WITH OUR TIME.

ONLY 24 HOURS IN A DAY.

ALL HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.

>> AND HOW WE USE THAT TIME.

WHERE WE FOCUS OUR ATTENTION AND ENERGY.

IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE THE RESULTS.

WEST SIDE, A LOT OF TALENTED YOUTH ATHLETES OUT THERE.

WEST SIDE OF HAWAII ISLAND A LOT OF PARKS & RECREATIONAL FACILITIES NEED ATTENTION.

DRIVE AROUND THE PARKS, THEY'RE CLOSED.

TWO PARKS CLOSED THAT SHOULD BE OPEN.

I BELIEVE THERE IS THREE ACRES WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO PARK BEFORE.

WHICH IS NOW OVER GROWN AND WOULD BE AWESOME IF THE COUNTY COULD STEP IN AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.

CHANGE HAPPENS IN SMALL WAYS.

FOR PEOPLE TO SEE YOUR EFFORTS AND PEOPLE TO SEE YOU'RE TRYING AND YOU'RE THERE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN THEM, MAKING SURE THAT PROGRAMS ARE RUNNING CONCURRENTLY WITH EACH OTHER.

SO THERE'S ALWAYS REPRESENTATION ON THE EAST SIDE AND WEST SIDE.

REALLY IMPORTANT.

ULTIMATELY COMES DOWN TO DOING OUR PART AND MAKING SURE THAT AS A LEADER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CHARGE ARE ALSO DOING THEIR PART AND REPRESENTING YOU WELL.

>>Yunji: THERE IS A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS HERE ABOUT FIRE DANGER.

ON HAWAII ISLAND.

AND WE ARE COMING UP ON THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE AUGUST WILDFIRES IN LAHAINA.

ON THAT SAME DAY.

FIRES BURNING ON HAWAII ISLAND.

AS WELL.

LET'S STICK WITH YOU FOR THIS.

I'M GOING TO READ A COUPLE OF THESE QUESTIONS ASK YOU GENERALLY WHAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE.

TO DEAL WITH FIRE DANGER.

KAINOA SAYS WHAT COUNTY SHORE UP POWER GRID.

ROLLING BLACKOUTS DANGEROUS.

WHAT KIND OF AREA.

FALLING TO THE GROUND.

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO FINDING FIRST RESPONDERS SAFER PLACE?

ANOTHER COMMENT HERE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC PLANS AND ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE ON BEHALF WILDFIRE SAFETY ON THE ISLAND ESPECIALLY FOR WAIKALOA VILLAGE.

AND TINA FROM PUNA WHAT IS BEING DONE TO DISCUSS IN REGARD TO EMERGENCY EVACUATION ROUTES FOR SUBDIVISIONS WITH ONLY ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT?

>> WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT FIRE SAFETY ON THE BIG ISLAND.

>> EVERY COMMUNITY EVERY DISTRICT IS SO DIFFERENT.

REALLY GOING INTO EVERY DISTRICT AND HAVING A PREVENTATIVE PLAN IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I KNOW COUNTY HAS PREVENTIVE PLAN IN PLACE.

>> EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN EVERY COMMUNITY SHOULD HAVEN UTILITY ONE AND EVERY COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT SHOULD KNOW.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN KEAUKAHA, ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.

INUNDATION ZONE, DANGEROUS.

WHO HAS THE KEY?

WE NEED TO KNOW THESE TYPE OF THINGS, COMES DOWN TO TRANSPARENCY, NEED TO BE SHARING MAYBE ON OUR COUNTY WEBSITE.

THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET ACCESS ACCESSIBILITY TO DIFFERENT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANS, LOOK AT IT PROVIDE INSIGHT.

WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN IN PLACE FOR OUR DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY.

EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT.

>> NO REASON TO HIDE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHERE ARE WE GOING.

IF THERE'S A FIRE, WHERE ARE WE GOING?

>>Yunji: DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A COUNTY DRILL BEFORE.

RUN A HOTEL.

TWO TSUNAMI DRILLS.

AT LEAST ONE REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECTED.

ABOUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THINGS AND THIS IS THE, DON'T KNOW, FILL WITH THE UNKNOWN SCARES PEOPLE.

NERVOUSNESS SCARES PEOPLE.

TO LESSEN THAT ANXIETY AND ALLEVIATE TYPE OF BURDEN ON THEM WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING THEM WITH INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.

THAT IS ACCESSIBLE.

IF WE HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION, BUT NOTHING BEING ACCESSIBLE IS USESLESS.

>>Yunji: WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS WILDFIRE DANGER WHAT COUNTY NEEDS TO DO TO MAKE FOLKS SAFER.

>> SAFEST COMMUNITY IS PRIORITY.

WITH THE FIRE, I KNOW THAT FOR A REASON, CIVIL DEFENSE, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS THOSE KIND OF FUNCTIONS THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT ON.

PEOPLE GOING THERE AND SEEING PEOPLE COME IN AND BEING PREPARED, UNDERSTANDING DO THEY HAVE I EVACUATION ROUTES FAMILIAR LINDSTROM COMMUNITY.

CHECKLISTS FOR DIFFERENT ITEMS SHOULD PUTTING AWAY CANNED GOODS.

SMALLER LEVEL INDIVIDUAL ON US, THAT'S GOOD.

I KNOW THAT FOR THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, FOR FIREFIGHTER, OF DIFFERENT LOCALS WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM MORE AS WELL AS FAR AS HELPING THEM.

THAT NEED LEADS INTO INFRASTRUCTURE.

INFRASTRUCTURE DELAPIDATED PART OF COMMUNITY.

KA'U, 18 DIFFERENT FIRE HYDRANTS, 8 OF THEM WORK.

FIRE WERE TO TAKE PLACE.

SUPPOSED, NOT SUPPOSEDLY, THERE IS NO DISASTER MITIGATION PLAN IN A PLACE FOR THAT AREA.

AND WE ALSO LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT CDP'S AROUND THE ISLAND.

7 OF THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, HILO HASN'T HAD AN UPDATE SINCE 1975.

ESPECIALLY FOR FIRE, NOTHING THERE TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.

YEAH.

I DON'T WANT TO KEEP GOING WITH IT.

>> WANT TO MENTION GREAT CIVIL DEFENSE.

OUR HAWAII COUNTY HAS GREAT CIVIL DEFENSE.

REALLY PARTNERING WITH THEM TO PUT ON MORE THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAMS THINGS THAT EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY.

REALLY THINK THAT IT WOULD BE RECEPTIVE AND RECEIVED WELL.

>> I WILL TOUCH ONE MORE THING ESPECIALLY PUNA AREA BIGGEST THE THING WAS TRAFFIC.

IF THERE WERE A FIRE, WOULD TAKE PLACE, THAT WITH THE CUL DE SAC THERE, PAHOA, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE?

BILL 121, $2 MILLION ALLOCATION ALTERNATE STUDY.

STUDYING FOR YEARS.

PEOPLE WANT TO SEE CHANGE.

>> SOMETHING TO HAPPEN THERE.

WAIKALOA, PUKALOA, KA'U.

HOT SPOTS.

MAKE SURE THAT FIRE HAZARDS OF THE BUFFERS, MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS EXTRA WATER, SO THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE HAD.

AND I FEEL LIKE THIS ADMINISTRATION WAITED A LITTLE BIT LONG IF YOU WILL.

LIKE WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR A FIRE.

>> WENT TO SCHOOL AT LAHAINALUNA.

>> I FEEL THAT AND WE'RE STILL CONNECTED.

AND THAT HURTS.

SO WE GOT TO WORK WITH OUR CIVIL DEFENSE.

TO HAVE THOSE PLANS IN PLACE.

LIKE YOU SAID.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

ALSO, OUR COULD HAVE ANOTHER 2018 ERUPTION.

DO WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR THAT?

I HELPED LEAD THE EFFORTS ON THE SOCIAL WORK SIDE.

DURING THAT ERUPTION.

CONCERNED THAT WE MAY NOT EVEN HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR THAT.

THERE'S A LOT TO BE CONSIDERED.

A LOT TO BRING TO THE TABLE, I THINK WORKING WITH CIVIL DEFENSE IMMEDIATELY OR ON ALL OF THIS DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, PLANS IS SUPERIMPORTANT.

>>Yunji: MAYOR, YOU DID REFERENCE THAT.

I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.

>> WELL, TALK ABOUT THAT REALLY.

PLANS AND IF YOU GO TO THE CIVIL DEFENSE WEBSITE, ALSO INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO FOR PREPARATION.

ALSO RECOMMEND PEOPLE GETTING INVOLVED WITH FIREWISE AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

A LOT.

PEOPLE FOCUS ON AUGUST 8.

>> WE HAD MAJOR FIRES ON AUGUST 8 AS WELL.

WE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE.

LUCKILY WE DIDN'T LOSE HOUSING AND DIDN'T HAVE A SITUATION LIKE THEY HAD.

IN MAUI.

WE ALSO HAVE MITIGATION PLANS THAT WE WORK ON.

AND WE ALSO DO TABLETOP EXERCISES.

JUST DID ONE IN KEAUKAHA EVACUATED, EVACUATION EXERCISE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE'RE GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

JUST MENTIONED, JUST DID A CIVIL DEFENSE FAIR READINESS FAIR.

AS FAR AS WAIKALOA, 2021, I HAD TO EVACUATE THAT AREA.

BECAUSE OF A FIRE.

WE HAD THE ROAD FIRE.

40,000 ACRE.

RIGHT AFTER THAT STARTED LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN GET OTHER ROADS OUT OF THERE.

SO I WENT TO VARIOUS LANDOWNERS.

AND WE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE HAD TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD AND IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD.

THEN WE HAD TO DO ALL STUDIES.

>> HAVE TO GO THROUGH SHPD THINGS THINGS LIKE THAT.

RECENTLY BROKE GROUND EMERGENCY ACCESS ROAD OUT OF WAIKALOA.

ONE DAY, SHOULD BECOME A FULL TWO LANE ROAD OUT IN AND OUT OF THERE.

BUT WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE.

WE TALK ABOUT REACHING OUT TO OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.

STATE PARTNERS.

WE REACHED OUT AND WORKED TOGETHER VERY COOPERATIVELY.

WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

ED SNIFFEN IN PARTICULAR.

LOOK WE NEED SOME HELP.

THEY JUST BULLDOZED I THINK 7 MILES OF FIRE BREAKS BETWEEN WAIKALOA VILLAGE.

WORKED WITH PEOPLE LIKE TEAM RUBICON.

WENT BEHIND THE COMMUNITY, TOOK OUT ABOUT 100 FEET BEHIND WAIKALOA VILLAGE.

WE WENT AND WE TOOK THE HULU STREET EMERGENCY ACCESS ROAD DIRT ROAD OVER THERE, AND WE PUT CHIP SEAL.

KIND OF PAVED.

LAST TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

ONE.

SO WE HAVE BEEN RESPONDING TO THESE THINGS.

WE DO HAVE THE PLANS.

AND WE JUST RECENTLY HAD FEMA COME OUT DO TRAINING WITH US.

BROUGHT WHOLE BUNCH OF OUR PARTNERS IN BECAUSE THINK THAT IS WHAT REALLY MAKES OUR EOC EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WORK AS WELL AS IT DID.

ON ALL OF THESE DISASTERS.

AND WHAT FEMA TOLD US, THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST COMMUNITIES WE'VE EVER COME TO AS FAR AS EMERGENCY PLANNING.

THEY HAD RECOMMENDATIONS BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING, EVERY EMERGENCY WE'VE HAD, WE'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

>>Yunji: WE HAVE TEN MINUTES LEFT, I WANT TO GET TO AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE CAN A LOT OF ISSUE QUESTIONS SOME FUN ONES TOO.

GET FEW OF THOSE.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER CANDIDATES?

>> LET'S SEE.

I LIKE THIS.

NEAPOLITAN.

COUPLE YEARS AGO, I WENT AND SAW HAD A MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVE SAM KONG DISTRICT 33 HALAWA, AIEA.

COME IN, HEY, I SEE YOU WEARING.

COMMON MAN'S SHIRT BECAUSE IT'S CHEAP.

HE SAID, WHAT IS THAT?

I FEEL I RESONATE WITH THE COMMON MAN.

RESONATE WITH THE PEOPLE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.

65% OF OUR COUNTY LIVES PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.

STRUGGLING TO BUY MILK AND EGGS.

I SEE IT AND A PASTOR.

SEE IT IN MY CHURCH.

THE KUPUNA, AUNTIES, UNCLES TELL ME, AND I FEEL RESONATE WITH THAT I CAN EMPATHIZE WITH THEM AND SEE AND WHEN YOU'RE IN THAT MOMENT, YOU WILL FIGHT FOR THEM.

IF THEY COULD DO EVERYTHING.

LEGISLATION, POLICY, AGENDAS, ADVOCATING FOR THE COMMON MAN.

>>Yunji: MR. ALAMEDA, HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT?

>>I LIKE THAT.

I LIKE THAT JUNIOR.

THANK FOR SHARING THAT.

I AGREE.

7 CHILDREN.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

LOST MY WIFE RECENTLY.

LOST TWO BROTHERS.

IT'S ROUGH.

BUT I FEEL YOU.

I'M BORN AND RAISED ON ISLAND.

I FEEL FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE.

I FEEL LIKE WE ARE LOSING HAWAII.

AND THAT'S WHY OUR SLOGAN DOUBLE SHAKA, GUYS, STANDS FOR SAVE HAWAII AND KEEP ALOHA.

WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR.

AND THAT IS WHAT I HOPE TO BRING TO THE TABLE.

THERE WAS A STUDY THAT WAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW IT, MAYOR, BUT IT WAS FROM PACIFIC RESOURCE PARTNERSHIPS AND THEY ASKED QUESTION ABOUT 1,000 ADULTS.

STATEWIDE.

SECTION FROM BIG ISLAND.

THEY ASKED BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.

BUT THREE QUESTIONS IN PARTICULAR.

ONE WAS 2019 TO NOW, IS IT GETTING BETTER OR WORSE?

2% SAID GETTER BETTER.

36% SAID ABOUT THE SAME.

59% SAID IT'S GETTING WORSE.

ASKED TWO QUESTIONS AFTER THAT.

HOMELESSNESS.

BETTER OR WORSE?

>> 86% SAID WORSE.

THEN THEY ASKED CRIME, JUNIOR, YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT.

IS IT GETTER BETTER OR WORSE.

82% SAID WORSE.

SO IF WE THOUGHT IT WAS GETTING BETTER WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE RUNNING RIGHT NOW.

SO WE FEEL THAT WE NEED CHANGE.

AND FEEL LIKE I'M AN AGENT OF CHANGE.

I'VE SEEN THAT IN MY PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENTS AND JUST LIKE TO BIG ISLAND TO GIVE ME A CHANCE TO AND TO GIVE US A CHANCE FOR CHANGE.

>>Yunji: RELATIONSHIP WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER CANDIDATES.

>> I'M A WOMAN TO START.

I'M A MOTHER.

BUT I THINK WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT I DO HAVE A 100 EMPLOYEES.

SOME OF BUSINESSWOMAN.

NOT A POLITICIAN.

I'M NOT A GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRAT.

NOT SPENT FIVE, TEN, 20 YEARS IN COUNTY BUSINESS, BUT I HAVE SPENT THE LAST 15 YEARS BUILDING BUSINESSES, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHANGING LIVES.

I THINK AT THIS TIME, WE REALLY NEED TO GO INTO THIS YEAR WITH LOGIC, COMMON SENSE, AND INTEGRITY.

I THINK I BRING THAT TO THE TABLE.

>>Yunji: THANK YOU.

MAYOR, HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS TONIGHT?

>> I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, I UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS THAT THE COUNTY IS GOING THROUGH.

I UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN DO THINGS, WHY WE CAN'T DO THINGS.

HOW THE GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY WORKS.

THERE'S A LOT OF IDEAS OF THINGS, WE SHOULD JUST DO THIS.

SHOW YOU HOW THE BUDGET WORKS.

I HEAR A LOT OF IDEAS OF, YEAH, LET'S DO THIS.

OKAY, FINE.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT?

I UNDERSTAND I'M ONLY ONE THAT ACTUALLY BEEN IN THIS POSITION.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M A PROBLEM SOLVER.

MY ENTIRE CAREER AS PROSECUTOR, COMMUNITY ORIENTED PROSECUTOR, BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS, TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, I HAVE A TRACK RECORD, PROBABLY ONLY ONE HAS A TRACK RECORD OF ACTUALLY MAKING POSITIVE CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT THAT HAS BROUGHT US FORWARD.

I CAN TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AS A MAYOR, BUT AS A PROSECUTOR, I STARTED VERY FIRST COMMUNITY ORIENTED PROSECUTION PROGRAM IN THE STATE.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE MADE POSITIVE DIFFERENCES.

WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW WASN'T JUST BECAUSE THERE WAS FUNDS THERE OR THINGS WERE TEED UP.

IT'S BEEN BECAUSE OF REALLY OUT OF THE BOX THINKING.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.

WHY I'M DIFFERENT.

>>Yunji: YOU SEEM VERY BUSY DEDICATED PEOPLE LIKE MANY OF US.

LIFE CAN BE STRESSFUL.

HOW DO YOU RELAX?

>> I'M A PSYCHOLOGIST.

IMPORTANT SELF CARE, KIDS ARE EVERYTHING TO ME.

BIG SHOUT OUT TO THEM WATCHING TONIGHT.

SO I THINK I RELAX WITH MY FAMILY.

WIFE MADE IT A POINT, ALWAYS SAID, NO OTHER SUCCESS THAT CAN COMPENSATE FOR FAILURE IN THE HOME.

SO SHE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HOME FRONT IS SUPERSECURE SHE KNEW AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE CANNOT COUNT OUR FAMILY, WE CANNOT COUNT ON ANYBODY.

SO MY FAMILY HELPS ME RELAX.

BRING JOY TO MY LIFE AND THAT'S MY GOAL TO WHEN TIMES GET ROUGH.

>>Yunji: MAYOR WHAT ABOUT YOU.

>> SO I SAY THIS, FEEL BAD FOR APOLOGIZING ABOUT SAYING THIS.

BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I'M THE BOSS.

I BELIEVE THAT HE'S THE BOSS.

AND HE'S ALWAYS WATCHING.

AND SO THAT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT STRESSFUL SOMETIMES BECAUSE WHEN I HAVE DIFFICULT TIME, I GIVE IT UP TO GOD AND LET HIM HELP ME DO THOSE SITUATIONS.

I HAVE A THING ON MY DESK THAT SAY, I MUA, EMUNA.

MOVES FORWARD.

EMUNA, HEBREW WORD MEANS FAITH.

I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

GOD ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING BETTER.

SO I HAD A HEART ATTACK COUPLE YEARS AGO.

SAID GOD, GIVING THIS TO YOU.

BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR THE MIRACLES YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH THIS.

HAS DONE MIRACLES WITH THAT.

GOT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.

MY CARDIOLOGIST COMPLAINING THAT WE HAD A PERMIT THAT WAS KEEPING THE CATH LAB BEING BUILT.

GOT IT BUILT IMMEDIATELY.

FRIEND OF MY GOT SAVED IN THAT THAT LAB.

YOU CAN THINK OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN OR REALLY BAD, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A PURPOSE.

THAT'S WHAT KEEPS ME COMFORTABLE.

>>Yunji: WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX?

>> I DON'T.

THAT'S HONEST KNOW ME.

HARD TO BE TIRED WHEN YOU'RE INSPIRED.

>> I THINK JUST RIGHT NOW, HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY.

I HAVE TIME.

I'M PASSIONATE.

I'M WILLING TO SERVE.

AND SERVICE LEADERSHIP MY HEART.

SOMEONE LOVES TO WALK.

GOING TO WALK FARTHER THAN SOMEONE LOVES DESTINATION.

>> I LOVE WHAT I DID.

PROBABLY SHOULD REST MORE.

TRUTH BE TOLD.

RIGHT NOW, I HAVE ENERGY.

I'M EXCITED.

I'M INSPIRED AND SO WE CAN REST LATER.

RIGHT NOW, NO TIME TO RELAX.

>>Yunji: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO BOW ASKS HOW DO YOU RELAX?

>> RELAX, I PRAY.

MEDITATE.

CONSTANTLY JUST THINKING ABOUT DE ESCALATING MYSELF AS FAR AS DISTANCING MYSELF FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

FROM DIFFERENT THINGS.

EVEN STUDYING SOMETIMES.

ALSO LIKE TO EXERCISE AND ROWING, WHEN I ROW 30 MINUTES, HOUR AND A DAY LISTENING TO POLICY.

BUT JUST SOMETHING ABOUT IT, CLEARS ME TO WHERE ALSO IDEAS COME OR I REMEMBER DIFFERENT THINGS CONCERNS, SOLUTIONS, THAT THE PEOPLE TOLD ME.

AND HELPS, KIND OF MULTIPRONG.

>>Yunji: WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT TWO MINUTES.

QUICK.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SECRET TALENTS?

>> THAT'S A TOUGH ONE.

I NEVER KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

>> 50 STATES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER IN LESS THAN 20 SECONDS.

TEST OR TAKE HER WORD FOR IT?

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

>> MUSIC.

>>Yunji: VERY NICE.

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TALENT?

>> ANYBODY CHALLENGE ME IN PING PONG?

NO.

I LIKE ALL TYPES OF SPORTS.

PING PONG ONE OF OUR FAVORITES.

>> KIDS ALWAYS GOT TO GET ME ON THAT PRETTY GOOD.

>>Yunji: MAYOR?

WHAT IS IT YOUR SECRET TALENT?

>> SOMETIMES I'LL DO THIS.

PEOPLE GIVE ME 20 WORDS AND WRITE DOWN WORD.

CAN I TELL YOU WHAT NUMBER THAT WORD IS AND WHERE IT IS.

>>Yunji: OH, MY GOSH.

WOW.

30 SECONDS LEFT.

TAKE YOU UP ON YOUR OFFER.

>> OKAY.

HERE WE GO.

>> YOU HAVE A TIMER.

>> GO AHEAD.

ALABAMA, ALASKA, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT DELAWARE, FLORIDA, IDAHO, MASECHUSETTS, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW JERSEY, MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING.... >>Yunji: LEAVE IT THERE.

APPLAUSE FOR THAT MAHALO FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

MAHALO TO YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT, AND WE THANK OUR GUESTS – THE CANDIDATES IN THE PRIMARY RACE FOR HAWAII COUNTY MAYOR.

INCUMBENT MITCH ROTH AND DR. KIMO ALAMEDA, AND SEAULA TUPAI JUNIOR AND BREEANI KOBAYASHI.

NEXT WEEK ON INSIGHTS, IT’S A DOUBLE HEADER WITH TWO RACES IN THE LEGISLATURE.

WE’LL HEAR FROM THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 2 AND THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FOR STATE SENATE 22.

PLEASE JOIN US THEN.

I’M YUNJI DE NIES FOR INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI`I.

ALOHA!