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Maui Votes
Primary election endorsements
September 18, 2008
County Council
Lanai
For such a tiny island, Lanai has a crowded field of candidates. The good news is they all seem to be qualified and well meaning. There's not really a bad choice here, but one candidate stands out. Sol Kaho'ohalahala has previously served as a County Councilmember and a state Representative and more recently as executive director of the state Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission. His experience, combined with a solid record on the environment and other important issues, earns him our nod.
Maui Time Weekly endorses
Sol Kaho'ohalahala
West Maui
Incumbent Jo Anne Johnson doesn't seem to be facing much serious competition. She's stood up to developers when it counted and earned the respect and admiration of her constituents (and Maui Time readers, who voted her "Best County Official" in July's Best of Maui issue). She's got our support.
Maui Time Weekly endorses
Jo Anne Johnson
South Maui
Two candidates stand out here: Longtime public servant Wayne Nishiki—who has the support of the incumbent, Michelle Anderson, who decided not to run for personal reasons—and former Deputy Planning Director Don Couch. We like Nishiki's experience and the fact that during his long career he's established himself as an independent thinker who sticks to his guns and has had the courage to say "no" to some very bad ideas. On the other hand, Couch brings a fresh perspective; he has said the right things about fostering cooperation and appears to balance a pro-business stance with genuine concern for the environment. Construction consultant Norman Vares is also running for this seat. He's well versed on certain issues and wouldn't be a bad choice, but we feel the other two candidates bring a bit more to the table. We're splitting our endorsement between Couch and Nisiki for the primary and inviting both, if they make it through to the general election, to come in for a live Maui Time-moderated debate.
Maui Time Weekly endorses
Don Couch and Wayne Nishiki
State House
District 8
This election is about change, and not just at the national level. Locally, we have fresh candidates trying to unseat established politicians whose time in office has revealed some less-than-admirable qualities. Longtime state Representative Joe Souki notably came down on the wrong side of the Superferry mess. He also gets most of his campaign cash from business entities and PACs outside his district. Tasha Kama, a community activist and Pastor of the Christian Ministry Church with deep roots in the community, looks like an excellent alternative.
Maui Time Weekly endorses
Tasha Kama
District 11
In his first term in office Joe Bertram III made some missteps, perhaps none greater than getting behind Wailea 670 and going so far as to write an opinion piece expressing his support in The Maui News. His opponent, Michael Gingerich, is young and enthusiastic and trumpets the right causes, but he raised an ethical red flag by failing to obtain a general excise tax license for his fitness business. There are things about both candidates we like, and things that give us pause. We're supporting Bertram with the hope that after getting his feet wet in his first term he can grow into the office.
Maui Time Weekly endorses
Joe Bertram III
District 12
Much like the District 8 race, this one pits youthful exuberance against longtime service. And much like Souki, incumbent Kyle Yamashita has made a number of decisions that seem at odds with the needs and desires of his constituents, including squashing SB 1789, a bill designed to protect community access stations like Akaku that got unanimous approval in the Senate and was widely popular on Maui. Also like Souki, Yamashita's spending report reveals most of his big campaign contributions come from outside his district. Starr is young, but we feel she has the qualities necessary to become an effective and dynamic public servant.
Maui Time Weekly endorses Summer Starr
State Senate
District 5
Roz Baker is seeking her third term in the Senate. We haven't agreed with her on every issue but her record overall is solid; she's already earned the support and endorsement of the Sierra Club, the Ohana Coalition and numerous other organizations. Furthermore, Baker's opponent, realtor Bart Mulvihill (who Maui Time readers may know best as the "No Baloney" guy) has not mounted an effective enough challenge to warrant a changing of the guard.
Maui Time Weekly endorses
Roz Baker
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