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Candidate George Fontaine
August 30, 2012
Running for: State Representative, District 11 (Kihei, Wailea, Makena)
Running against: Kaniela Ing
Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA
Profession: Incumbent (his official bio lists him as an "energy consultant")
Electoral Win/Loss Record: 1/1
First electoral victory: 2010
Supports: Kihei High School, a memorial for law enforcement
Opposes: Raising the General Excise Tax, gambling, schoolyard bullying
Gets campaign donations from: Developer/former Maui Weekly owner Joe Sugarman, Maui County Republican Party, Alexander & Baldwin PAC, developer Dorvin Leis
George R. Fontaine is just one of eight Republican members of the House, which we figure makes his job as House minority whip fairly easy. He's a former Maui Police captain, which makes his endorsement from the powerful State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) union easy to understand. As for his effectiveness, his website (Fontaine4maui.com) lists five bills that Fontaine co-sponsored, the biggest of which was HB 491, which "Directed the Department of Public Safety to pursue professional accreditation of the State Sherriff [sic] Division," though the ex-cop Fontaine couldn't spell "sheriff" correctly. Then there are stories like one in the Aug. 26 Maui News on Makena that make us question his effectiveness. Headlined "Improvements could be in store for Makena State Park," the story detailed how the state would update the park's master plan–something that hasn't been done in 35 years because the state's Park Division gets only $3.3 million each year. Fontaine was apparently shocked at the funding figure. "I certainly will request funding," Fontaine told The Maui News. "I did not realize the funding had dropped to that level."