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UP CLOSE & PERSONAL 2010 – Jason Schwartz talks with JOE BERTRAM III, South Maui State House of Representatives District 11 incumbent about affairs of the state of the state!
Summary & Transcript Below…
Unlocking Hope and Change
The transcript begins with a powerful, repeated call to action about the urgency and necessity of change. The theme “unlock the hope” suggests that within every individual lies potential and optimism that must be realized to bring about a better life. The message highlights personal responsibility (“we must do our part”) and collective action (“let’s gather round and make a stand”) as essential for transformation. The tone is inspirational, emphasizing that without unlocking this hope, no real change can happen. This sets the stage for the interview and discussion that follows, underscoring a vision of healing, community, and progress.
- [02:42 → 04:36] Introduction of Joe Bertram III and His Political Role
Joe Bertram III, a candidate running for re-election to the state House seat representing South Maui areas including Kihei, Makena, and Wailea, is introduced with a warm, casual tone. The host acknowledges Joe’s long-standing connection to the community and political experience. Joe is described as approachable and a “go-to guy,” making him relatable and trustworthy. The conversation briefly touches on Joe’s youthful appearance despite decades of public service, establishing his deep roots and commitment to the region. 
[04:36 → 06:50] Joe Bertram’s Work on Walkability, Bikeways, and Community Health
Joe recounts his pioneering efforts to promote walking and biking infrastructure in Maui, particularly when these concepts were unfamiliar or unpopular. He emphasizes the importance of designing communities that encourage physical activity as a countermeasure to obesity, especially among children. The Safe Routes to School program is highlighted as a crucial initiative that facilitates safe walking and biking for kids, contributing to healthier lifestyles. Joe shares personal anecdotes about his upbringing in suburban New Jersey, where walking and biking were integral parts of daily life, contrasting with Kihei’s car-centric development. He stresses the necessity of thoughtful urban planning that prioritizes pedestrian safety and community connectivity rather than automobile convenience.- [06:50 → 09:06] Mass Transit and Historical Context of Rail on Maui
The discussion shifts to mass transit possibilities, including a state resolution to explore a fixed rail system linking major towns in Maui such as Kahului, Lahaina, and Wailea. Joe recalls that Maui was historically the first island in Hawaii to have trains connecting small towns before cars and trucks replaced the rail system. He critiques the zoning practices that fragmented towns into isolated zones accessible only by car, resulting in sprawling parking lots and loss of community cohesion, citing Kihei as an example. This section underscores the need to rethink urban development to create more walkable, transit-oriented communities. - [09:06 → 13:24] Transit-Oriented Development, Sustainability, and Vegetarianism
Joe elaborates on transit-oriented development as a key land use strategy to reduce dependency on cars and foster sustainable communities. He links this approach to broader sustainability goals, including promoting vegetarian diets due to their lower greenhouse gas emissions and health benefits. Joe advocates for educating children and adults about vegetarianism as a practical step toward combating climate change and improving public health. He also mentions legislative successes in making vegetarian meal options available in schools and supporting farm-to-school programs, striving to make healthier choices accessible. Joe’s legislative agenda is characterized as focused on quality of life improvements, such as walking, biking, sustainable diets, compact development, and transit, while also delivering on community-driven priorities. 
[13:24 → 17:12] Medical Marijuana: Regulation, Access, and Social Justice
Joe addresses the sensitive topic of medical marijuana, clarifying that his focus is on regulating it as a medicine rather than full legalization of recreational use. He explains the challenges patients face growing their own cannabis and the need for safe, regulated access. He provides historical context on the prohibition of marijuana, including its racialized origins, and advocates for Hawaii’s potential as a producer of medical-grade cannabis. Joe highlights ongoing national shifts, including movements to decriminalize or legalize marijuana and address the injustices caused by past drug laws—especially the disproportionate incarceration of people for cannabis possession.- [17:12 → 22:44] Critique of Prohibition and the Criminal Justice System
Joe discusses the failure of prohibition-style policies, drawing parallels between alcohol prohibition and marijuana criminalization, both of which fueled crime rather than curbed it. He points out that legalizing and regulating cannabis reduces crime by eliminating illegal markets. He also criticizes the current approach to crime and incarceration, noting the inhumane conditions in prisons and lack of rehabilitation programs. Joe stresses that many incarcerated individuals are nonviolent cannabis users, and states that approximately 60% of people in jail are there for simple cannabis possession—a striking statistic highlighting systemic issues. He calls for justice reform and urges compassion and practical solutions. - [22:44 → 27:03] Civil Unions: Expanding Rights Beyond Traditional Marriage
Joe introduces the civil unions bill he supports, which would grant legal recognition and benefits to any two consenting adults, regardless of sex or relationship type. He stresses that this proposal is not meant to change traditional marriage but to provide equal rights and protections to couples who do not want or cannot enter into traditional marriage. Key benefits include hospital visitation rights and financial protections. Joe responds to opposition concerns by clarifying that civil unions are a separate legal contract and do not alter the state’s constitutional definition of marriage. - [27:03 → 31:51] Community Planning, Collaboration, and the Importance of Compromise
Joe reflects on the importance of collaboration and compromise in politics, emphasizing that successful legislation requires broad community support and alliances with groups like AARP. He shares his experience transitioning from grassroots activism (Greenways Maui, Bikeways Maui) to legislative work, noting the limitations of local planning commissions that often operate reactively rather than proactively. Joe participated in Maui’s General Plan Advisory Committee, advocating for transit borders, urban growth boundaries, and agricultural belts to protect farmland and promote sustainable development. He champions “live-work” communities, where residents live above their businesses, a concept he describes as a return to traditional community design that once thrived locally. - [31:51 → 34:45] Environmental and Cultural Sustainability: Restoring Native Ecosystems and Diets
The conversation turns to environmental changes, such as reduced rainfall patterns linked to groundwater depletion and deforestation. Joe underscores the need to restore native forests and moisture-retaining ecosystems to rebalance local climate conditions. He highlights collaboration with Hawaiian Affairs leaders like Mele Carroll to reconnect with traditional Hawaiian ways, emphasizing walking as primary transportation and reviving the taro-based diet integral to Hawaiian culture. This section ties environmental sustainability to cultural preservation and food self-sufficiency. 
[34:45 → 38:22] Addressing Social Crises: Housing, Homelessness, and Community Support
Joe acknowledges the rising social crises affecting many residents, including unemployment, homelessness, and vulnerability to exploitation. He shares his efforts to propose legislation providing bankruptcy and foreclosure protections to help people stay in their homes during economic hardships. Joe stresses the importance of reducing reliance on the global economy and increasing local resilience, including ensuring that community shelters, food programs, and respectful temporary housing options are available. He suggests creative solutions such as establishing safe camping sites with basic amenities on underutilized state land to support those in need while maintaining dignity and community safety.- [38:22 → 41:34] State-County Cooperation and the Push for Local Governance
Joe expresses frustration over the lack of strong cooperation between state and county governments, citing the absence of town-level governments in Hawaii as a barrier to responsive local decision-making. He advocates for establishing town governments as a crucial step to decentralize power, improve democratic participation, and address local issues more effectively. Despite the current siloed efforts, Joe sees opportunity for collaboration to tackle growing social and economic challenges by pooling resources and focusing on community-based solutions. - [41:34 → 44:16] Economic Development through Local Food, Medicine, and Hemp Industry
Joe promotes economic strategies centered on local food production to reduce dependency on imports and enhance food security. He also highlights the potential for the hemp industry as an economic driver, mentioning bipartisan support for hemp cultivation and its diverse products such as building materials, food, and oil. These sectors represent sustainable economic growth opportunities that align with environmental goals and community well-being. Joe acknowledges the complexity of economic recovery but emphasizes the importance of keeping people from falling through the cracks and fostering community responsibility. - [44:16 → 46:07] Campaign Priorities: Town Governments, Food Production, and Transit-Oriented Development
In his closing remarks, Joe outlines three key priorities for his campaign and legislative agenda:
- Establishing town governments to bring decision-making closer to communities and enhance democratic governance.
- Promoting local food production to ensure self-sufficiency and reduce economic vulnerability.
- Advancing transit-oriented development to decrease car dependency, lower transportation costs for families, and create walkable, people-centered communities.
He frames these as essential to building a sustainable, resilient future and invites community support to “walk back to the future,” reconnecting with traditional ways of living that foster health, connection, and environmental stewardship.
- [46:07 → 49:28] Community Trust and Endorsement
The host offers strong personal endorsement of Joe Bertram, emphasizing his reliability, consistent advocacy, and alignment with community values. Joe is portrayed as a leader who inspires confidence and compassion, someone who prioritizes helping others and who is a trusted voice during challenging times. The segment encourages voters to support Joe and acknowledges the importance of community engagement in addressing local issues. - [49:28 → 52:11] Closing: Reiteration of Hope and Call to Action
The program closes by returning to the initial song and message of hope, emphasizing once again that change depends on unlocking the hope within each person and collective action. The repeated refrain reinforces the central theme that “nothing changes unless we unlock the hope,” encouraging viewers to embrace optimism and participate actively in shaping a better future.
Overall Summary:
This transcript is a comprehensive interview and discussion with Joe Bertram III, a seasoned Hawaii state legislator and community advocate. It covers a wide range of interconnected topics: urban planning, sustainable transportation, public health, environmental restoration, social justice, economic resilience, and political reform. Joe’s approach is rooted in practical, community-focused solutions that emphasize sustainability, equity, and local empowerment. He advocates for pedestrian-friendly development, vegetarianism, regulated medical marijuana access, civil unions for all committed adults, and local governance through town governments. Throughout, Joe stresses collaboration, compromise, and grassroots support as essential for success. The conversation blends personal stories, legislative accomplishments, and visionary planning, framed by an overarching theme of unlocking hope to drive meaningful change in Maui and beyond.
02:42
Welcome to another Up Close and Personal 2010. This smiling face is Joe Bertram III, or the third? The third, so far. Joe Bertram III. Yes. You’d be the only third so far. Yes, so far. The reason we’re having fun is, I know this guy. Joe is running for re-election in the state House seat. That’s right.
03:08
for Malaya Kihei McKenna, is that right? Not Malaya. Not Malaya. What is it? It’s Kihei McKenna Wailea. Oh, Kihei McKenna Wailea. You know who you are, because if you get on the ballot and you see Joe Bertram, you can vote for him. Just remember that. If you don’t see him on the ballot… Don’t do it. You can remember him as someone that you can always go to, because you were a go-to guy. Yes. I must tell you, from the things that I remember about you…
03:37
from way back when you were a child, you still look like a kid. But I know because you’ve been doing this so long that you’re more than 20. Yes, so far. You’re even more than 30. I’ll go for 50. You’re up there. You’re almost like me. Yes. That’s because I remember you when the word bikeway was something new to someone. But if I think of it, you’re really the one that
04:07
carved a trail through the jungle called… Why do we need to think about bikes? Hello? Here locally, people were automobile driven and really didn’t understand about walking communities and tying things together. And you have been the backbone for that. And thank you. No, you’re welcome. No, I’m happy to. You’ve been able to carry that into the legislature and stuff, haven’t you? That’s very true, yes. And we were…
04:36
i when i first got in there i was one of the first to continue to say that what about the walking and biking what about the walking and biking before they knew it they were you know asking me you know what what about the walking and biking and as it so happens you know it just happened with the obesity rates being what they are they’re seeing that kids are going to not be
05:00
facing this obesity epidemic, if they can walk and bike. Safe Routes to School, which now we have at the state level, it’s from the national level, again is saying the same thing. By creating a safe route for kids to walk and bike to school, now
they can face that obesity by being able to be active. I remember my mother told me when I was small,
05:24
One was my father, actually. One of them. I walked two miles to school in New York City. I walked. And you kids, and I learned to walk, too, and ride my bike. But I lived in a suburbia when I grew up in the New York area, New Jersey. But it is so important to build that. We don’t think that our city called Kihei is really a city. But once you make the sidewalks and you make the houses and the streets,
05:54
and you don’t plan for this stuff, it’s like, okay, we’re going to dig it all up or whatever. Right, right. And that’s just it. I mean, because we were talking, you know, I’m on the pedestrian master plan citizens advisory committee for the state. And right now what we’re looking at is safety. You know, are you going to cross that crosswalk okay? You’re not going to be hit. You know, it’s just, you know, but if we’re doing a pedestrian master plan, we actually got to look at safety.
06:20
building around pedestrian, not around cars. Moving people, not moving cars. And that’s where we’re going to start making the difference in our communities. Any mass transportation plans for Maui? Well, you know, actually, we did pass at the last legislative session a resolution asking Maui to work with the DOT at the state level to establish… Department of Transportation. Department of Transportation. These guys are telling me. DOT, yeah. To actually establish then the…
06:50
real kind of, I guess, plan for a fixed rail system to connect Kahului, Lahaina, and Wailea. Is it a fixed rail on the ground kind? Yes, yes. We had, you know, they talked about various ones even at the General Plan Advisory Committee, which I was on as well. I thought a monorail. I always wondered why they didn’t go that way. Yeah, they were, that was being proposed as well because he felt it would be less intrusive. It would really depend on who’s building it.
07:17
You could put Mickey Mouse on the front, have them pay for it. There you go, yeah, that would be something. But, you know, we were the first island to have trains, and the last. We were the first to have trains? Yes, yes. Which one, the one in Kaanapali? No, this is, yeah, basically it connected all the little towns on the North Shore. What happened to it all? It got shut down, of course, just like it on the mainland. Basically, they switched over to the auto and the trucks.
07:46
because they bought up the tracks, they bought the, you know, they started pushing the automobile as the way to go. And we went along with it. We were the first state to have a complete zoning code adopted at a statewide level. And the zoning code talked about all of a sudden taking these beautiful little towns that we’ve been living in and split them off into zones. This is your commercial, this is your residential, this is your industrial, and it was only reachable by car.
08:16
I always find it interesting that they plan this way, this way. Yes, exactly. Where does that come from? Again, it’s accommodating moving vehicles. That we move the vehicles. That means you’ve got to have a place where you can park them at your garage scape in your subdivision. And then you’ve got to have a place you can park them when you drive into that place that now is commercial. It’s not the one at the end of your street that is your neighborhood store or your neighborhood shopping area.
08:45
It’s over there, and it’s all surrounded by parking so that you can park your car close to where you want to go, and that’s what you have. You have these huge parking lots then where people can park, but now you don’t have a town anymore. You have a series of parking lots, which is what Kihei has become. I know. So it’s been a long, hard journey.
09:06
road. Do you think we’ll ever be able to make a left on the Kihei Road anywhere? That’s what it means, right? No left turn. But no, I mean, eventually, as we move to walking and biking, as we move to transit-oriented development, yes, because there’ll be less people on the roads. Well, I give you credit for that, and I know it’s probably something that is only one of many issues. It’s very important, and I’m really glad. I felt like when Joe was there
09:37
I could go home and sleep because he was taking care of that one. He was not going to let that… That’s one of the main things. And even in sustainability, the group that’s… They say, you know, what kind of land use policies would you promote? Well, it’s easy. Transit-oriented development. And then you surround that with a nice belt of farms so that you can feed the people yourself from the food you’re growing in your community. I mean, that’s the whole idea. Well…
10:03
you sound like me so that made that easy let me ask you because you know you consider that very important that it’s in your mind all the time all the time dig into your mind and pull out a couple other things that you say are important priorities in the way that you act and react out there in your job well number one of course the next is of course vegetarianism i really believe that we need to now just educate kids as well as ourselves
10:32
as to the benefits of switching over to vegetarian diet. It is the best diet as far as greenhouse gas emissions. It’s the best diet as far as health is concerned. It’s the best diet as far as actually developing the types of towns that we want because if we move to that, we no longer have the cows farting. The industrial. Mood production is one of the biggest users and producers of greenhouse gases.
11:02
And so if we move to that, and then we’re also talking about our own health, yeah, most of the things that break us down is from consuming meat. So I don’t want to change people. I don’t want them to switch over overnight. But we need to make those choices available, especially to the young folks. So that’s a point. So you legislate that into being?
11:25
Well, you know, we were able to get the vegetarian selections to be made available to schools. And we got fresh farm food to the schools, farm to schools. That was implemented as well. So it’s just making those choices available. Because right now they’re not. Right now you go to school and you get these lunches and it’s like USDA.
11:48
And it’s not good stuff. I remember that scary stuff. Yeah, I know. In fact, the meal that I had as a kid that I didn’t eat, I think it’s still available. He’s got to dig down, right? There it is. It has that crust on the outside, but it had a crust on the outside, too. Yeah, I know. There was an actual guy here in Maui who was at haiku school, and I think he’s at Kikaliki now. He actually produced vegetarian selections for the kids.
12:18
and it was much healthier, and kids actually preferred it. Where’s that now? King Kaliki. So it’s still going on? Yes, it is, and I continue to support that as well, as well as our charter schools that we need to have more of those types of learning experiences that are actual learning experiences. Are you a big bill creator? Have you been? Well, I’ve been introducing many, but mainly I try to introduce the bills that people…
12:47
want me to introduce from my community. You know, I say, you know, because we get 15. That’s it. Fifteen that we can introduce. So I set aside the ones that I think are important for myself, walking, biking, vegetarianism, as well as, you know, compact development, you know, transit-oriented. But then I’ll introduce anything that people want me to introduce as well. So you’re really a…
13:16
I’m putting words in your mouth. You’re a quality of life representative. Oh, absolutely. Rather than nuts and bolts.
13:24
but you can you deal with those issues but the things that you generate are more future direction kind of stuff yes yes and that we establish more the types of communities you sound like you might have been green at one point yeah i was i think i remember when we first ran people thought that green meant radical and then they came to understand oh you’re really a green democrat a green republican green just means
13:54
We’re thinking, and we’re ahead of the curve here. Sustainability, you know, it has to be sustainable. And what we were living before wasn’t. As you can see, as a result of all the collapse of things that took place, you can’t continue to grow in those ways and think it’s going to be sustainable. What if I said to you, how are we going to generate an aggressive local community without
14:21
the tourists come rushing back here well i think one thing we can absolutely do is of course start creating our own food that is so important because we have what 10 days i think they said or something ridiculously low number of food that’s available to us if they cut off the shipments from from the mainland okay and if we still want the tourists to come then we also need to be looking at
14:45
creating the types of experiences that they really enjoy, which is, of course, in people’s homes. And as well as creating the types of walking and biking experiences that gets them outside and working with… What do you mean by in people’s homes? You mean as they come here, take them to your house? Yes, yes, absolutely. I mean, the most direct form of economic development you can get, which is where someone’s paying you…
15:13
to stay in your place, rather than you having to go to a hotel, work for them, and then you get your, what, $5.50 an hour or whatever it is, and your tip. No, no. So you’re talking about more home-based businesses. Absolutely. We have to. We have to move to smaller businesses. Is that the kind of thing that you can help from the state level? To an extent. You know, we can actually then create those types of zones if we’re going to do that. We can also do the tax incentives that would then allow folks to do that. But basically, it’s then to…
15:43
create the pressure, I guess you could say, on the counties to actually allow these types of releases to be used. So what’s this fun thing? So from home zone to homegrown. Yeah, exactly. That’s another subject I think I heard you’ve been involved in. Medical marijuana? Yes, yes. You’ve had a little bit of, I don’t know if the word controversy is. I think your bravery is incredibly important.
16:13
The fact that you run every couple of years, but you have the guts to bring up important issues for people is one of your greatest strengths, in my opinion. Oh, okay. Well, thank you. Because it takes some, excuse me, nerve. Medical marijuana, anything about it that you’d like our viewers to know? Because some people, in my opinion, think that you’re talking about complete legalization, which may be something that is a future issue.
16:42
But you’re not talking about that specifically. No, no. What we’re talking about is regulating it just like any other medicine. And this is, again, you know, we were one of the first states to actually implement allowing people to use it for medical uses. And yet, all we said is you can throw it in your garden and grow it. We don’t ask people who are on, you know, diabetics to grow their own medicine. And the fact of the matter is to grow good grade cannabis is almost impossible.
17:12
You really have to know the science right down to the last bit of the drawing, because at any time, you can lose the minimal qualities of it. The thing is, it’s been used for thousands of years. It really has. And it’s been used for hundreds of years in our own country. Why has it been facing this challenge? Well, you know, it had to do, of course, with the laws that were created against it to make it a prohibited use, saying that, you know, it’s from the Mexicans. I mean, this is why they came up with this. Marijuana.
17:41
Because it’s Mexican, not Hawaiian? Yeah, exactly. We want Hawaiian. That’s right. And we really could be a producer of good medical-grade cannabis for the world. We really could. And that’s, again, when you were asking me about what else could we do, that’s one of the things that we could do. Because, again, it’s been proven to be a medical use. And right now it’s classified with no known medical use. And it’s right there. It’s in our own experiences.
18:11
And they’ve been, every day, coming up with more stuff. AMA even says, the American Medical Association. Do you hear resistance? Oh, yes. Well, you know, at first, when I’d be bringing it up, I was like, you know, well, what about the… Wait a minute. We made it legal. We made it legal, you know, ten years ago. It’s legal. All we’re talking about now is safe access. And that’s the bugaboo. But now, it’s happening nationwide.
18:41
this week they’re actually seeing i guess in california they actually have a proposition that will make it legally not only accessible but adults can just go for their own use even if it’s not medically recommended anything about that i’m sorry i don’t want to catch up i was going to say i’ve seen some people here who have been thrown in jail oh i know i mean things and
19:06
There’s a lot of, as I understand, drug users in jail to create a huge population in the prison. Yes. So I’m hoping that that would mean review. Yes, yes. And as a matter of fact, it’s happening at the national level. They’re having a justice review commission, and they’re looking at the very laws that have been putting most of the people into jail in our country. And I think it was Senator Jim Webb
19:33
from North Carolina or something like that, that actually initiated this whole review of why are we putting more people in jail than any other country in the world? Why? Are we the most evil people in the world? Or do we have these laws that are jailing people for using medicines or things that we said they can’t use?
19:57
And that’s really the case. 60% are in jail for simple possession of cannabis. Say that slower so I get it and you get it. Okay. 60% of the people in jail are there for simple possession of cannabis. I have to hear that again. Let me hear it again. 60% of the people in jail are there for possession of cannabis.
20:24
It is insane. So the problem we have with overcrowding in jails, the problem we have with all the budget blowout, is because some would say, oh, I should be in jail. I don’t like to talk much about it because I’m sure it is over the line, but I’ve seen police officers and pastors and people smoke cannabis that are…
20:52
still upstanding members of our community. Absolutely. And I can’t imagine that 60% of the people in there. Let’s go to that area of crime and drugs and what’s going on with crime. Give me your hit on that because you’re in a race. You’re not just you unopposed. So I’m always wondering if I’m bringing up subjects where you’d like to put out positions so that there’s clarity here. Because I hear you attacked and
21:20
I don’t listen too closely because I’ve learned. What I’ve learned about Joe Bertram is I trust your judgment. Well, prohibition, which is what’s happening with marijuana now, you know, it never worked. It never did. And when they tried to do it with alcohol, all it did was increase the amount of crime and the crime syndicates that were out there to produce and distribute this alcohol, which people used. And, you know, there was this explosion of crime.
21:49
that took place once prohibition got put into place. And it’s the same thing happening with marijuana. Once they took prohibition away from the alcohol, there went the crime. Because there was no longer a market. There was no longer a way for them to finance or fund their activities. It’s the same with cannabis. Once you don’t make it a crime anymore, then you get rid of prohibition, then the crime goes away. What about other crime? Well, other crime is going to be there.
22:19
And, of course, we have to address it. But we have to do it in a better way as well. Because right now we’re just putting them in a cage and saying, okay, you did bad. Now you’re going to be in that cage for, huh. And we’re not even going to send you into a cage here. Right. Oh, the ceiling’s falling down. We’re going to send you to Texas. Right, right. Or Arizona. We’re going to roast you. Oh, yeah. And then bring you back.
22:44
Forget rehabilitation. That’s not in the movie. We don’t have the money for it. What are we doing? Are we addressing these subjects? No, we’re not. We are not. No, no. We’re just putting people into these cages. And if you read some of these experiences that people had in these places, it’s just, it’s inhuman. I mean, this guy was talking about it was all plexiglass. He had to stand there 24-7. It was, you know, they had this terrible light on. He couldn’t even lie down.
23:14
I mean, this is not the way that you rehabilitate. There are no throwaway people. There are no throwaway people. Everybody deserves a chance. Except that guy in the back, see? What’s he doing there? I mean, I think the reason that I sit on here and I joke with you is because I… Interviewing you is really… The challenge is…
23:42
I’m looking for something controversial. Do you have any controversies that you’d like to bring up? Anything that you feel are important enough that you want people to understand? I mean, I don’t even know what they are. Well, I would say probably, as I found recently myself, civil unions. Civil unions, okay. So that becomes, I don’t know why I’m doing this. Civil unions is two people
24:11
of the same sex that decide they want to pledge their lives to each other and commit so that what they’re looking for is benefits that are the same as people that are married in the traditional way? Well, the one that we were proposing is actually any two people. So it could be same sex, opposite sex, whatever.
24:38
It’s feeding families. It’s saying that… Not me and Bambi? Well, I mean, not animals. Right, right. So it stays in the… Any two people. Yeah, it has to still be humans. But it’s any two people. Right, so it doesn’t have to be same-sex. And it isn’t always a matter of sexual. It’s a matter of two people that commit. Yes, and want to grow a family. And don’t necessarily…
25:03
Again, I’m talking. They’re not looking to challenge any traditional marriage or to tell traditional marriage. They don’t want it. One of our representatives, that was what he said too. He first did not support it, but once he came back and included all two people, he said, I can support that. Because he didn’t want, him and his girlfriend did not want to go into traditional marriage. They didn’t believe in it. There’s too many divorces and everything else.
25:30
They said, no, we just want that contract that the state can offer. So what is it that people are fighting you about? Well, again, I think there’s that confusion. You know, it’s like, well, you want to open up traditional… In fact, I had someone call me up, so…
25:44
then you’ll see this is eventually the first step towards traditional marriage for, you know, I guess, gays or whoever. I said, now, this is plenty. This is enough. Yes, give them the same rights and privileges through a civil contract, which the state can offer to any two people. And that’s enough. And traditional marriage is in our… Is there a reason that Linda L’Engle didn’t approve it, in your opinion? Well, she said right up there, it’s like, this is too close to marriage.
26:13
And I said, but we’re not changing the marriage laws. It’s still in our Constitution. It’s between a man and a woman. We’re not changing that at all. We’re just saying, and there is this contract that this state can offer. And it would give financial benefit? Is that what the issue is really? Well, basically, it’s just allowing for people to be able to visit each other in the hospital.
26:39
That they can make the same, you know, those same kind of decisions. They can’t visit each other in the hospital? Well, right now, unless you’re part of the main family, you know, and then, yeah. There’s some very basic human rights that are not available to any two people. But if they’re in a civil union, they have those rights. The same ones that are available to others, but now we’re giving them those same rights through…
27:03
civil contract. It’s just a contract. So now that we’ve discussed that, are we ready to move to the next issue? Okay, well, let’s go. How about other things? You know, I mean, I watch our media and I think, boy, they waste a lot of this media time on things that get created and hyped up when we could spend the time building. Yes, exactly. Like, you guys are a little lucky and you’re not going to hear me talking about
27:31
my economic plan for Maui until after the election, until we know who the players are. That’s right, that’s right. Because I’ve had ideas for 18, 19, 20 years. I know, I know. That I’ve been putting out and no one’s listening. So either next time I’m running, I’m letting you know. You never know. Or we’re going to find some of the people that you’re electing this time are going to start implementing things because
27:56
I’ve had so much support for the ideas I’ve had, it almost gets to the point of, I wonder who we’re electing. Like here when I’m talking with you, if you don’t agree with me, I figure you’re brave enough to stand up as a big guy and tell me why, and give me your reasons, and I’m ready to hear, make a plan better. A lot of people get fixed and rigid, like Ninja.
28:23
Thank you. Thank you. Well, you experienced it. Oh, yeah. Joe Suki taught me, I mean, a very important lesson that I know you know. You can have the greatest idea, but if you don’t know how to work with others and compromise, your ideas don’t go anywhere. Doesn’t matter what party you’re in, if you go in and you have ideas, you are listened to. Yes, and you have to get the right amount of support, you know.
28:52
Well, I got this complete streets pass just this last session because AARP was right there. They supported it. We came out of the one voice coalition they put together and they were at every hearing. They were supporting it with their members as well as the other people who were, you know, supportive of AARP as well. You have to get that. You have to get the buy-in from the community one way or another, whether it’s existing groups that are there or you create new ones to just support exactly what you’re trying to happen. But
29:22
You have to have that. It can’t just be the idea. It has to be people. People can make these ideas reality. Did you have good experience before you got to your job here? Or did you kind of learn on the job? I live at both. Really, as I started Greenways Maui and Bikeways Maui and then got on the Planet Commission and stuff.
29:44
I recognized, again, you know, the planning commission, again, it’s just a reactive commission. It’s not really planning. Right. Oh, it means it’s no. Right, right, exactly. Either no, yes, that’s it. Yes, no, yes, no. You don’t go out there and plan. No, no, there’s no planning going on. You should change it. We call it the plan approval commission. Yeah, basically that’s what it is. That would be more clear. It would be better. It would be a much more honest way of looking at it. Is there a planning commission?
30:12
Not really, no. I mean, I guess… That’s what the community plan and the general plan and all that stuff is about. Do you get involved in that as a state? Oh, absolutely. You know, I mean, I was on the general plan advisory committee that was looking at our general plan for a new one that we proposed. And at that point, we were able to put in things like transit borders and, of course, urban growth boundaries as well. And I wanted to make sure that we did have some kind of agricultural belts out around each community that wasn’t established at the time, but…
30:42
It’s still possible to do, but yes, we can create good plans. I think, again, what’s going to take is that if these are specific plans, specific meaning you don’t just create these zones and then leave it up to the bureaucrats to interpret those zones and what can go on in those zones, you get very specific. You say the building’s going to be up on the street.
31:03
We’re going to have live work inside all of these communities. We’re going to say there’s going to be parks here. And they’re going to be all along the way. And it’s going to implement all our open space in those parks. Why is it that live work, people here go,
31:21
Oh, yes. We live above our businesses. What a great new concept. I know. What? I know. The whole world has been doing it forever. How did we eliminate it from our world and now reintroduce it and call it new? I know. What is that? Yeah, yeah. No, I agree 100%. And again, it’s why my little slogan for my campaign is walking back to the future. Because really, it’s the way we always have been. We always mixed together everything.
31:51
Everybody lived where they shopped, where they went to school. I remember as a kid, you know, I went up to Seabury Hall, of all things. But, you know, you met people in Makawa. Oh, yeah, you were from Kihei? I never left Makawa. I don’t know. You know, I don’t make it down there. I was like, okay, well, whatever. But, yeah, basically, your community should have everything you need to live, work, play, everything, right within your own community.
32:18
We’re going to talk about global changes. This is Eau Valley. How come it’s not overcast? I know. We used to hear that Wailuku rained all the time. Eau Valley was wet. Upcountry, lush. It rained so much in Haiku, everything’s soggy. Where’d the rain go? Well, I know. That’s part of these changes that are going on with greenhouse gas emissions and stuff. But also that we’ve been taking so much water out of our groundwater.
32:48
i mean this is one of the things that helped the weather basically our clouds and moisture in the air but we’ve been taking it out and pumping it out everywhere you know we used to have the biggest dry land forest in the pacific you know and that covered hollywood that was key day we used to have the shimmy necklace which was our red ones at the edge of this forest we can reconnect with that type of weather pattern again but we have to re-establish
33:17
that there’s actual forests, plants, and the types of, I guess, topography that we had before. And we can. Are you finding many associates in the State House there who are starting to hear that word, and you don’t have to be the only champion for this? Yes, yes, absolutely. Finally, you know, I mean, there’s people from Kauai, Marita, she’s quite progressive. And even in our own, you know…
33:46
I guess, you know, our tribe, they’re certain to get the idea. Like I know Mele Carroll was talking about the GMO stuff. Oh, yes, absolutely, absolutely. And she’s been a champion for that. Oh, yes, yes. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Mele. And she’s been, I love it because she’s been able to, because she’s the chair of the Hawaiian Affairs Committee, she’s really been able to see the connection with the Hawaiians as well as the way that we live. And that if we’re going to reestablish that as one, we have to reestablish walking as primarily.
34:17
And we also have to reestablish the diet that we’ve had before. It’s taro, which is what they basically had their diet on, was on taro. They had a little bit of fish, a little bit of other things, but it was mainly around taro. So we need to reestablish those things. We need to put the walking trails back. We need to put the taro back. We need to know that we’re getting our food from where we live. So this is what she’s been very helpful with.
34:45
Here’s one. Ready for a little curveball? Okay, I’m ready. We are in a time when people are falling through the cracks. They used to be we’d have benefits. Some people say, oh, unemployment stopped. Oh, my God, unemployment stopped. Some people don’t get unemployment. Some people don’t fit into the box that gives them food stamps and a little housing voucher. Some do.
35:12
There are so many people now, and I’m talking personally, that I know, that are in crisis. Not only in challenge, in crisis. They have no job, they’ve lost their house. People, sad but true, people taking advantage of them when they’re down on their luck. Anything that you see as social programs or…
35:37
never mind that. Anything you can recommend to all of us? What are we going to do about this? I’m going to talk to the mayor about it. The old former mayor who’s running tonight on his show. But I just know that this is an issue we all need to face. And I don’t know how he can legislate it in, but I know you have the heart and compassion. Maybe you can think of ideas that we can share with people. How are we going to get through this time? What’s going to do it? Well, you know,
36:07
I know this is something that’s come up because all of a sudden here we had faced the biggest deficit we’d ever had before and everyone was going bankrupt, losing their homes. So in the last session I did propose some bankruptcy types and foreclosure types of laws that would say let people stay in their homes please, if people do go bankrupt then please
36:31
you know, give them some extra time, you know, just as a stopgap, you know, because we have to do something to help people right now because, as you say, they’re dirty. The things that we do have to change, of course, is our reliance on this global economy because, as we saw, it’s not sustainable. How about a reliance on our government to find answers? Right. We go to find housing vouchers, food vouchers. Right, right.
37:00
Are there places in our community, are all the churches open and available to people that may or may not be in their church? Right. Are we creating food places, some kind of shelter, some kind of, it doesn’t have to be a conventional house. Right. But something to help people maintain their personal dignity. Yes. And feel like they can be valuable when there are no conventional jobs. Oh, absolutely. And that’s one of the things, even as a stopgap thing, you know,
37:30
we should at least have campgrounds where people can go and they can set up their tent if that’s what they have. Do we have any kind of thing like that? Not really. No, no. And they close parks here at 7, 8 o’clock. Right. It’s like, uh-oh. The closest thing we’ve had so far is at Camp Akusa. All places out in Oluwalu. It’s now Camp Oluwalu. Yeah, right, right. So, you know, and yeah, people actually could use, you know, I think they had like overnight camp for three days, stretches and stuff. People would use it.
37:59
Well, there are people that have no places. I’m not kidding you. Right. Well, no, I agree. And that’s just it. I mean, right away, we have to start looking at places where, you know, in Kihei, we could actually look at next to the gold mine. I mean, they have bathrooms there. They have this nice piece of state land there that’s where they have the island reserve commission, you know, base. It’s all state land.
38:22
and we could establish some temporary background right there. There’s a bathroom, there’s showers, and water that’s available. And rules, not so people can just plant themselves. Oh, no, no, no, you have to. You have to basically say, you know, you’ve got six months. Do you see a lot of cooperation between the state and the county in moving things forward? Or do you feel, I don’t know if I’m asking this the right way, sometimes I feel like those are different interests. You might.
38:52
There was one guy, I thought he was great. His name is Kika Bukowski. Oh, right, right. Yes, exactly. Now, sure, we have a nice guy in his space now. I’m not meaning anything about that. But I am meaning, here’s a guy who was sweating to work, to help people, whether it was a state issue or a local issue or a county issue, he was there. And I always took my hat off to him because he was so dedicated. I feel that about you. Oh, yeah. You know, you guys are there for the people. Yes.
39:21
Do you find that the state and the county cooperate on a level that you’re getting the traction you need for these human rights? These, to me, are the human rights, human concerns. Well, I think there’s, yeah, no, there isn’t. There isn’t? Yeah, the short answer is no. But I do feel that the opportunity exists now because I think what they’re seeing is that the two levels of government we do have here, even though we’re the only state that doesn’t have
39:48
We only have county and state. We don’t have towns. So that’s really important that we start looking at establishing towns because that’s a real way that we can bring those decisions down to that level. But I do feel also that we’re now at that point where we can see that we have to cooperate and use the resources that we all have.
40:11
in order to address these very serious… Because the numbers are getting out of control, and you can hear in the news, oh, the economy’s turning around. Yeah, right. I’m sorry. I didn’t see it. I don’t believe it. It went right by me. That’s why it’s turning around. So, no, I agree. And I think the sooner we start to move towards towns, the sooner that we start to look towards a local economy based on producing our own food, as well as, of course, medicine and hemp
40:41
Another representative at the ledge, she’s a Republican, she’s been polishing hemp for years. And if we could start doing that, we’d really see it. You know, there’s building materials, there’s seeds, there’s food, there’s oil. I mean, there’s everything. You know, so there’s those types of products and those types of, you know, development that we could actually look at in bringing us out of this as more rats.
41:11
So it’s not a pretty, it’s not one answer. There isn’t one because it’s such a widespread. It’s so big. But I think a key that I like to think is very important is, we said it earlier, we don’t want people to fall through the cracks. Right. People can fall through the cracks. We don’t want to have that happen. And I know I try to do everything I can. I hope that all of you…
41:34
Commit in your heart to helping someone, even when it isn’t easy. I don’t think a lot of people are good at asking for help. And so when you see something that could use your help, help, please. Yes, that’s what we really have. I’ve got to ask you, I’m trying to look at some hard questions you’re saying. I can ask about things, but most of them always revolve around
42:01
Look, lady, if we had the money, we’d handle the problem. We don’t have the money. We’ve got to figure out which pocket to take it from. Have you looked at the possibilities of increasing excise tax? Yes, we have. In fact, I think the proposal that I supported at the time was that they would raise it by 1%, and it would just be a two- or three-year raise until we could get beyond where we’re at now and then come back down. And, of course, we do have
42:30
one of the lowest in the nation. That is always the funniest, you know, when you talk to people and they say, your local people think that’s high? I know. Joe Suki explained it to me. Right, right, right. He said, well, the reason that it’s low here is because it doesn’t include education. On the mainland, the taxes are paid also include education. Here, the excise tax. Right.
42:57
helps education. So that’s important. When people hear excise tax go up, they wonder, what’s all that going to? So that’s important. But we do have the lowest. It’s shocking. It is. It is. When people talk about, my taxes for the year were $1,000, $2,000, with homeowner’s exemption, $50, $80. I know.
43:19
I mean, it’s low. Oh, it is. I agree. And the thing is that if we plug the holes, stop putting people in prison, we could save a lot of money right there. A lot. A lot. And we also looked at, of course, then taxing and growing our own medicine, cannabis. We’d see all of a sudden a switch in the balance of monies.
43:47
We could make so much off the taxing of it. I know they’ve made millions in California just from taxing what they were already allowing to be grown and distributed. So those are two things that we could do right away, right away, that would allow us to do that. You were going to look at these guys and say, I want to make sure that I address a couple of things that I know are important to you, and here’s what makes me different than my opponents, or not, but here’s what’s important.
44:16
Can I give you that chance to do that before we wrap? Sure, you bet. I want to do something for you guys that I feel is important because we have to do something for our communities. One thing that I would really push, and I hope that you can support it, is that we do establish, number one, town governments. We must have those decisions moved down to the town level. Only state that doesn’t have it, we need to have that.
44:44
We need to have that extra layer of democracy in our state. These are tough issues and we can’t limit to just state reps and council people. It has to be at the local level. That’s where the answers are. The second thing, of course, is that we really push for producing our own food. We have to. It’s not whether we want to, it’s we have to. We just don’t.
45:12
We can’t continue to rely on the mainland or these shipments to come in. We have to start producing our own. That’s where our funds go. Lastly, we need transit-oriented development. We need to know that we get people out of the cars and walking and biking or taking transit where we want to go. The car ownership with gas and insurance and everything else
45:39
is the second biggest expense to a family after the mortgage. So we gotta stop that from going to this car. It needs to go to everybody that they can put that money in their pocket and we can see communities that are actually built around people, not parking lots. So those are the three things I would really need your support. I really hope that you can still, you can see the value of such things.
46:07
And that we can walk back to the future. And thank you for that. You’re welcome. So you’re a South Maui. Kihei Walea McKenna. Not Malaya. Not Malaya. There’s the other guy. So if you see Joe Bertram on your ballot, you can vote for him. You can. And personally, you’re in a race where you have good people, but
46:36
You know, I am just, what do they say, a dyed-in-the-wool Joe Bertram fan. I recognize that you’re an important voice, and your voice is needed. And right now, I hope all of you, you and all of you, will join me in being compassionate. When you see people that are hurting, please help.
46:59
We all of us need to get active in the helping camp, whether or not you think it’s your job or not. There are going to be a lot of people that are hurting. Let’s see if we can turn this all around, at the very least, in the kind of lives we live and the way we treat each other through these challenging times. I am not going to stop until we’re all, quote, employed again or working, whether self-employed or otherwise. We’ve got to get this place going.
47:29
And I have ideas, so I’m going to be very fair. I’ve waited 20 years in telling these people what to do. We’re trying to get elected. Now we’re going to do it without the government. And if they know it and want to help, they can be a tremendous help. But there’s no reason for these ideas not to happen. Yes, no. So you will hear about that. We’re going to find… Can you imagine if the musicians and the artists,
47:59
are actually playing at clubs and restaurants again? You think the tourists want to see music and art of the islands? You think they want to see our host culture and other cultures? Yeah. You think they’d like to see sustainability being used here? You think they’d like to see jobs that are being created through a community that creates a special, I’m going to say, something special that’s totally doable and available and accountable?
48:29
I think God put light on us. Thanks, God. Yeah, thank you. Seriously, though, I’m hoping that all of you will recognize a very important candidate in Joe Bertram. I welcome anyone else that’s in that race to come by and talk with me. And I think that you’re very fortunate in that we are fortunate, that we have people in our community
48:57
that are strong leaders and want to be part of everything. And I’m glad I don’t live in Kihei. But I vote for Joe Bertram because I’ve seen through the years of knowing you that I can almost close my eyes and know that the vote you’re going to make is one that I’m comfortable with. I always really appreciate you and want you to know that. Thank you very much. I appreciate that as well. Your service to this community. Pleasure. Through these videos. I appreciate that. Through these videos. That means he wants to be paid lots of money.
49:28
Or something. How come nobody else is doing this? It’s a very important thing that we do here is sit with the candidates. And we’re hoping that you enjoy these shows. I had my friend, my ex-wife, tell me, cut down the opening. We’ve heard Unlock the Hope a hundred million times. We have so many shows on, you know, opening and closing. So we’re going to vary the music choices. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you all for joining us. Thank you.
49:57
Joe Bertram, South Maui. Aloha.
