TASHA KAMA 2010 CANDIDATE for Hawaii State House

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Up Close & Personal 2010- Jason Schwartz visits with TASHA KAMA, Candidate for State House in Hawaii, District 8.

Summary & Transcript Below…

Two individuals sit together at Maui Neutral Zone, engaging in a cultural or community discussion.Vibrant Maui Neutral Zone event showcasing community collaboration, culture, and peaceful dialogue.2. Local residents in Maui share stories during a community event at Maui Neutral Zone.People relaxing in Maui’s calming neutral zone, emphasizing serenity and island escape.People engaging in community dialogue at Maui Neutral Zone for cultural collaboration.

Introduction of Tasha Kama and District 8 Context

Tasha Kama is introduced as a known and respected figure in the community of Wailuku, specifically representing District 8. This district covers areas from Kahakaloa to Waikapu and parts of Kahului. The discussion shifts to the upcoming 2010 primary election scheduled for mid-September, underscoring the importance of knowing candidates and their stances on community issues. The segment stresses how critical electoral choices are since they directly impact the future of children and the community at large. Tasha’s primary opponent is noted as a long-time incumbent with mixed public opinion, setting the stage for the electoral challenge ahead.

• [04:42 → 08:27]
  • • Tasha Kama’s Personal Passions and Motivations for Running

Tasha shares deeply personal motivations driving her candidacy. She values family profoundly, highlighting her youngest child and a 22-year-old daughter with Down syndrome, whose future security is a significant concern. Her passion extends beyond family to encompass community wellbeing and a desire to live, raise her family, and eventually pass away in her home. These core values—family, community, faith, and sustainability—form the foundation of her political aspirations. She emphasizes the reality of everyday life, candidly acknowledging interruptions and distractions as part of her authentic narrative. Her vested interest in Maui County and the State of Hawaii motivates her to ensure these values endure for future generations.

• [08:27 → 14:48]
  • • The Role and Importance of Being a Representative

Kama articulates that serving as a representative elevates community involvement to a new level. Given the diversity of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and age in District 8, she stresses the importance of bringing varied voices into the legislative process. She observes that historically, many community members feel unheard or disconnected from government, which diminishes faith in political institutions. Her goal is to restore trust by ensuring constituents know their opinions are genuinely listened to and communicated within the state capitol. She advocates for accessibility, transparency, and regular dialogue between representatives and their community to foster informed decision-making and democratic participation.

• [14:48 → 18:24]
  • • Addressing Jobs and Economic Stimulus

The conversation turns to the critical issue of jobs in the community. Tasha references government stimulus programs like summer youth employment initiatives that temporarily inject money into the economy and provide short-term work for young people. However, she acknowledges these programs’ limitations, especially for adults with families and financial obligations. She suggests encouraging cottage industries and small-scale entrepreneurial efforts—such as local vendors selling fish, shrimp, or handcrafted goods—as a means to stimulate economic activity. Infrastructure projects, including roads and potential local rail systems, are also proposed as job creators. The discussion highlights the complexity of economic stimulation and the need for innovative, localized solutions.

• [18:24 → 21:34]
  • • Funding Challenges and Fiscal Responsibility

Tasha discusses the challenge of funding public projects and social programs, noting the uncertainty about how to finance large-scale initiatives. She cites the Affordable Housing Fund, which has collected $17 million over four years from a 2% tax on homeowners’ taxes, illustrating a possible model for earmarked funds. However, the need for significantly more resources ($100 million estimated) is acknowledged. She stresses the importance of fiscal discipline to avoid “borrowing from Peter to pay Paul” and advocates for clear, accountable use of public funds dedicated to specific purposes. A new legislative approach and administration are seen as opportunities to refocus on the needs of Maui’s local people.

• [21:34 → 26:03]
  • • Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency for Hawaii

A major theme is Hawaii’s vulnerability due to its heavy reliance on imports for food and goods. Tasha stresses the importance of sustainability, urging that Hawaii must become self-rescuing in times of crisis by reviving agricultural production and reducing dependency on mainland imports. She references historical practices like “victory gardens” during World War II as inspiration for renewed local food production efforts. The call is for collective buy-in across communities, including Central Maui, to support sustainable farming and diversify the economy. The segment also touches on environmental stewardship, highlighting the interconnectedness of ocean, land, and mountain resources as vital for survival.

• [26:03 → 31:44]
  • • Natural Resource Protection and Environmental Concerns

Tasha underscores the critical need to protect Hawaii’s natural resources, including streams, oceans, and forests, which sustain life and local ecology. She warns that the absence of fresh water flow disrupts ecosystems and threatens human survival. Environmental disasters like oil spills, referenced by the BP Gulf spill, are cited as existential threats to island communities. She expresses concern about GMOs and other environmental risks, advocating for vigilance and preservation of Hawaii’s unique environment. Her personal involvement includes educating the next generation about these issues, illustrated by bringing her daughter to a water resource meeting to instill awareness and responsibility.

• [31:44 → 40:58]
  • • Education and Investing in the Future

Education is framed as a cornerstone investment for Hawaii’s future sustainability. Tasha points out the sacrifices families make to ensure children are educated and stresses the need for adequate resources, including classrooms, teachers, and sufficient learning time. She emphasizes that education must go beyond basics, possibly including practical skills like common sense, to prepare stronger future leaders who will choose to remain in Hawaii and contribute to the community. The narrative connects education to community engagement and environmental stewardship, reinforcing the holistic nature of sustainability.

• [40:58 → 44:04]
  • • Voter Engagement and Electoral Process

The discussion shifts to the practicalities of voting and civic engagement. Tasha stresses the critical need for voter registration and turnout, emphasizing that every vote counts—her own previous loss by 452 votes underscores this point. She explains the timeline for voter registration deadlines, absentee ballots, and the specifics of the 2010 election process in District 8, including the possibility of no general election if no other parties enter the race. Voter participation is framed as both a right and a responsibility that directly influences community representation and future policy.

• [44:04 → 47:58]
  • • Native Hawaiian Issues and Advocating for Justice

A key legislative priority for Tasha is addressing unresolved Native Hawaiian issues, particularly related to Hawaiian homelands. She details historic problems including illegal uses and abuses of trust lands, substandard housing, and unresolved claims stemming from legislation passed in 1995. The ongoing class action lawsuit (Kalima vs. Lingo) remains unresolved, with many beneficiaries deceased without resolution. She stresses the state legislature’s failure to adequately address these fiduciary responsibilities and pledges to advocate for justice and resolution for Hawaiian homelands beneficiaries. This issue is deeply personal and symbolic of broader struggles for Native Hawaiian rights and recognition.

• [47:58 → 50:45]
  • • Economic Alternatives: Barter, Trade, and Community Lending

The conversation explores alternatives to traditional economy systems in times of financial hardship, including barter, trade, and cooperative economic models. Tasha mentions Hawaiian Community Assets and Hawaiian Community Lending as existing resources that provide homeowner education and mortgage brokering, accessible to Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians alike. However, she acknowledges a gap in broader, effective barter and trade programs and suggests the need for innovative, community-based financial solutions to support those without jobs or stable income. She encourages community involvement and dialogue to develop such initiatives.

• [50:45 → 56:40]
  • • Addressing Homelessness and Social Support

Tasha highlights the precarious situation of families on the brink of homelessness due to job loss or reduced income. She emphasizes the importance of early intervention by reaching out for help from pastors, community organizations, or friends. Pride often delays seeking assistance, worsening outcomes. She stresses compassion and community solidarity as critical in these times. Additionally, she clarifies that individuals without a permanent address can still register to vote by providing a descriptive location, reinforcing inclusivity for homeless persons in civic participation. Personal anecdotes illustrate the practicality and humanity of accommodating those in difficult circumstances.

• [56:40 → 59:57]
  • • Closing Remarks: Encouragement for Voting and Final Thoughts

In closing, Tasha Kama reiterates the importance of voter registration and early voting, particularly through absentee ballots, to ensure voices are heard in the upcoming election. The interview ends on a personal and informal note, emphasizing her passion, courage, and commitment to serving the community with cultural wisdom, spiritual guidance, and practical action. The setting underscores authenticity and real-life engagement rather than polished studio presentation. The final call is for community members to participate actively in democracy by registering to vote, voting, and staying engaged. The spirit of aloha and shared responsibility is invoked as a unifying theme to inspire collective action.

Overall Summary:
This transcript is a rich, comprehensive interview with Tasha Kama, a community leader and candidate for the Hawaii State Legislature representing District 8. The conversation intertwines personal narrative, community concerns, and political aspirations, structured around key themes such as hope, sustainability, economic development, social justice, environmental stewardship, education, and civic engagement. Tasha passionately advocates for transparent, accessible government that truly listens to its diverse constituents and addresses critical Native Hawaiian issues. She stresses the need for sustainable local economies, protection of natural resources, and educational investment to ensure a resilient future for Maui and Hawaii. Civic participation through voting is repeatedly emphasized as essential for meaningful change. The dialogue balances practical policy discussions with heartfelt reflections on family, faith, and community, providing a holistic portrait of a candidate deeply rooted in her values and committed to transformative leadership.

Welcome to another Mama, oh we’re not Mama Presents today. We’re Up Close and Personal. It’s 2010. Here’s a beautiful face I know that many of you already know and love. This is Tasha Kama.

02:56

Welcome to the show. Thank you, Jason. I appreciate your wonderful comments. Say more. Well, it’s just the truth. The truth is that Tasha is here in Wailuku. What district are we in? We’re in District 8, which encompasses all the area from Kahakuloa to Waikapu and a small sliver of Kahului, which is basically right off of the Kahului Beach Road and Kanaloa.

03:24

So all of you who are in District 8 know you’re in District 8. And if not, you’ll discover when you go into the ballot box, oh, there’s Tasha’s name. I can vote for Tasha if I want. Yes, you may. You know that there’s a primary election coming here in 2010. Yes. In the third week, I think it is, second, third week in September. September 18th. We’re going to review some of those dates later. And although right now it’s months before…

03:53

The most important thing I think is we have to know our candidates and see what issues are important to us in the community and how these candidates relate to us and whether they’re approachable and available and what they have to say because the very future of our children and ourselves

04:16

are going to rest on decisions made and initiatives that are brought up by our representatives. Now, we’re in a district here where your primary opponent has been in his seat for numbers of years. Yes, yes. And depending on who you talk to, some love him, some don’t love him. And there’s all kinds of reasons why.

04:42

I’m not one, and I imagine you’re not one, to want to pick on him. No, I think you’re right. But you have ideas. I think you’re right. You’re either going to love him or you’re not. But at least you need to respect him. As our lawmaker, yes. And I know he’s worked hard, you know. We all think you go into that job and we can instantly snap our fingers and everything’s going to be healed. No. Probably in a world of just you and me, we could do that. But there’s more than just you and me.

05:12

in the world. Why are you running? And what’s your passion for running? What’s going on? What is my passion? Well, because we have the time, I’m going to tell you what my passion is. Good. These are the things that I value the most, Jason. And I think maybe some of them may be even your passions. Oh. But I value my family. I value the relationships that I have with people in my community. I value…

05:42

my youngest child and watching her grow and develop into the most beautiful young woman I ever have seen. I have 10 other children older than her, but I get to watch her grow and develop. I also have a passion to make sure that my 22-year-old Down syndrome child has a place to go, a place to live when I am dead and when I am gone and there’s nobody here except her.

06:11

So, those are my passions. My home, my family, my community, the place that I call home, the place where I intend to live, I intend to raise my family, and the place where I intend to die. You probably saw, oh, something’s happened here. A bus went by, someone yelled a little bit. This is real life, and we’re here to…

06:41

If you’re watching closely, you probably saw, oh, something’s happened here. A bus went by, someone yelled a little bit. This is real life, and we’re here to really tell you, this is real life. This is real woman. She is running because… Why are you running? I’m running because I have…

07:03

a vested interest in what goes on here in Maui County, as well as in the state of Hawaii. And my vested interests are ensuring that my values and what’s important to me, that I believe is important to you, that we’re going to be able to carry them on

07:20

for generations. For example, the thing that I value the most is, first of all, my time and my relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And then after that, it comes with the time that I have to spend with my husband, who’s retired now. Watching our youngest daughter live her life now that she’s graduated from high school and is now on to college.

07:47

Preparing a future for my 22-year-old daughter with Down syndrome, ensuring her future so that when I’m gone, she’ll have one. Enjoying my grandchildren.

07:58

becoming a sustainable farmer hopefully someday with my two acres up in Keokia and my work in the community. These are the things that are important to me. These are the things that I think are important to you. And I think that my running will probably allow us and hopefully allow us to be able to live out our values and those things that are important to us. And so that’s why I’m running. Okay. So do you feel that

08:27

Being a representative will help you do it better than you’re doing it now, because I’m already aware that you’re very vital and active in your community and your church. So what about being a representative brings up that passion? Why is that important to you?

08:48

I think that being a representative takes you to another level. In our community, we all are involved in community things, whether through our church or through our children’s schools or just through our own interest in our own community. And being a representative helps in many ways because decisions that are being made at our state capitol

09:13

has to have the voices of the people from whom it represents. And here in Wailuku, which is the district from Kahakaloa to Waikapu, it is such a diverse community with the diversity ranges from income levels to ethnicities to age. And therefore, because we are so diverse in our community,

09:40

There’s many voices that has many different opinions on many issues. And to ensure that those diverse voices get into the legislature where those decisions are being made, it takes a lot of time. It takes effort to be able to talk with people, to be able to ensure that what you’re hearing from this person at Second Save and what you’re hearing at the person in the post office and what you’re hearing

10:09

for the person when you go to your other grocery stores or wherever it is that you go to on the malls that basically it’s almost the same thing and you want to be able to carry that into the legislature because that’s how one of the ways that you know you can tap into the heartbeat of your community and I think that for many many years the voices of the people have not been carried in appropriately or properly

10:35

and so i want to be able to make sure that that the people who are discouraged because of the government and they feel that they’re not being heard that they can say and really believe that you know what somebody’s actually listening to me and that may or may not make them happy the decision wherever it goes but at least they know that somebody heard them so you feel that people

10:59

Don’t feel heard now, is that what you’re saying? I think people’s loss of faith in their government has made them very unhappy. So, obviously, you have been in this district, and so you’ve been represented all this time by, in fact, probably the current representative. Yes.

11:25

Do you, how might you do this differently? I mean, what are you thinking? Well, I’ve always thought, I mean, and how I do things is that when there’s a question of anything when it comes to my family or my church, you go to the people to whom I’m going to be most impacted by these things.

11:45

and say, hey, what do you think about this? What do you think about that? And they’re gonna say what they think. And even if it means that you may agree,

11:56

but somebody else may disagree, in the end, at least all the voices are heard. And at least you get to hear someone disagree with you. At least somebody gets to hear why you felt that way. And then collectively, like everything else, we live in a democratic society that everybody has to come to the place where what is best for all of us. Do you feel that things could be different results? In other words, the reason I’m asking it this way,

12:25

A lot of times when I’ve spoken to representatives, they say, well, the people feel this, but they don’t have all the facts. Correct. So I’ve heard that often, that people may have an opinion, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily an informed opinion. Correct. Right. So do you, I’m putting words in your mouth here, but you want to get people together so that they can get an idea of what’s happening on issues?

12:53

Do you have any kind of thing, I’m sure you do that with your church, where you have a forum and share ideas and how people feel about things? I think people not only want to be heard, but they also want to know that not only did she hear me, but she actually repeated it, she told somebody, and you know what, now there’s some resolution to it.

13:18

And I think that’s what people want. They truly want not only their voices to be heard, but they want to be able to know that they can trust their government again. I think they want to know that their legislature is accessible. I think people need to know that their government is transparent.

13:38

And that’s where I think it all goes back to what we were talking about earlier, is that people want to see transparency in government. They don’t want…

13:51

to have to guess at what’s the best results or what’s the best solution. I think you’re right. When you have information, you’re able to make a more informed decision. And I think a lot of times we couldn’t make those decisions as the legislators do because they usually are privy to information that we are not. But not to say that you couldn’t meet with your constituents on a timely basis to say, hey, this is what’s coming down.

14:21

What do you guys think about this? And I think my thoughts have always been, when I get elected, after the election, the first thing that needs to be done is that you meet with your constituents. You go into your communities and you say, thank you for voting for me. Thank you for electing me. Now the work begins. Not when you get sworn into office in January, but it begins the day after you get elected. But you go to your constituency and say, it’s OK.

14:48

These are the issues that we were facing in this past legislative session. So we think we’re going to be facing those same things. So what do you guys think? How about let’s pick an issue. You want to pick one? Pick something. Jobs. Is that a good one? Jobs is a good one. And I think jobs is important because everybody that you’re talking about is saying the most important thing is jobs. It’s jobs. It’s jobs. It’s jobs.

15:18

But how do we get people, how do we get people employed? Right now, we’ve got the stimulus dollars that just came down for summer youth employment. So people between the ages of 14 and 23, for a short period of time, can get a job for six weeks, they will be employed for six weeks,

15:37

And then, so what happens is whatever money you’re going to get paid, you’re going to spend it someplace, so that starts to stimulate the economy a little bit. And that’s why jobs are important, because you need a job so you can get some money so you can spend it so that you will add more to everybody else. So it’s a spreading out of the dollars. After the summer youth program is over, then the Department of Defense has a similar type program, for example. And so they will be employing summer youth between the ages of 14 and 23.

16:06

Even though it’s only a summer youth program, all of that starts to stimulate the economy. But the big thing is, well, that’s really nice for summer youth, but you know what? Probably people are thinking the youth don’t have a mortgage to pay. They don’t have to put insurance. They don’t have to feed a family. So where does that put me as a homeowner or as a father or head of the household? That, I’ll tell you, I don’t have the foggiest idea as to how

16:35

to stimulate this economy in that way, excepting that if we look around us, and there’s a couple of ways, I think, is that you could actually figure out what are your skill sets, what are your talents, and if you could develop your personal interests, your talents into a cottage industry. For example, on the beach road, have you seen those guys? I see the guys,

17:01

Just that I saw them, there was a boat and they’re selling fish right off the boat. I think they just had come in. And then we have our vendors who do our shrimp fry. And then I just seen a more recent one that was selling chicken hecka. I think those are great ways for people who have the initiative to say, you know what, I’ve got to make some money somehow. What can I do?

17:27

My brother-in-law does coconut weaving. And so he says, I’ve got to make some money. I’ve got to sell these things. And so I think to be able to, for you, today, to make money, you’ve got to figure out what you’ve got to do. In the meantime, government has to figure out how to help all of their employees, their civil service employees. But at the same time, there are construction industry jobs that if people, if we stimulated the economy

17:55

by maybe having roads improved by able… I mean, look, if the rail is going to bring in, I don’t know how many hundreds of jobs for Honolulu, but maybe this is time for Maui to be looking at some sort of light rail for the Lahaina area. And I think when we look at what our needs are, I mean, I think we can stimulate our economy and create jobs just by looking at what those needs are and just begin from there. Okay, I guess…

18:24

I’m asking a hard question here. There’s another one. How are we going to pay for all this stuff? I don’t think that anyone knows that answer. No. I think that we’re living in unprecedented times right now.

18:36

No, but you know what? In the county’s housing department, remember a couple years ago, we said that to help in affordable housing, that we’re going to put 2% of the homeowners’ taxes into a fund, and they called it the Affordable Housing Fund.

18:55

But I think that when you do something like that, when you take a percentage of something and you put it on the side, as in the affordable housing, right? So they take a percentage. I think that’s a way that you’re going to actually do things. Like, you know, we’ve got to go to DMV, we have to pay for our car, we’ve got to get our licenses, right? So what if you took a percentage of those things

19:21

I mean, how many people live on this island? How many cars are on this island? How many people have to renew their license? If you took percentage of things such as that and used that to fund something like what we’re talking about. I mean, in four years since the Affordable Housing Fund has been up and running, they have amassed a total of $17 million.

19:43

$17 million. So I think that’s a way… We have $17 million here, but we need $100 million. I mean, I’m saying it that way because it seems like a lot of money. I’m wondering if we need… We’ve got it over here. I’ve seen our present governor, for example, say, well, now I’m glad we saved all that money. We need it over here.

20:10

I’m glad we saved that money. I need it over here. Well, that money doesn’t, we have to put it into the general fund. Your representative makes sure that, you know what, we said that we’re going to use a percentage of this particular tax or whatever, or the fund, and we’re going to do this with it. And that’s what we’re going to do with it. And you’ve got to stay on task. Because I think if you borrow from Peter to pay Paul, in the end, you’ll always be borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. And I think, well, I think in many ways, having…

20:39

a new administration and having new legislators and and I think that would probably help to be able to say let’s start again let’s all start grinding and let’s always keep our eye on the ball and the ball is the people of Maui County and the ball is the people of Hawaii it’s the people the local people who

21:03

are wanting to make Hawaii their home, who decide that this is where they’re going to spend their life, and this is where they’re going to die and be buried, or scattered out to sea, whatever you choose. But I think we have the, if we don’t focus on our own people, then we’re going to have it, well, I forget what it’s called, but when your children start to go to college on the mainland and they don’t come home, there’s something on that picture. When people leave Hawaii,

21:34

I mean, born and raised local people go someplace else to make a living for themselves and their families. What’s wrong with that picture? What has stimulated the kind of jobs that create sustainable living here?

21:51

I’m not ready to stand on the platform here. The reason I’m doing this is because I’m here to give you guys a chance. But for example, when I’m looking at jobs, what kind of incentives can we create to bring the industry here to create that work here?

22:11

Well, I think let’s talk about sustainable. And the word sustainable is a big word, and I just want to focus in on when you talk about sustainability. You like this, right? That’s what we want to hear. Who is this person? In my view…

22:31

When I think about sustainability, I think about the efforts that it takes for the people here in Hawaii to be able to create jobs, to be able to have a diverse economy. We are so fragile as an island that if we ever became disconnected in any way, either by ocean or by air from the continent,

23:01

What did they say? We had enough food in the state to last, what, a month? I don’t think so. But then, even if we did, even if we did, this is Maui. We may have food, but when it’s all gone, what? And how long do you think it’s going to take for someone to come here to rescue us? We need to be our own rescuers. We cannot continue to…

23:31

to be, I don’t want to say addicted to outside imports, but it almost seems that 95% of what the goods are in the state are either brought in or flown in. We were self-sustainable and then America decided to bring things to us and get us basically dependent on them and less self-sufficient. People stopped growing their own crops,

24:00

people stopped making their own things and started… I mean, there was a whole nation of Hawaii here, right? And I think that… A sustainable nation. I think we need to really be honest with ourselves and say, you know what? We need to figure out… And I think what happens is, if you’re affluent enough, things get bad, you can always go.

24:30

So let’s go back home. Things get really bad. This is our home. So those who call Hawaii their home, those are the ones that need to take a larger vested interest in becoming sustainable. And I think taking our agricultural lands and looking at where they are across our state and saying,

24:51

we need to start putting into production those vacant ag lands. And if it means that, I know during the World War II, they used to have victory gardens. Maybe we need to do those kinds of things again. Maybe we should think hard about how much agriculture we can actually do on Maui so that we can sustain ourselves. And how we can go about

25:17

trading, or bartering, or selling, or sharing with each other. But whatever it is that we’re going to develop to be able to ensure that we are going to be sustainable has to be something that we all have to buy into. I mean, I love the ag guys. They’re sustainable guys on the west side. They’re doing great things on the east side. They’re doing wonderful things. But Central Maui, I think, needs to get up on board, too. And I think… Can you hear that?

25:46

We knew it was coming. We just wanted to tell you. That was the Maui bus. Yes, it was. Isn’t it nice to have such a convenient stop? Does it stop right here? It stops right over there. It stops up. Yeah, yeah. Okay, they’re gone.

26:03

Every Sunday we go through the same thing. We’ve got to time the bus so that we’re not talking, so hopefully either we’re praying or we’re singing when the bus goes by. We’re always praying. Or praying, right. But I think the issue of sustainability is critical for us as an island state. And I think people need to just get on board with that. I mean, we have seen enough tragedy on the continent

26:31

that we should have woken up, kicked out of bed, but something should have just popped up in us and says, hey, we need to take care. I mean, the Gulf oil spill, to me, if it happened here, we would literally die. When we look at our natural resources, we look at the ocean as our refrigerator. We look at the land.

27:01

as our cupboard, right? And then we look at the mountains is where our fresh water comes to us. So we have to protect these natural resources because if we don’t protect that which sustains us, then we will never be able to sustain ourselves. So I think that’s an issue too. Do you see that we’re still going to have growth and more housing? And, you know, I’m asking these questions kind of wondering. Yeah.

27:31

We keep building, we keep building, we keep building. A lot of the local people here… Keep leaving? Well, keep leaving because they can’t afford it. And no one’s shared with them. Again, they haven’t really learned how to take advantage of what’s going on now to be able to buy some of these properties. You know, they say, when do you buy real estate? When the prices are low or the prices are high? When the prices are low.

28:00

But we don’t have the resources. Well, there are a lot of resources that people have that they don’t understand. So to me, here comes another area of major issue, education. Right. What are your feelings about education? I think when it comes to education, that is like, that’s our investment. It’s investing in our community, investing in our young people that…

28:29

We as parents send our children to school. Why? Because it’s an investment for them for their future. And as policymakers, we need to also see that education is an investment for the sustainability of our future here in Hawaii. And in families, we sacrifice a lot to ensure that our young people have all the tools that is necessary for them to get a good education.

28:59

And as a state and as policymakers and legislators, we need to ensure that our young people have the tools, that they have classrooms, that they have teachers, that they have time. Because it takes time to learn many things. And even in the 13 years that we’re able to send our children to school, even that’s not enough. That’s why we send them to college.

29:27

Whatever we do, we really need to invest in the education. I need another class called Common Sense. Oh, is that what we need? Yeah, I think so. I just think that if we invest in the education of our young people here, they will be stronger leaders. And I’m hoping that what it is that we are teaching them

29:50

we’ll be able to keep them home here. I took my daughter last night to a water meeting.

29:58

by EHA to talk about some of the decisions that had just come out from the Commission on Water Resource Management regarding our streams here in Maui. And she didn’t want to go because it’s like, oh, here comes another one of my mom’s board meetings. But for me, it was to help her, to educate her that there are things that go on in this place that she calls home.

30:24

A couple of weeks ago, I told her, I said, hey, are you going to make Maui your home, or do you think you might want to leave? She says, nope, Maui’s my home. So that means this young lady, if she’s going to call this place her home, has to invest herself into ensuring that her future is guaranteed. We don’t have water. Nobody’s future is guaranteed. We don’t have water in our streams. We talk about the sustainability of us as people, as a society here.

30:53

You know who’s not being sustained when there’s no water flowing through those streams? When the salt water and fresh water mix, there’s a whole ecology that happens there. And all of the flora and the fauna and… There’s a whole world. Yeah. So when that does not happen,

31:18

Whatever happened to all those elements that used to be here? What happened to all the sea things that used to be there? And the algae and all that stuff that when it mixes together, it actually forms a whole new environment of living creatures. When you take away the salt water, you take away from the fresh water, they cease to exist.

31:44

When that ceases to exist, we as human beings cease to exist too. So we need to make sure that we protect the streams, our natural resources, because that’s what sustains us. I mean, I was going to talk about the BP oil spill. You can’t imagine what would happen if something similar to that happened to us here in Hawaii. So we have to be really careful about what comes in here.

32:12

Who brings it in here? Of course, I’m thinking about GMOs too, right? But I think that… You know about GMOs? Some of you do. You know what genetically modified organisms… Organisms, right. I think they do. And if they’re not, please, call me. My number is… Can I do that? You sure can. 463-2963. So call me if you have any questions. I have a website. It’s called www.tashakama.org. But I think…

32:41

What we’ve talked about here are the things that I’m passionate about. Those are the things that I think are important to me. Do you think that… And what they’re important to you? Well, I’m sure they… I know they’re important to you. Some of you I know are in favor or not in favor of different things. The biggest question that always comes up to me, especially now, is how can, as a legislator… I mean, that’s the big one. A lot of the things that you talk about, I talk about. People care about. But how can…

33:13

I mean, that’s the issue because we’re in politics. I decided, for example, to do television shows because I thought I could do more by sharing candidates and some of my ideas than running for an office. And if I didn’t get it, then that’s all there was. So I’m keeping a continuum of ideas going. But you feel that being in the legislature is a role that you want to see. So that’s what I’m really looking to see.

33:42

You feel that you can, as a legislator, be adding something to what’s going on? Yes. I’m going to add some spice, add some color, add some wisdom.

33:57

and hopefully some cultural value to what’s already there. I think that the native peoples have so much to contribute to the growth of our state and I think that without

34:15

knowledge being present there or maybe enough of that we have a few native legislators and the Senate and a few in the house but we really certainly do need a lot more in there and I think when you know people came to Hawaii why because

34:36

The people. It was the people. I mean, you know when you go, no matter who you are, when you go across the nation, across the world, and you tell people you’re from Hawaii, you know what is conjured up in their minds? It’s not the hula girls or anything like that. It’s that spirit of aloha. Somehow they resonate with that. I mean, you don’t even have to be Hawaiian. You just have to say, oh yes, I live in Hawaii. That’s my home. And it’s all of a sudden, it’s like, if you weren’t anybody, you’re not somebody.

35:03

So people from Hawaii have that reputation of having aloha, being hospitable, and people across the world know that. So I think if we had more of that in our legislature,

35:15

then I think people would be much more inclined to look at the culture and the value that that culture can bring. I mean, much of it is in our legislature today, but it needs to have more of that. So when I go there, I will not only take my beautiful Hawaiianness with me, but I will also take the wisdom of my ancestors, I will take the spirit of God with me, and I will take the personal person that I am.

35:43

Now, as much as you say that, the thing out there that all of you have to remember, and I know she wants to bring it up, so I’m going to bring it up. You need to vote. You need to register and vote. Whatever your opinions are, you can voice them

36:02

broadly and boldly, but if you don’t vote, you have no impact on what we’re talking about here. Why don’t you share with us what you want to do? Okay, this is what I wanted to share. First of all, it is important for you to vote. Do not ever think that your one vote does not matter. It does. It really does. So, if your one vote matters, and you add that one vote to ten more people, their ten votes matter.

36:32

And when you multiply that 10 times, those 100, those 1,000 votes matter. Last election, I lost by 452 votes. And I thought to myself, oh my gosh, what did I not do? What should I have done more? But that was last time. I’m a lot brighter two years later in this election.

36:54

So this is what I want to say to you, that this election, like the last election, is a winner-take-all. Whoever wins the primary election automatically goes to the State House. There will be no general election.

37:13

unless there is another party that enters into the race before July. So, this is what it is. July 21st is the deadline for people to register

37:27

or to file to run for this election. So at this point, everybody that’s in the race for the 8th District are Democrats. So unless a Republican shows up, there will not be a November election. Because it’s a run-off election. Whoever wins in the primary amongst all the Democrats normally would go to a general to be able to raise up a Republican or another party person. But there is none at this point.

37:56

you need people to register to vote now primary not thinking about november because right there’s a september election and that’s what we’re talking about yes so what are the deadlines for people to uh register okay to register to you need to register to vote by april 19th august 19th of this year okay by august 19th so you could go online

38:23

and get an application and fill that out and send it in to the county clerks. You could go to the county clerk’s office and register to vote, or you can go to your favorite candidate’s office or headquarters and pick up a registration form, fill it out, and send it on to the county clerk’s office. Or if you want to destroy a phone book, you’ll find it in the phone book. Rip it out and fill it up. They made it convenient because probably the most important thing that we can do

38:53

is voice our opinion and step forward and vote. You know, some Hawaiians have told me, we don’t believe in the United States, we believe in the Hawaiian nation. Well, right now you have the power to impact the United States and what’s going on here until the Hawaiian nation may take hold here. So don’t forget that. This is a really important right.

39:19

It’s a right and responsibility. How can you say to your children, here’s how I feel, but it doesn’t matter, and I’m not going to express my opinion by casting a vote. So please remember that. August 19th is 30 days before the election, because September 19th, 18th, 30 days, is…

39:44

Oh, I see. There’s 31 days in August, I have to count. So it’s the 30 days before the election is the last chance you have to register to vote. So that’s very important. So when you’re done watching this show, go do it. And if you are already registered, make sure that you know where your polling place is, because some of it has changed. A lot of us have realized, oh, what card?

40:09

What’s going on? So they redistrict and reorganize the whole thing. But by now, most people should have received their yellow voting cards from the Office of Elections from your county. If you haven’t, you probably moved, you didn’t tell them, therefore it probably went to that old address. If you’ve moved since the last election, you need to make sure that you go back to the county first office, put in your new address. Also, if…

40:38

You don’t want to go to the polls and vote. You could do what is known as absentee voting, which means that you could request for the county clerk to send you your ballot. But you have to do that request in writing again. So you would get an absentee ballot form.

40:58

It looks similar to your voter registration form. The voter registration form is blue. The absentee ballot registration form is red. So you can actually do both of them simultaneously. So what happens is you register to vote and then you would register

41:17

for absentee ballot. But here’s the deal though. Absentee ballot applications are not going to be accepted by the county clerk’s office until July 20th. So knowing that, if you’re not a registered voter and you want to beat the August deadline, then my suggestion to you is July 20th,

41:38

get a ballot to register to vote, get an absentee ballot request form, fill them both out July 20th, send it in, and just sit at home and wait for your ballot to come to you. And your ballot should come to you

41:54

I forget what was that date. Absentee voting. Oh, here. From September 3rd to September 16th, you can actually walk into the polls to vote. That’s if you want to do that. But we’re talking about absentee voter. So you send in your ballot and the clerk’s office will send you your ballot by mail no later than September 11th.

42:20

Something like that. You know, it’s funny because we’re here in Wailuku. Very often I will walk into the county clerk’s office. It’s a great experience. It’s a really good feeling to know that I am making my opinion not only known, but I am voting. You know, I mean, some people may not think it’s important, but like you’ve said again and again, it is important. It is what is giving

42:48

some shape to the direction of what’s happening here. Your single vote is very important. Each one of those 450 votes that you lost by could have been somebody that was sitting at home saying, ah, when in fact it made a big difference. Yeah. What other issues are important that you want to take into your legislative role this time?

43:19

One of the real important things that I want to be able to address, too, is some Native issues. Native issues? And one specifically is in 1995, the state legislature

43:36

And there was a bill that was in our state legislature that had to do with the illegal uses and abuses of Hawaiian homelands. So what that basically meant was that there are some Hawaiian homelands, out of the 203,000 acres of Hawaiian homelands, some of those homelands were given or sold. And in Hawaii, when it comes to trust lands,

44:04

lands within a trust cannot be alienated. In other words, they can’t be given away, they can’t be sold, they can’t be similar to the ceded land issue. But in the Department of Fine Home Lands, not only were there some illegal uses and abuses of it by the state or the territory at the time, but also there were some issues that were occurring

44:25

with beneficiaries, too, where some of their homes were not built to code or to standard, and within months of moving into their homes, some of their homes were termite-eaten because the ground was not treated, those kinds of things, and the homes were flung apart. And this is in the early 1970s, 1980s that this had occurred. But in 1995, the state legislature passed a law that said, you know what?

44:55

you guys could actually sue the state of Hawaii for damages or for claims that you believe that you had a right to sue the Department of Hawaiian Home Affairs. And what had happened over time is that they had set up a claims panel, a panel of people who went through every claim that was submitted and actually came out with a decision.

45:21

Well, that was in 1995, and then in 1998, there was some question about whether that was right or not right, or the process itself. So, in essence, there was a suit filed, what is called a class action suit, called Kalima versus, at the time, was it Governor Caetano?

45:46

Since that time, it was now the current governor, now it’s Kalimo versus Lingo. And this claim has never, ever been resolved for the Hawaiian people. What has happened since 1995, many of our people have since died, and their claims have still been unresolved. The legislature in previous years has not wanted to act upon it, because when you talk about resolving claims, some of the claims

46:15

they have actually were awarded monetary restitution, at which time the state legislature in the late 90s, early, willing to fund. And therefore, some of those claims

46:32

with the passing of time and with the interest added to some of those claims has really skyrocketed the cost to pay off all of these claims. And that is only the claims in which the case panel had resolved. We still have so many unresolved claims. And I think that the legislature has been unwilling to take care of those issues. And I think for Native peoples, we always seem to always be behind

47:02

or the last people in line for anything when it comes to our state. And I want the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to resolve this. I want the legislature to take care of this. It’s personal for me, and I think it’s personal for many of the other Hawaiians living on the neighbor islands. But I think that our state has to own up to its responsibilities and its neglect to a body of people to whom

47:29

that they have a fiduciary responsibility to. So that’s my one big critical issue, aside from all the others. But my heart goes out to the people of the Hawaiian homelands. And I will always, as long as I have breath, I will advocate for them. So moving up into a higher level for me is to be able to do right, to give justice where justice is due. So that’s really why, I mean, that’s a main reason

47:58

that you feel that you need to be in a legislative position so that you can be more hands-on with moving those kinds of issues forward? Those kinds of issues, when you want to try to move them forward, when you’re one of 51, because there are 51 members of the House, and it’s about taking care of your host culture. I mean, it could have been in any other

48:26

a state, you know, could have been in the state of Arizona, and the host culture there was really the either, I mean, would have been your Indians who are there. But this is Hawaii. Well, there’s another issue. Oh, yeah. As an Indian, as a Hawaiian. What about gambling? What about gambling? Is that an issue of any sort? I mean, I keep wondering, how are we going to get the money?

48:49

I think that our federal government is wondering, too. They just keep borrowing from the unknown. I know. It’s dangerous. Have we talked about barter and trade? Have you seen any of these things work here effectively? I remember in years past when you were talking about a bank, for example. Things like that. Right. And what came up from that was Hawaiian community assets, Hawaiian community lending. We have an office here in Maui, and they do…

49:19

homeowner’s education, they do, and then, that’s what Hawaiian Community Assets does. And then Hawaiian Community Lending actually is the broker for loans for people on Hawaiian homelands as well as anybody else in the state of Hawaii. What about someone like me who isn’t Hawaiian? You could, yes, they would definitely assist you too. So, I’m looking for that unknown, the unknown being, in a time when there’s so few jobs,

49:49

available and there’s so much need. Are there any responsible barter and trade programs that you’ve seen here? I have not yet seen any. I know there’s talk about co-ops and things, but it’s like what can we all do to get back to that sustainable thing? What can we do to be sustainable when there is no money?

50:15

Hawaiian Community Lending was a bank, do they do anything besides residential housing? You know what, I think that, I think that their basic business is doing mortgage brokering. So they look for money for the people who need, you know, so they match the person with a mortgage company that would meet that need.

50:45

Okay. So, what you’re looking for is something maybe you should create. Because if it doesn’t exist, maybe it certainly needs to exist. Well, I know. If I have elected representatives there, that’s why, you know… That’s something that’s interesting. We should talk about that more. You guys too, we want your involvement. Because many of you… That’s another thing that is really important to me. Right. How many people have answers

51:11

but you don’t come forward to talk to your representatives, or you don’t talk to people that could, in fact, move these ideas forward into actual… Here’s a discussion point we should maybe… We could probably begin it, but we’re certainly not going to resolve it. But it seems like, to me, if people lose their jobs or get furloughed, I mean, even one day of pay that you lose, I mean…

51:40

Remember about 10 years ago we all said, you know what, I’m one paycheck away from homelessness, right? I think we’re at homelessness. We’re at critical mass. Because if one person loses their job, that definitely is going to impact that family. Which means that that family will probably have to move out from whatever rental they’re at. Or if they’re not renting, then they’re going to probably have to go into some kind of

52:08

foreclosure modification programs so that you can save the home, you can still stay there. Right. But I think, but when you’re in trouble, call somebody. Call your pastor. Call Hawaiian Community Assets. Call a friend because your friends probably know people who can help you. But when you’re in trouble, and I want to say this very clear, if you’re in trouble, you don’t know what to do, call someone. Call me. I will pray for you if I can.

52:33

And I can refer you to people that may be able to help you, but I will certainly do whatever I can by talking to somebody else who can help you. But my sense is this. So when you start to lose income, which means that you’re not going to pay your rent or your mortgage, which means that you may end up homeless. So the question is, again, this.

52:56

So, what do we do? What do we do in these situations where people are right there on the brink? See, I think it’s easier to help people when they’re on the brink than when they’re over the cliff. You know what I’m saying? Which means, if you have something going on, talk about it with people sooner. A lot of people’s pride, they wait until the last second, and then they announce it. Right. But we have, we have, we have…

53:25

agencies that can help a little. But I think that I think things will probably get worse before they get better. And the other thing that can help is all of us to learn to be more compassionate with each other. You know, I’m finding still that people are working by the old model. I need to have the rent or the street for you. I mean, we have lots and lots of people that are

53:55

Right there. You can’t even vote when you don’t have an address. You suddenly can’t vote. I mean, I’ve seen these things happen. It perpetuates. If you don’t have an address, you can still register to vote, and you could identify a place where you normally would live. Like, for a long time, we used to have this homeless gentleman

54:24

living right over here, over the bridge. So, I mean, you know what I do in marriages? Sometimes it’s not in the church, and it’s not even a place that has an address. So, like at Yale Valley, right? I’ll just say Yale Valley in the Japanese Garden. If I’m out in McKenna, then I would say I’m out in McKenna, and right next to Big Beach.

54:52

Or you’re going to be out. Oh, one time I did a wedding in Kaakuloa. It was in a cow patch, and the bride and the groom flew me in on a chopper with them. So there was the bride and the groom, the pilot, and the groom’s daughter.

55:10

okay so of course so you you have to have witnesses right so and so i think okay so after it was done and i was filling out the form because it says you know place yeah and i was thinking wow

55:25

Where were we? You know, so I said, so I sit in a call pastor in Kahulua. That’s what I put on there. And so when I sent it to the Department of Health and they called me back and they said, was there anything that you could reference, you know, besides the call pastor? And I said, well, it’s not like they have an address there. I told them that we had been toppered in. And I don’t know whose idea that was, but…

55:52

I was very careful where I was stepping, and that’s how come I knew I was an account pastor. Why was that so important to them? But the idea is this, is that it’s a frame of reference. So when you register to vote and you do not have an address, the clerk’s office will take something

56:15

such as that. I know the census did. It’s so funny. I did the census recently, and they say, you know, they’re looking for a place. Remember, this is ten years ago this was on the blue tarp across from the Jesus Saves Church sign in Lahaina. There were supposed to be five residences. That’s right. Because they were counting everybody. Yes.

56:40

That’s interesting. I didn’t realize that you could register to vote if you didn’t have an address. Because you have a right to vote. And we want every American, every person eligible to vote, to take that right and do right by it. So they will take that. Or, you know,

57:04

The gentleman over here, I told him, I said, you know, if he wanted to, you could just say the bridge under the Christian ministry church, you know, or something like that, so that at least the county clerk would have a reference. Okay, so, and I think it’s,

57:22

It’s important for you to register, regardless if you have an address or not. I mean, the only way that you’re going to be able to, people are going to acknowledge that there’s a situation that needs attention to is when people who don’t have an address register to vote. Thank you. Welcome. Any issues that you want to be sure that we address before we close?

57:50

I think the issues that I wanted to address… There’s the bus again. So when you wonder if there’s a bus that comes around, we’ve now seen that bus come twice. Yes, we have. So you don’t really need a car. That’s not true. But it is very helpful to know that the bus service is working. Yes, it is. Every 20 minutes, on cue. I think I just want to make sure that people do register to vote.

58:19

And if you decide that you’d like to vote for me, make sure that you vote early. So request an absentee ballot, and it’ll come to your home, fill it out, send it back. Now you have lots of things I know on your website, and you have literature that you’ve put together that shares in your positions and things.

58:44

I think the thing that’s the greatest about you is that you care and you’re passionate and you run. It takes a lot of courage to run for your elective office. You’re right. It takes more courage than money, I’ll tell you. As much as you do need money to run a campaign, you really need the courage and the confidence in yourself to say, I can do this, I will do this, and I will succeed in this.

59:11

The elements that you need to run a race is just the will to do it. And then when you get elected, you have that same will to do it and do the right thing. Well, thank you for spending the time to come here on the TV.

59:32

You guys didn’t know it, but we are obviously in a place where we wanted to be much more natural, you know, rather than be in a studio, just talking person to person. Thank you. So that you can see this is the real Tasha Kama. This is the reality show. Thank you all for joining us and we hope you’ll

59:57

Get out and vote. Register and vote. And we’ll see you again. Thank you for being here. Thank you. And thank you for listening. And thank you for voting. Aloha. Aloha.