Issue Position: Working Families

Issue Position

No one should be priced out of paradise. All too often, however, Hawai'i's high cost of living leaves working families struggling to get by. Rather than keeping the next generation of innovators and leaders at home, our lack of genuinely affordable housing leads our children to seek jobs on the mainland or in other countries.

I will make Hawai'i affordable by sponsoring a "Homes For All" program that builds truly affordable housing for those earning no more 60 percent of area median income. I also support raising the minimum wage to at least $17/hour and guaranteeing paid family and medical leave for all, so that workers don't have to choose between earning their paychecks and protecting the heath of themselves, their families, and their communities.

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I will introduce legislation to raise rental and food tax credits for low-income households, paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes and increasing income taxes for our state's wealthiest residents. Finally, as a coronavirus survivor, I believe that we should create a state-level "Medicare for All" program that guarantees access to live-saving treatments, whenever and wherever they are needed.

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