Issue Position: Jobs and the Economy

Issue Position

Support our local businesses to reopen and recover from the COVID-19 economic crisis.

Focus on diversifying our economy through agriculture, technology, and the film industry.

Update antiquated State computer systems to increase efficiency and reduce waste.

Temporarily eliminate state income taxes on unemployment benefits to help people get back on their feet.

STEM school to career pipeline to help create the local talent to fill high paying positions.

In addition to the stop-gap measures that the legislature just implemented, one of the first things we need to do is figure out how to re-open up our economy safely. Since Hawaii is an economy largely based on tourism, in the short term we need to focus on how to bring back tourism responsibly in regards to both total number of tourists and public health concerns. The first three sectors that the state should invest in to diversify is the film industry, technology, and agriculture and agricultural tourism. In order to diversify we need to recognize what is realistic to implement in both the short and long term.

Film is an already existing, though underutilized industry we can leverage to help stimulate our economy as a short term solution while we are able to create long term sustainable solutions. The film industry can play a key role in the revitalization of our economy through creating jobs for our residents and adding much-needed dollars to help our state recover. Film is a large part of the current economy, and would be a strong, immediate economic driver. Throughout my time in the legislature and throughout the pandemic I have been in communication with the Hawaii State Film Office on how to make changes to push the film initiative forward in order to help diversify our economy. According to the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, film had generated as much as $825M in overall economic activity up until the pandemic hit. As a member of the Economic Development committee in the legislature I have advocated to remove the current cap on the Hawaii Film Tax Credit. This would give us a competitive advantage over many of the other top film locations around the globe and further push the film industry in our state forward.

As a legislature we need to start laying the groundwork for the long term diversification of the tech and agricultural sector. While we are working on opening our current economy up safely we need to be laying the framework for the long-term goal of diversification. Once our economy is on the road to recovery I believe we should begin to diversify by focusing on our unique location in the center of the Pacific Ocean between Asia and the continental U.S. We should use this advantage to develop a strong tech industry here in Hawaii. For several years in the legislature I have championed several STEM bills that would strengthen the pipeline for technological jobs in our state. As an island state we have limited land space and tech will provide high paying jobs with a small footprint.

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