Issue Position: Tourism, Renewable Energy, and Agriculture - Foundations for Hawai'is Economy

Issue Position

It breaks my heart to see so many people struggling to find jobs, or working more than one job to support their families. Many people can't even afford to rent a home, and are instead living in their car, or camped out in a tent. It used to be that if you worked hard, you could succeed. This is the "American dream." But for far too many people, that just isn't true anymore; the dream has become a nightmare.

Economic downturns are particularly hard for those of us who live in Hawai`i. Rent, food, and gasoline prices are always so much higher than on the mainland. While Hawai`i's 6.4% jobless rate is better than the national average, economic growth here is sluggish; Hawai`i ranks 44th in the nation. The unemployment rate does not reflect those who are underemployed and those who are on the verge of losing their homes on a month-by-month basis. Indeed, jobs and opportunities seem to be drying up everywhere you turn.

All of this occurring is unacceptable and unnecessary because our beautiful island paradise has so much to offer. Our people have so much to offer. There is so much potential here for economic growth and opportunity, if only we would put our heads and our hands together and work as a team.

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