House veterans vie for Pearl City
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By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer
In the aftermath of reapportionment, two longtime Pearl City state representatives will square off in the Sept. 21 Democratic primary for a redrawn House District 36.
State House Reps. Noboru "Nobu" Yonamine and Roy Takumi are running in the same House district that now goes from lower Pearl City near Manana, north to Pacific Palisades and east to Komo Mai Drive. Also running as a Democrat is longtime resident Charles Aono, while Pearl City Neighborhood Board member Chris Prendergast enters the race as a Republican.
Voters will send one Democrat and one Republican to the general election Nov. 5.
Noboru "Nobu" Yonamine (D)
• Occupation: Retired social worker • Family: Married with two grown daughters. • One big idea: Give the public-school system more autonomy by getting rid of the "three-boss" system — governor, state Legislature and Board of Education. Also, decentralize the state public-school system, but "at a slower, proper pace."
Roy Takumi (D)
• Occupation: Communications specialist at local AFL-CIO office • Family: Married with two children. • One big idea: Have the community and schools work together to create more after-school activities at the intermediate level. "Vandalism and other juvenile crimes are occurring during the 3 to 6 p.m. time slot, so why not look for activities to keep them busy?"
Charles Aono
• Occupation: Underwriter at General Electric's long-term care division • Family: Divorced with two sons, 18 and 22. • One big idea: Get more money to help put more police officers on the street.
Chris Prendergast (R)
• Occupation: Independent contractor with The Master's Plan Realty and Guardian/ Park Avenue Securities. • Family: Married with two sons, 4 and 7. • One big idea: "Simple: Revive the two-political party system in Hawai'i."
Challenges pop up
• Address: 783 Hooluu St.
• Address: 1001 Luehu St.
• Address: Declined to disclose
• Address: P.O. Box 1488, Pearl City 96782
Yonamine and Takumi face different challenges in their bid for re-election.
For Yonamine, who has served in the House since 1989, a DUI arrest and conviction last year may affect his chances.
Some of his constituents became further irritated when Yonamine waffled between a guilty and innocent plea for the DUI charge. He eventually pleaded guilty and his license was suspended for 90 days. It was his second drunken-driving offense since 1983.
"My DUI arrest is one of the things I'm sure the voters will be looking at," said Yonamine, who sought professional counseling after the conviction. "I have learned from my mistakes and hope they can forgive me and also look at my accomplishments over the last 13 years."
But Takumi is running in a re-formed House district that includes only 25 percent to 30 percent of his old district, which extended from Waipahu to lower Pearl City, while Yonamine retains about 70 percent to 75 percent of his previous upper Pearl City House district.
"I can't take anything for granted," said Takumi, who was was elected to the House in 1992. "I have to introduce myself to seven out of 10 people in this new district. It's almost like running for the first time again."
The re-formed House District 36, which makes up about 70 percent of Pearl City, has always been a Democratic stronghold, with Japanese Americans making up 32.5 percent of the district population, followed by Filipinos at 13.5 percent and Caucasians with 11.5 percent. Gov. Ben Cayetano took nearly all of the Pearl City precincts in the 1998 gubernatorial race.
Takumi and Yonamine believe the redrawn House district will better serve the Pearl City community. Instead of Pearl City being sliced into three House districts, the community will now be represented by two state representatives (state Rep. Mark Takai is running unopposed in the other Pearl City-'Aiea house district.)
"I think the way Pearl City was fragmented, it made it even more confusing on whom residents should call if there was a community issue or problem," said Takumi, 49.
Traffic a chief issue
Albert Fukushima, Pearl City Neighborhood Board chairman, believes district voters are primarily concerned about local issues such as traffic and crime. While voters are concerned about bigger issues such as the economy and education, they rely on legislators to bring home financing for area projects, he said.
"The biggest traffic issue is making sure that H-1 Freeway widening project in Waimalu remains on schedule," Fukushima said about the $50 million project to increase the number of 'ewa-bound freeway lanes from five to six.
"Another concern is the increasing traffic congestion in the Manana area near Kamehameha Highway where Wal-Mart may go in."
Although police staffing is a city problem, Fukushima said another key campaign issue is acquiring more money for additional officers in the district because of the area's high property crime rate. Police beat 358 in
Pearl City dwarfs all other beats in the number of police calls — 800 to 900 per month — and regularly racks up the highest number of serious crimes per year, about 900 mostly nonviolent felonies such as burglary, larceny and auto theft.
"And, of course, additional money for repair and maintenance for schools," Fukushima said.
So is long-term care
It's also not surprising that House District 36 candidates are focusing on issues such as long-term care and healthcare, because more than 40 percent of Pearl City's population is age 45 or older. With an area population of 30,976, 23.2 percent of Pearl City residents are between ages 45 and 64, while 17.1 percent are 65 or older.
Takumi said his two biggest campaign issues are long-term care and the cost of prescription drugs.
While a bill that would have placed a monthly $10 tax for state long-term care insurance died this legislative session, Takumi said he will continue to push the issue. Long-term care includes support services needed by those who cannot function independently, such as individuals with physical impairments or Alzheimer's disease.
"While it is a tax, and I consider it a modest tax, I see it rather as an investment," he said. "When you look at our aging population, including Pearl City, it is a demographics time bomb waiting to go off."
Takumi is happy the Legislature this year passed two bills he helped co-author that will lower the cost of prescription drugs. One of the Hawai'i laws would provide Medicaid prescription drug prices to lower-income residents who don't qualify for Medicaid. The other sets up a state-sponsored bulk-buying program to give Hawai'i residents lower prices that will take effect in 2004.
"With this new law, the price for prescription drugs will go down by 25-30 percent for those who qualify," Takumi said.
Different agenda
Takumi said the Manana traffic situation is high on his local agenda. He said he believes it needs to be more closely monitored as other super-stores such as Best Buy and possibly Wal-Mart move into the area.
"You also have Best Buy coming in, so it's going to get pretty tight around there," Takumi said. "We're still waiting for Wal-Mart to approve the deal, but I want to make sure the community has a chance to give their input if they do move in."
Some government watchdogs have questioned Takumi's affiliation with labor unions, because he is a communications specialist with the local AFL-CIO.
"My voting record has shown I place the working families before the unions," Takumi said. His votes against construction of the Hawai'i Convention Center and against gambling opposed positions taken by many unions.
Solid achievements
Yonamine, 67, is campaigning on his record of getting area projects financed. Some of his latest accomplishments include acquiring $936,000 to expand the Highlands Intermediate band room, $450,000 to build a weight room at Pearl City High, and $227,000 for parking lot improvements at Pearl City Highlands Elementary.
"I think my strengths are listening to the community's needs and finding ways to get funding for those projects," Yonamine said.
But while getting money for area school projects is a top priority, Yonamine opposes gambling as a way to supplement that financing.
"My constituents said they are opposed to casino, shipboard and lottery," he said. "Even though many constituents go to Vegas, I think there is a difference between saving your money for a Vegas trip and the possibility of everyday compulsive gambling if it was legalized here."
Yonamine said long-term care is also high on his agenda, and said public input is needed while the state looks at a possible financing program to deal with the aging issue.
Yonamine was born on Maui and has lived in Pearl City since 1974.
Taking care of crime
Aono, 54, said his major political objective is reducing crime in the Pearl City community, which recorded the highest amount of property crimes on the island the past few years.
Aono is against gambling as a way to boost the economy, but would like to study the possibility of a state lottery. He is also on the Pearl City Community Association's board of directors.
"If the voters in my district are looking for a fresh face, I hope to be that person," Aono said.
Two-party politics
Prendergast, 49, is a Pearl City Neighborhood Board member and president of the Pacific Palisades Community Association. A Hawai'i resident since 1980, this is his first time running for public office.
"Only with a two-party system can we have proper checks and balances on campaign spending reform and other issues," Prendergast said. "It's not about one party's belief in its right to rule, but rather about public service and restoring public trust in government."
He said one of his priorities if elected is reducing or eliminating taxes on medical and healthcare. He also supports tax credits to attract diversified industries to reduce the state's reliance on tourism.
"Constituents pay legislators' salaries; they are the boss, and legislators have an obligation to be attentive to their concerns," Prendergast said. "It's their money for which we have fiduciary responsibility."
Reach Scott Ishikawa at sishikawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 535-2429.
