Barbara Marshall

Party: Nonpartisan

Age: 64

Job: Chair, Honolulu City Council, City & County of Honolulu

Born in Illinois. In Hawaii since 1979, arrived from California

Lives: Kailua

Contact: 254-9536, friendsofbarbara@hawaii.rr.com

Job history past 10 years:
2002-2008 City Council; 2000-2002 Grubb & Ellis; thru 2000 Channel2 News, KHON-TV

Ever run for public office? When? Outcome?
2002 City Council --- elected; 2004 City Council --- elected with 84% of popular vote.

Other civic experience or community service:
Prior to elected office: Hawaii Council for the Humanities, Literacy Volunteers of America, and President, Council, St. John Lutheran Church.

Anything else you'd like voters to know about you?
I'm the only elected official to bring my staff out monthly to my district for meetings where residents can discuss all city problems with us. I want to continue to communicate and serve the public.

1) Why are you running for office?
To continue to serve the residents of my district as I have for the past 6 years and to continue to lower the property tax.

2) Do you support the city's rail transit plan? If not, what alternative do you support?
No. There are multiple efforts that could and should be made --- including changing start times at UH so that classes begin much earlier, continuing to allow only 3 persons and more in the Zipper lanes, considering additional highway lanes, contra-flowing westbound lanes, and encouraging flextime for both public and private employees. Many of these could be immediate and not 20 years from now.

3) Should the city build a new landfill or ship our trash out of state?
With careful management of the city's refuse, the City should not need a new landfill for years to come, if ever. There may well be a need to temporarily ship some opala off island, while we seek new methods of destroying --- and reusing --- some refuse.

4) What role should the city play in helping homeless people who are moved out of public parks and beaches?
The City must continue to work hand-in-hand with the State and private non-profits to provide shelter for those who seek it, recognizing that some homeless have chosen and will continue to choose the parks/beach way of life.

5) How should the city respond to federal environmental mandates on sewage treatment?
The City must maintain its position that the "waivers" under which we operate Honouliuli and Sand Island were intended to allow such deep water discharge, as is now in effect, and are not really "waivers" as might normally be defined. Going to greater levels of treatment could well create horrendous environmental effects, as well as quite possibly bankrupting the City.

6) What is the No. 1 quality-of-life issue facing O'ahu, and what would you do about it?
The cost of living in Hawaii. We need to continue to gnaw away at the City budget, to keep costs as low as possible while maintaining necessary City services.

7) What's the No. 1 initiative you would pursue in 2009?
To continue to lower property tax rates, or at least keep them stable.