As I start my ninth year here, the list of problems facing residents in my district never seems to shrink. Many of us seem to live with an acceptance these issues can’t be resolved by the career politicians who fill our State Capitol.

The truth is, they won’t until a systematic and permanent break is made by the electorate. This is why I’m running for House District 28 in the heart of Honolulu.

I intend to be different, demanding “value” for taxes paid. I endeavor to be “in the corner” of citizens who sense their quality of life is slowly diminishing here and know we can do better.

While I recognize I don’t have all the answers, I found by listening to voters as I go door to door or in the questions of constituents at one of the many community forums I’ve organized, citizens want a voice in the Legislature who feel government no longer is responsive to their concerns.

Simply put, they want an energetic and dedicated public servant who is committed to doing his job correctly and who will stay with a problem until it’s resolved.

I believe I am that person. Besides my previous four-year service on neighborhood boards, I’ve been employed at the highest levels of some of our island’s most prominent nonprofits, as well as the private sector, and every phase of government at one point of my career or the other.

I’ve lived in nine other states and at least seven years abroad, so I’ve learned from what other people and places do and how to work with a diverse populace to get things done.

I’ve spent 20 years in the classroom, and before that, worked as a reporter, anchor and station manager in several television and radio markets similar to Honolulu. I believe I’ve lived my life attentive to the ideas, cultures, best practices, and importance of service to the community. I am someone who comes with some life “mileage” and a wide range of experiences and knowledge.

Despite this, Hawaii is a few steps away to a better future as long as we adopt a new collective mindset of openness, transparency, inclusion, forwardness and decisiveness. Most importantly, we need to build ourselves out of our current housing shortage and attempt to make supply outweigh current demands in order to moderate prices.

I propose calling a “Summit on Housing” immediately to marshal federal, state, and local funding resources. We must identify every piece of available land and construct housing at every price point with an eye toward rent-to-own plans, so our next generation has a hope of staying here.

In addition, I am fully committed to the effectiveness of “Housing First,” which provides shelter before addressing the myriad of other issues facing those living on the streets and making the Iwilei area a “one-stop” shop for homeless assistance.

With that, we must address the two principle causes of homelessness: mental illness and addiction. Both are complicated issues but as a society we must confront the reality some people are lost in their minds. They have no freedoms or “civil liberties” in their illness and we must act on their behalf to provide serious help.

Additionally, the window for someone seeking drug or alcohol treatment is very small, and must have a robust, comprehensive and effective plan to provide beds and resources to aid them immediately in their recovery. If we don’t, we will continue to spend millions in local services, crime remediation, and health care funding while furthering the sense that nothing ever gets resolved here.

We must address the long neglected beauty of our islands. Despite massive federal funding from the president, I have yet to read a comprehensive plan by our state to rehabilitate our long-neglected and embarrassing transportation system of airports, harbors and roads.

Addressing the upcoming effects of climate change now on our lives from rising oceans, the need for clean drinking water, and a warmer and dryer atmosphere will ready us for the future.

In Chinatown, we need to reclaim our history by reestablishing its centrality to our history and tourism.  Wider sidewalks, neon lighting, decorative street lanterns, solid trash receptacles and self-cleaning restrooms are all quick fixes. Nimitz Highway, the first impression visitors leaving the airport have, has to be cared and maintained.

The same is true with our Central Fire Station, a living monument to art deco architecture. We don’t need to construct a new $10 million facility across the street, we just need to fix and expand their building and grow their footprint into the adjacent and neglected Kamamalu Park.

We need to recognize and embrace our economic importance as a hub between continents and oceans. We must become an essential entry point not only for Asia into North America trade (and vice versa), but between Hawaii and all of the South Pacific.

We should use our multicultural knowledge, aloha, and educational resources to anchor industry and commerce here by streamlining approval processes and reducing start-up taxes for new small, medium and large businesses who locate here.

We have the best university system for 2,000 miles in any direction. Let’s allow our educators and experts, and not lawmakers, to lead with science, information and research in making future decisions on behalf of the state.

Recognize and embrace our economic importance as a hub between continents and oceans.

Speaking of taxes, we need to eliminate taxes on groceries, unemployment benefits, and modulate gasoline taxes to the rising rate of inflation. Three hundred dollars will go in one purchase but the taxes I propose eliminating will have a long-term and positive effect on the economy and those who can least afford their burdens.

In conclusion, Hawaii’s government needs new leaders who bring fresh eyes, boundless energy, and different ways of solving the issues our current leaders have not.  New is not necessarily better but it does gives us a chance to change, grow and challenge the status quo.

I sense the electorate is ready for transformation on Aug. 13, and I intend to be that candidate in District 28.