Editor’s note: For Hawaii’s Aug. 10 primary election, Civil Beat asked candidates to answer some questions about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following came from Darius Kila, Democratic candidate for state House District 44, which covers Honokai Hale, Nanakuli and Maili. He has no opponent.

Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the General Election Ballot.

1. What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what would you do about it?

After two years in the Legislature, I’ve directly observed the evolving challenges in our district. The most urgent issue remains the increasing number of unhoused individuals on the leeward coast. While this problem existed before my term and even decades prior, we’ve now forged a strong partnership with the City and County of Honolulu, my council member counterpart and various state agencies to address it effectively.

Together, we’ve made significant strides in restoring access to public spaces and helping individuals secure jobs, housing and health care. I commend Gov. Green for his leadership in tackling homelessness with innovative solutions like Kauhale. It’s crucial to recognize that Native Hawaiians, with deep community ties, are disproportionately affected. The recent Supreme Court ruling on homelessness enforcement underscores the need to revisit and strengthen our laws for more effective solutions.

While many unhoused individuals strive to reintegrate into our community, the main challenge lies in encampments becoming hotspots for illegal activities, which is unacceptable. Taxpaying citizens deserve access to public spaces without fear of vandalism or safety threats. We must clearly delineate protections for these spaces to ensure they remain safe and accessible for everyone.

Our efforts must balance compassion with community rights, prioritizing safety, dignity and effective enforcement mechanisms.

2. How do you feel about the massive income tax cut just approved by the Legislature and the governor? Do you have any concerns that it will force reductions in state services in the years to come?

I applaud my colleagues and the many agencies that collaborated to bring forth a monumental tax reform that come 2030, Hawaii will be one of the lowest-taxed states in the country, of course acknowledging if no other states alter their tax codes.

We’ve all heard firsthand that families across Hawaii are facing economic instability. Our families and community members are working and doing what they can to get by, so by altering the tax code to allow monies to be deposited directly into their pockets, they’re able to spend monies that are rightfully theirs and even potentially the opportunity to put monies into their communities by patronizing our local Hawaii businesses.

I think many are concerned but I think there should be opportunity to really applaud this action of our Legislature. I think it may be a good challenge for the Legislature to revisit state services and how we deliver them. We’re not even able to fully assess our state services when we’re facing vacancies across the state, so this may be even more of a motivation to commit and get creative to fill our positions.

3. Hawaii continues to struggle with pay-to-play politics and corruption in government. What meaningful reforms do you think would change state government for the better?

It is disheartening that we continue to face the repercussions of past actions by former lawmakers, which have eroded public trust. The challenges facing Hawaii are not unique, as similar issues can be found across the country, transcending political parties. Despite this, I am confident that many of my fellow legislators uphold the highest standards of moral and ethical conduct.

In response, the Legislature has adopted numerous proposals from the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct. Many of these proposals have already been enacted, while others are still being implemented. However, our work is far from complete.

As legislators, we play a crucial role in restoring and resetting the culture of public engagement. I have made it a priority to remove barriers to accessing me as a legislator. At the end of every social media post, I include my official contact information to demonstrate my commitment to being accessible and inviting my community to contact and engage with me.

By fostering open communication, we can rebuild the trust that has been lost and ensure that our government truly serves the people of Hawaii.

4. Candidates often say they will support reform proposals in the Legislature. And yet major reform proposals don’t pass. Will you back good-government proposals even if it means going against leadership? If you are an incumbent, can you point to an example of a reform that you supported?

HB1294 CD1 – Relating to Elections is a bill I proudly authored and championed in Hawaii. The issue of candidates using pseudonyms or false names has become increasingly pertinent in today’s political landscape, allowing them to hide critical information such as criminal records or even manipulate their racial identity to sway voters based on ethnicity.

The bill, aimed at enhancing transparency, now mandates candidates to disclose their official legal names, significantly empowering voters to verify identities and backgrounds effectively. I commend my colleagues for their support, knowing some have been directly affected. Their endorsement underscores a commitment to transparency and accountability, crucial for informed voting.

Regarding leadership influence, my experience differs. Despite being in the majority party, I have consistently voted against measures that do not align with legislative priorities or our party platform. Specifically, I have cast 60 “no” votes during the 2023 and 2024 sessions in third and final readings. As legislators, our duty is to uphold community values, and I adhere to this principle.

House leadership consistently encourages voting based on conscience, emphasizing our responsibility to faithfully represent constituents’ interests and values.

5. Do you support comprehensive public financing of elections for candidates who choose to participate? Why or why not?

Initially, comprehensive public financing may seem uncontroversial when simplified to a yes or no question. However, deeper scrutiny reveals significant opposition from my constituents concerning the use of taxpayer funds for political campaigns. Despite my explanations that such funding has been available to candidates for some time with appropriate safeguards, concerns persist about the allocation of public money to support political campaigns.

The Seattle Democracy Voucher Program model intrigues me and has the potential to foster discussions on alternative approaches to election financing. However, even though funding for this program comes from property tax appropriations, averaging $8 per homeowner, my constituents remain uneasy about using taxpayer dollars to support political campaigns, especially at a time when we are struggling to provide essential and high-quality services across the state and counties. (Noting that property tax collection falls under the authority of the counties, not the Legislature.)

6. Hawaii is the only Western state without a statewide citizens initiative process. Do you support such a process? Why or why not?

When I addressed this question in 2022, I highlighted both the advantages and disadvantages, and my stance remains consistent today.

There are troubling instances, such as in California, where the ballot initiative process frequently stalls government operations and becomes a lucrative venture for political advisors.

For Hawaii to consider implementing such a system, robust safeguards are essential to prevent well-funded special interest groups from steering the agenda for their own gains.

As legislators, it is crucial that we make every effort to engage all segments of our constituency and ensure their inclusion in governmental processes.

7. Thanks to their campaign war chests and name familiarity, incumbents are almost always reelected in Hawaii legislative races. Should there be term limits for state legislators, as there are for the governor’s office and county councils? Why or why not?

In 2022, I stressed that voters should have the right to choose their elected officials, and I voiced concerns that term limits could hinder this choice. Following the 2022 election, Hawaii experienced the highest turnover in the House of Representatives in decades, with the election of 16 new legislators, including myself, and the appointment of four additional representatives, making it the largest freshman class in 30 years.

The electorate overwhelmingly responded to the opportunity for change, ushering in 20 new House members. As we all adapt and learn quickly within the Legislature, we are striving to effectively represent our districts. This past election cycle clearly challenged the notion of incumbency and name recognition.

I believe in Hawaii voters’ ability to assess and elect the candidates they believe will best represent and serve them.

8. What will you do to ensure accountability at the Legislature? Do you support ideas such as requiring the Sunshine Law to apply to the Legislature or banning campaign contributions during session?

Returning to the principles of access and availability, I have made it a top priority to ensure accessibility to engage wholeheartedly with members of my community as their elected representative. This commitment ties directly into accountability. The public should not encounter barriers or obstacles when attempting to contact their elected officials. When we are held accountable by our constituents and communities, we reflect their priorities in our actions.

I have been a supporter of banning campaign contributions during the legislative session because it aligns with transparency and accountability. However, my perspective on this issue is based solely on my experience within the current legislative culture, as I was not elected prior to this policy’s implementation and have no firsthand knowledge of its previous impact.

9. How would you make the Legislature more transparent and accessible to the public? Opening conference committees to the public? Stricter disclosure requirements on lobbying and lobbyists? How could the Legislature change its own internal rules to be more open?

Transparency and accessibility in government should ensure that everyone can comprehend its intricacies. I often emphasize to people that government operates using its own language — filled with acronyms, responsibilities and duties that may be unfamiliar to many citizens in their daily lives.

How can we encourage greater participation and engagement in understanding these complexities?

I see potential in our Hawaii Public Library System serving as vital community hubs for legislative engagement. Equipped with broadband access, these spaces could become one-stop shops where communities can connect during legislative sessions. They could also function as remote venues for testifiers to follow daily legislative activities.

During the legislative interim, I have made it a personal priority to engage and empower our communities. Government often feels centralized around Oahu/Honolulu, so it’s crucial to bring government closer to our communities. Over the past year, I have organized monthly town halls with my community, bringing together various agencies and groups to discuss important topics. This initiative aims to eliminate barriers to government access, ensuring that constituents can engage locally without needing to travel far.

As a lawmaker, it’s fulfilling to witness individuals gradually grasp the fundamental aspects of government. Watching their confidence grow as they become informed and engaged in the democratic process is truly inspiring.

10. Many people have talked about diversifying the local economy for many years now, and yet Hawaii is still heavily reliant on tourism. What, if anything, should be done differently about tourism and the economy?

My mother has dedicated two decades to tourism, working as a front desk employee at a downtown Honolulu hotel. She has left a lasting impression on Hawaii’s visitors, whether by educating them about our state to correct misconceptions or standing up to entitled individuals who disrespect local workers and, in turn, disrespect Hawaii itself.

Tourism brings substantial challenges, especially for communities directly affected by overcrowding. In my district, cherished spots and beaches once enjoyed by families are now overwhelmed by illegal tour operators driven solely by profit. This surge in vehicles, disruptive behavior and conflicts between visitors and residents highlight the detrimental effects of over-tourism.

I commend the Hawaii Tourism Authority for its proactive collaboration with our communities to shape the global perception of Hawaii. It is crucial that our residents and businesses, if they choose to participate, are the primary beneficiaries of tourism revenue and development.

By empowering our own people to lead and define the narrative, we can mitigate the enduring negative impacts of tourism on Hawaii. For example, HTA awarding a destination management contract to Kilohana, the tourism arm of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, exemplifies steps in the right direction.

11. An estimated 60% of Hawaii residents are struggling to get by, a problem that reaches far beyond low-income and into the middle class, which is disappearing. What ideas do you have to help the middle class and working families who are finding it hard to continue to live here?

This narrative is all too familiar for residents across Hawaii, especially in the communities I serve.

A recent analysis by WalletHub, using the latest consumer finance data from the Federal Reserve and TransUnion, compared all 50 states. Adjusted for inflation, the report ranked the states by their overall and average household credit card debt. Hawaii ranks first, with the highest household credit card debt at $10,637. This underscores the struggle many face just to get by.

A narrative I frequently hear but isn’t widely discussed is the plight of single-income earners who often feel forgotten and overlooked. These individuals, without dependents or spouses, are struggling to stay afloat. As we examine exemptions and tax code reforms, I advocate for including measures to support these individuals, ensuring they have a place in Hawaii. Additionally, many families, regardless of multiple incomes, still find it challenging to make ends meet.

Re-examining how we tax single-income earners and families is crucial, but we also need strategic and direct reform to yield the highest impact for our taxpayers. I believe that by putting more money in the pockets of our communities, those funds will return tenfold.