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 Yumi Kawano, candidate for Hawaii County mayor. Her opponents are Kimo Alameda, Daniel Cunningham, Kavin Kahikina, Breeani Kobayashi, Mitch Roth and Seaula Tupai Jr.

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

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

The biggest issue is being emergency-prepared for disasters such as hurricane wind and wildfires, like what happened to Lahaina, since we are facing more droughts due to drastic Earth temperature increases.

2. Overtourism can degrade the environment, threaten biodiversity, contribute to wear and tear on infrastructure, generate traffic and disrupt neighborhoods. What do you think about the amount of tourism on the Big Island and how it’s managed?

Tourism should be for the betterment of the island, so what about ecotourism?

These are tourists who want to learn and participate in improving our natural resources and our way of life. They could restore rainforests and corals with us and have a sense of helping to preserve Hawaii’s natural resources.     

3. What needs to happen to relieve traffic congestion in and around Kailua-Kona and along the Puna-Keaau-Hilo corridor?

More businesses need to offer working from home as an option and give workers the option to vary schedules, so there are less people on the road at the same time.

4. The cost of living on Hawaii island is rising rapidly. How are working and middle-class people expected to buy a house or pay the rent as well as take care of other expenses? And how can the county government help?

There could be grants and loans offered through a multitude of agencies like HUD.

As a single mom and teacher it was nearly impossible to find decent housing even 20 years ago. I am not sure of the answers, but it is going to take the communities willing to rent at decent rent prices.

5. Do you support the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea?

The astronomers have not upheld their promises of removing telescope debris on the mountain over the years, which is a breach of trust and care for the mountain.

The access road to Mauna Kea has been given back to Native Hawaiians for good reason, which is to preserve the burial sights of their ancestors. Wouldn’t it be an atrocity if someone dug up our grandparents’ graves?

6. Homelessness remains a problem statewide, including on Hawaii island. What would you do to come to grips with this persistent problem?

My measurable goal as mayor of Hawaii Island would be to start rehab camps to put the homeless back to work. They would plant native trees across our island to help us achieve our state of Hawaii pledge to plant, conserve or restore 10 million trees a year.

This is in concert with the World Economic Goal of putting 1 trillion trees on the Earth by 2050.

7. Half of Hawaii’s cesspools are on the Big Island, some 49,300. Seepage from cesspools can make people sick, harm coral reefs and lead to a variety of ecological damage. By law, cesspools must be upgraded to septic systems by 2050. What can be done to help people who may not be able to afford the conversion?

Federal grants are available, called the Cesspool Pilot Grant Program (CPGP), and could be increased.

But honestly, the sewage treatment plants need to be brought up to EPA standards before any septic systems should be required.

8. What is the first thing Hawaii County should do to get in front of climate change rather than just reacting to it?

Get going on planting and restoring native trees across the island as I mentioned in question No. 6.  We have an obligation to do our part and to be an example to getting it done.

9. Should the Hu Honua biomass energy plant be allowed to start operating? Why or why not?

I am not sure because I do not know much about their effects on our air, which is full of vog and particulate matter from the volcano.

It would take some more research to see about this.

10. How would you make the county administration more transparent and accessible to the public?

Putting budgets online is possible, but more than anything good prompt communication to the public would be required.