Civil Beat has asked candidates for Hawaiʻi elections to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Micah Aiu, Democratic candidate for state House District 32, which includes Fort Shafter, Moanalua, Āliamanu, Foster Village, and portions of ʻAiea and Hālawa.

He will face Republican incumbent Garner Shimizu in the general election on Nov. 3.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job? And why do you want the job?

As an attorney for the last ten years, I have had to interpret laws and advise clients on how those laws apply. Legislation is often written in ways that is unclear and disconnected from how people and businesses actually operate. I want to bring a practical perspective to the legislative process to ensure that policies are both clear and workable. I also have experience serving as a Representative from 2022 to 2024. I want to help move Hawaii forward with good policy that benefits everyone.

What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

Affordability is one of the most pressing issues facing my community. During my first term in the Legislature, I served on the House Finance Committee, where I focused on ensuring taxpayer dollars were spent responsibly. If the State can reduce wasteful or unnecessary government spending, we can create real opportunities to roll back income, property, and general excise taxes and deliver meaningful relief to working families.

Here’s one question from your constituents: Do you support maintaining a monopoly for interisland shipping?

I do not support policies that limit competition or harm local consumers and businesses. Interisland shipping is a critical lifeline for Hawaii’s economy, and any system in place should prioritize reliability, fair pricing, and accountability. I support exploring ways to improve competition, strengthen oversight, and ensure that residents and local businesses are not burdened by unnecessarily high shipping costs.

What do you think were the most important bills to come out of the 2026 Legislature? What failed that should have passed? What passed that you wish had failed?

One of the most important bill to pass in 2026 was SB 3125, which preserved the promised income tax cuts for working-class and middle-income families originally enacted in 2024. I was a member of the House Finance Committee when we initially passed these tax cuts in 2024.

The 2026 session was also overshadowed by an issue of public trust: $35,000 in the brown paper bag given to an “influential” state lawmaker. What do you think the Legislature needs to do going forward to rebuild public confidence in state government?

The legislature needs to remain focused on real policies that actually help working families. There will always be rogue bad actors that cast an entire group in a bad light. The legislature needs to continue to do good work and let it speak for itself.

In recent years, Hawai’i has experienced a series of damaging and dangerous weather events that have exposed weaknesses in our planning, preparation and response. What could you as a lawmaker do to help your district be better prepared?

Every month I personally attend the community association and neighborhood security watch meetings in my community. As a lawmaker, I commit to continuing to attend those meetings and will provide the community with key information to remain prepared for any potential weather or natural disaster.

What would you do in office to address the here and now of climate change? And how would you address the costs to taxpayers, property owners and businesses to adapt?

I would prioritize funding for building climate-resilient infrastructure which includes modernizing Hawaii’s stormwater and drainage systems to prevent flooding and improving our water, sewer, and power systems against extreme weather events.

Over 3,000 bills are introduced every session and there is always frantic horsetrading in the final days of session. Do you think there should be a limit on the number of bills introduced to enable more meaningful debate?

The number of bills introduced is not causally related to the rushed deadlines at the end of session, and simply limiting bill introductions will not solve that problem. The legislative process is designed in such a way that only a small percentage of bills, the “best” ones, actually advance and ultimately pass. Deadlines play an essential role in that process. Without them, legislation could stall indefinitely, making it far more difficult to move meaningful proposals forward.

Hawaiʻi lawmakers are often in the dark about how much a piece of legislation will cost because the Aloha State is the only one in the nation that doesn’t require a fiscal analysis for bills. Should lawmakers be forced to put a realistic price tag on the legislation they introduce?

Yes, because otherwise bills are introduced that are unrealistic to implement. Good intentions alone are not enough. My opponent has introduced bills to increase tax credits, increase spending in certain areas, and reduce GET all with no ways to increase revenue. All that sound good on paper but is not grounded in practical reality. Passing laws without understanding its true cost risks raising expectations that cannot be met, ultimately, eroding public trust.

There are no term limits for state legislators in Hawaiʻi, so incumbents tend to win. Would you seek to change that? Why or why not?

I reject the premise based on personal experience that incumbents tend to win. In 2022, the House of Representatives welcomed 18 new House members. In 2024, there were at least 12 new members. 6 incumbents were defeated including the then Speaker of House. The only thing term limits do is restrict otherwise worth people who want to serve from running for office. I would not seek to implement any change to limits at this time. The votes should decide who would best represent them.

What would you do to help improve the state’s public school system?

1. Recruit, retain, and support our teachers. This includes properly compensating our teachers and ensuring they have the resources to be successful. 2. Parental accountability. This requires that parents are involved in their student’s education.

Hawaiʻi is heavily reliant on tourism. What would you propose to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy?

A key step to diversifying Hawaii’s economy is rolling back onerous government regulations that prevent certain industries and small businesses from taking root and thriving in our state. Too often, entrepreneurs and companies face long permitting delays, high compliance costs, and uncertainty that discourage investment. By streamlining these processes, we can unlock growth in areas like construction, renewable energy, agriculture, technology, and local manufacturing.

An estimated 60% of Hawaii residents are struggling to get by. It’s a problem that reaches far beyond low-income folks and into the middle class, which is disappearing. What would you do to help?

I support initiatives that increase housing supply in a meaningful way including eliminating burdensome governmental regulations, speeding up permitting, and supporting workforce housing—especially near rail. I also support reducing costs of housing ownership by dramatically increasing the owner-occupant exemption for real property taxes.