Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi general election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Zak Wittenhagen, Republican candidate for state House District 4, covering Black Sands Beach Subdivision, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hawaiian Beaches, Kalapana, Koae, Leilani Estates, Nanawale Estates, Pāhoa, Pohoiki and Seaview Estates.

He will face incumbent Democrat Gregor Ilagan.

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

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

​Why I’m suited: My background defines my qualification. Having grown up in poverty and relied on safety nets like EBT and Social Security, I know the reality of living paycheck-to-paycheck. That hardship built the grit and work ethic I bring today. ​Why I want it: I am running purely to serve my constituents, not special interests. I want to secure vital infrastructure and expand Social Security and food assistance to ease the daily burdens of hardworking families.

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?

The biggest issue facing District 4 is the severe lack of critical road and housing infrastructure to support our rapid growth. Within my first six months, I will introduce and push for the passage of the Puna Attainable Housing and Infrastructure (PAHI) Act. This bill tackles the crisis head-on by funding centralized wastewater systems, prioritizing alternate emergency road routes, streamlining land use approvals and creating developer tax credits for true workforce housing.

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

Yes, I support maintaining interisland shipping systems. High living costs are a heavy burden for residents across all our islands, and a reliable, efficient interisland shipping network is vital to lowering those everyday expenses. By streamlining and strengthening how goods move between islands, we can cut down supply costs and provide much-needed financial relief to hardworking families statewide.

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 bill that should not have passed was House Bill 1728, (requires the counties to allow for the installation and operation of rainwater catchment systems). There have been a lot of different opinions on this one, but I do not support it at all.

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?

Transparency is the number one most important thing. And actually holding people accountable for their actions. That’s a pretty good start.

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?

To better protect our district, we must stop reacting to disasters and start engineering resilience. As a lawmaker, I will secure funding for reliable alternate emergency road routes and decentralize our infrastructure to move it away from vulnerable systems. Preparation means ensuring every neighborhood has safe evacuation paths and robust utilities so our community isn’t cut off when severe weather strikes.

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?

Climate change isn’t a future problem it’s hitting our families and properties right now. To help businesses and residents adapt without breaking the bank, I would introduce the Freedom for Puna Act. It cuts the General Excise Tax (GET) by 10% for local small businesses and gives voters direct control over tax funds for emergency roads and disaster hubs. We tackle climate threats head-on while putting money back into the pockets of taxpayers.

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?

I’m 50/50 on this. On one hand, limiting bills could stop the chaotic, last-minute horsetrading and let us focus on meaningful debate for the policies that truly matter. On the other hand, every community especially fast-growing districts like Puna — needs a voice, and an arbitrary cap might silence crucial solutions. Instead of a hard limit, we should focus on stricter prioritization and better organization so quality legislation always rises to the top.

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, absolute transparency is vital. Lawmakers should be required to put a realistic price tag on the legislation they introduce. Hawaiʻi is the only state without mandatory fiscal analysis, which leaves taxpayers and representatives in the dark. Giving the public and lawmakers clear, honest cost estimates ensures we actually know what a bill will cost before it moves forward, putting accountability back into the hands of the people.

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?

Putting it simply, we need term limits.

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

To improve our schools, we must attract and retain passionate educators who truly care about student success. I will advocate for restoring vital extracurriculars like band and introducing non-partisan civics classes so high schoolers learn about government objectively. Furthermore, I fully support providing free, nutritious meals so no child goes hungry or faces lunch debt, alongside upgrading campus security to ensure a strictly safe environment for both students and teachers.

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

To reduce our reliance on tourism, we must invest in local agriculture, small businesses, and community culture. A great start is bringing back the county fair for all counties to celebrate local growers, artisans, and families. This doesn’t mean we can’t do something bigger at a later time to help sway away from tourism we must also cut red tape for local makers and build sustainable industries. Diversifying means empowering our communities to sustain themselves.

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?

Coming from poverty, I know firsthand what it means to struggle paycheck-to-paycheck. Today, that squeeze is crushing our disappearing middle class too. To fix this, we must lower the actual cost of living. I would cut the General Excise Tax (GET) for local small businesses to lower consumer prices, protect essential programs like Social Security, and expand attainable housing and infrastructure so working families can finally breathe and build a real future here.