They might, but we dont know. Paid for by Amemiya for Mayor, P.O. We need to pivot towards a more multi-modal transportation system. Hey, were gonna possibly redevelop Sherwood Forest. Provide zero-interest down payment assistance to first time homebuyers. Well, we need to look at overhauling through the department. Keith Amemiya is a candidate in the 2020 Honolulu mayoral election.. Were gonna talk about it, we wanna hear your view points. The state needs to also improve the quality of womens wellness and LGBTQIA+ healthcare services on the neighbor islands. Im not against all vacation rentals. High cost of living is the number one concern I hear from working class families across Oahu, and I was the first, and Im the only candidate to have a housing-for-all plan. We need to provide more services. I first met Kalei when she was in middle school and, because she couldnt get the type of training and player development she needed on Molokai, Bonny and I agreed to let her live with us, explains Amemiya. You know for some reason, I thought I might be asked that today, and I have the answer. Would you impose a minimum wage of, say, $20 an hour for across-the-board, or for the hospitality industry, or something like that? And I dont know if those two are fully being utilized under the current constraints of the commission. We have limited resources, so its imperative that the next mayor have a good relationship with our federal delegation, our state delegation and the City Council, and I intend to have a good relationship with all three. "I'm running for. Lack of collaboration, partisan divide, pettiness, you name it. Im hoping theres another infusion, but in the interim, we need to use our resources in the non-profit industry. It could be it could be a policy position or even just a personal philosophy. Keith, Mayor (Kirk) Caldwell just signed the latest city budget. However, the Thirty Meter Telescope has seemingly become the tipping point for Native Hawaiian issues and concerns that have been ignored for far too long, and an example of how difficult it is to come back to the table once trust has been broken. Keith, I wanted to talk about the movement at Mauna Kea, because it has sparked a movement on every island, especially here on Oahu. If I could follow up, both on Mahea and Daryls point, some people said, Wheres this guy coming from?' MARK GALACGAC PHOTO. Were currently 22,000 units short on Oahu. He prefers to tout his accomplishments as a statewide leader, which includes years of public service as executive director of Hawaii High School Athletic Association and executive administrator to the Board of Regents at University of Hawaii. How would that work? Were also coming out of a remarkable situation, the police chief convicted, his wife, the former deputy prosecutor, theres a loss of confidence in the part of the citizens, the City and County of Honolulu, whether they can trust an HPD officer. Mental illness is a problem that no one wished upon themselves, they cant help it, and I was frustrated Im still frustrated at the lack of services, the lack of awareness, the lack of priority by government to address that concern. And we as a government need to do what we can to facilitate it. Access to food, housing costs, small business needs, unemployment benefits, and clear communication to the public are my top priorities when dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayoral candidate @keithamemiya joins me to discuss all of the issues we as a community are dealing with in the unprecedented time. Homelessness Mental He. Well, to stay on this topic for just a minute, because its so big, not just from TMT, but here on Oahu alone, you mentioned Sherwoods. I also believe we need to improve in the following areas: Clearer, more consistent communication to the public, with coordination from all levels of government and business and community leaders. Over the last ten years, the state legislature has failed on many of the issues that matter most to people in Hawaii affordable housing, homelessness, the cost of living, climate change, and protecting our environment. So if theres a project where the developer engaged in honest, meaningful communication, followed the process and got approval, then yes, theres a point, government needs to enforce the law, of course. Reaching out to the public, you need to make sure the public knows. Keith Y Amemiya: Address 1942 Lusitana St Apt C, Honolulu, HI Keith Amemiya, 56 Summary Court Records Reviews Contact & Personal Details Relatives & Associates Keith Amemiya is 56 years old today because Keith's birthday is on 09/01/1965. More so when she was living on her own, and thats another thing people dont realize, theres different levels of mental illness. Yes, its a non-partisan race, but almost everybody I come across asks me what party I belong to. She was living independently, but clearly needed help. Does that influence you that, Oh, Ive gotta make sure UPW and HGEA are happy?' Well, again, I stand by my party affiliation, but I wanna assure everyone I'll work across the aisle, I'll work with everyone, but my foundation is Democratic Party base. Its important for a mayor to lead by example, and right now the public has little trust in government and political leaders, says Amemiya. I have the experience to bring solutions to problems. Amemiya is perhaps best known for his tenure as the HHSAAs Executive Director, during which the HHSAA doubled the number of state championships held annually, including introducing many new sports for female student-athletes, to the point that Hawaii now holds the most state championships in the country. And thats what I intend to do as mayor. We need to restore trust in government. Thats my intent. Homelessness is a complicated problem, as we all know. I know theres a federal investigation ongoing, and lets see where it takes us. The seeds the Kobayashis had planted in their hnai son had begun to bear good fruit; the first signs of his gritty can-do, not cant-do attitude were firmly taking root. Its focused on three areas: number one, focus on housing for Oahu residents and not out-of-state residents; number two, eliminating the variables that increase the cost of housing in Hawaii, like about 8,000 illegal vacation rentals that are still in existence on the island; and then third, we need to take steps to make it easier to develop affordable housing in the urban core, whether thats the city creating more sewage infrastructure, more water infrastructure, allowing more density, you know, speeding up the building permit process. We just wanted to launch into the questions for this job interview. We dont have the money to pay that back. These strategies can be implemented at the State level to create more housing: The more dialogue, the more feedback, the better for everyone. So far, momentum appears to be on his side with last weeks news that he was outpacing his political rivals in campaign funds raised with more than $1.2 million. No, not the law, so much. Im also in favor of looking at maybe real property tax deferral, where they dont have to pay it now, but they can pay it later. BUSINESS BANKING Beyond the Basics is a blog dedicated to nancial literacy in Hawaii. Who planned it badly? Its not for personal gain, for wealth or fame, but its to fix problems and make the community better.. So, I empathize with other families who have to deal with that, and I think we need to do more as a society to address it and not just sweep it under the rug. They married in 1996 and have a son. I know there are challenges. And number two, we didnt rent it out as a vacation rental or Airbnb unit. Its pretty powerful people that are very well connected, and very entrenched, you might even say, Are you really your own man, or are other people pushing you to take this job? Chief Ballard said that HPD cant be compared to police departments on the mainland, that she doesnt believe theres a systemic problem particularly involving racism, perhaps violence and misconduct. HONOLULU, HI | February 25, 2021 Central Pacific Bank Foundation (CPB Foundation) announces the appointment of Keith Amemiya as its Executive Director. After graduating from Punahou in 1983, Amemiya studied finance and law at the University of Hawaii at Mnoa, where he earned his degrees. Its a problem thats often swept under the rug, whether family members or society is embarrassed by it and doesnt wanna deal with it, but its a thing, its a problem, and we need to address it. In the long run, when we fully build out transit-oriented development at every rail station, it will result in millions and millions of dollars in real property tax revenue for the city, so we cant wait any longer, and we need to do what we can. They have failed to deliver a true living wage or paid family leave. We met, we first met when I was running high school sports, and weve kept in contact since. In 2020, ATS served 1,030 men and women, down from the previous year due to fewer available beds caused by critical funding cuts and COVID-related regulations, said Major Jeff Martin, Divisional Leader, The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division. You need to surround yourself with honorable, decent people who always do the right thing. Keith Amemiya. Did you ever stand up for a young female athletes while you were there? Both have lots of bodies, both have lots of money. Require legislators to follow sunshine laws. Anyone who lives in those areas have an expectation that there will be tourist as their neighbors. Like they went to a neighborhood board, had it on the agenda, three people showed up, it got approved and they moved on. [11][12][13] Blangiardi won the runoff with 58.2% of the vote. So it is with Keith Amemiya, who, thanks to the lessons taught by his hnai parents and his years of public service, has grown into the next possible mayor of Honolulu. And the unions are aware, Ive spoken to HGEA in particular and they know that change needs to be made. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Theres no road map or playbook as to how to deal with this, so Im open to any and all ideas, and I dont wanna be so steadfast to say that we absolutely wont work with the hotels. Theyve had their chance. He also served as Executive Director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. When I joined the HHSAA, I saw glaring inequity that our female student athletes were having less opportunities to compete in sports. His leadership is proving invaluable to hit the ground running, forging a bright path forward beyond the current pandemic and continuing our mission of supporting Hawaii communities.. Relatives & Associates. Ive led large statewide organizations. To his credit, he didnt buckle under pressure. Well, by all accounts, they rushed it. I think I saw a recent study that showed that most people in Hawaii lived within several miles of their place of work. I dont know if its the same degree or not, but Im a firm believer in you can always be better, you should always try to be better. I agree with her that the vast majority of our officers in Honolulu are honorable law-abiding people who care about our community, but theres always room for improvement. I do know that it was a little higher than the prior year, its an ambitious budget, its an aggressive budget, and time will tell whether they can fulfill all the mandates in that budget. As Bonny puts it, When you spend a lot of time with someone, I guess they just grow on you.. I also have a strong relationship with the legislature. He was born and raised in Windward O'ahu, where his maternal grandparents Whitney and Hannie Anderson, and mother and stepfather Kim and John Puchalski, raised him . After graduating from Punahou in 1983, Amemiya studied finance and law at the University of Hawaii at Mnoa, where he earned his degrees. I sympathize with the public. The same can be said for using the states commercial and industrial holdings as potential sites for technology companies in the biotechnology and innovative technology sectors. Theyre part of the problem. Hillary Clinton got the other two-thirds, but you basically told one-third of the voters out there, Republican who did not vote Democrat, you know, These are the guys Im going with, cause by the way, David Ige and Scott Saiki and Ron Kouchi, and all of the members of the delegation in Congress, are Democrats too. As one of Amemiyas first actions as Executive Director, CPB Foundation awarded The Salvation Army's Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division a $100,000 grant to support their Addiction Treatment Services (ATS) program located in Nuuanu. When I was in charge of the (HHSAA), I had the opportunity to visit every community on this island. For example, two industries have demonstrated potential in Hawaii, but have not been fully leveraged: 1) film and media production and 2) technology and innovation. It was good for me in the long run, says an appreciative Amemiya in assessing the Kobayashis impact on his life. I mean, thats clear, given the overruns that rail has shown us from the start. We need to dedicate significant funds to subsidize the cost of infrastructure development for affordable housing developers. Keith Amemiya, better known by her family name Keith Amemiya, is a popular American business executive and politician. Umm, there must be some issue I changed my mind on, and I need to think about it a little more. We need to empower principals to make decisions that are right for their students and communities and invest more in our schools and communities to truly support our next generations. While critics like to point out his lack of political experience, Amemiya takes pride in his outsider status, viewing it as an argument against the status quo. They want someone different, and they want someone new. The Amemiyas were not alone. Additionally, Amemiya was the one who, despite early opposition from school administrators, fought to expand the number of girls sports programs, and won. As a business leader, I have been able to bridge gaps between our businesses and our communities. We need them to succeed. What the Kobayashis did for me transformed my life, Amemiya finalizes, and Ive always thought that if every teenager could just get one adult to believe in them, what a better world we would have.. A lot of families dont have that opportunity, but we took that opportunity, and we didnt do two things that I wanted. The green passport, I believe Ive heard that term used. We need new leadership. And they have a lottery system, if Im not mistaken, where not everyone can get a car even if they want to. Well, we need to get out of our cars and car pool. Learn more here. While their stays are at best only over the summers and school breaks, these student-athletes are no doubt appreciative of the generosity demonstrated by the Amemiyas. Im sorry. We talk with Keith about the reasons why he's running for lieutenan. Number two, requiring an affirmative duty of an officer to intervene if a fellow officer is engaged in wrongdoing, especially in the use of physical force. Of course, those ordinary days figure to be history if Amemiya finds a new home at Honolulu Hale. That may change by the time this interview airs, but I think people are crying out for restoring trust, for seeing in the George Floyd marches across the country. Im clearly my own man, and I do know all those people, but none of them asked me to run for office. Both situations, theyre not good. The public needs to pay attention more, too. I worry about her today, shes in a care home now, but still, I think about her constantly. Amemiya, 54, has until the Aug. 8 primary to convince Oahu voters that he deserves to lead the city into the next decade. Because from what I see, youve been a director of a non-profit and you work at an insurance company, but youve got no direct experience in government, no direct experience in a for-profit business. We have talented local producers and compelling stories to tell that can be part of a regenerative economy. Since then, the family has lived a rather ordinary life within the walls of their Pauoa home. Everyone tells me that the system in the Department of Planning and Permitting is outdated. Its the number one issue here as well, based on my feedback from constituents. Well, to me, were at the point where we need to do what we can to finish the project. Thats not genuine. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. And as the mayor, you can control a couple of things in that regard. Keith Amemiya, an Oahu businessman, attorney and former director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, announced on Tuesday that he is running for mayor of Honolulu. from the William S. Richardson School of Law. Inspired by the example set by his hnai family following his biological parents divorce when he was 10, Amemiya has graciously opened up his home to neighbor island athletes over the past two decades. So what do you say to those folks who have some sort of vacation rental, what even to you do to them if youre mayor? Keith, you know, whenever we mention illegal vacation rentals, we always have people call us and say whether theyre illegal or not, they need that income from that house or from that room in their house to supplement their income because our cost of living is so bad. Id rather look at cutting those positions, then positions held by live bodies, so to speak. Again, this is another example of why we need new leadership. We have heard in the middle of this pandemic from behavioral health specialists that they are deeply concerned that depression will get worse, domestic violence, all of these other issues will get worse because of the pandemic. Amemiya is the son of former Hawaii Attorney General Ronald Amemiya. Work with community organizations to go beyond just saying no and move into envisioning what we are willing and wanting to say yes to affordable housing in their communities. And number three, implicit bias training. Theyre trying to find a contract with a group of companies that would not only build the last stage of the rail, but also will maintain it and run it for the next 30 years at a price that is affordable to the city. This is an economic situation changing by the week, changing by the month, its unprecedented. He's trying to convince voters it's his biggest strength. Its a tough situation, its like the pandemic, we havent really faced that in our lifetime or even before, and we need to just work together. Weve gone too far. Over time, yes, you realized something was amiss with her. Why did you do that, when the office of mayor is non-partisan? Keith Amemiya, thank you so much for your time. The guest is Keith Amemiya. Why cant we testify via Skype, like I said, or Facetime? I wanted to switch gears over to rail, and I know Daryl, you wanted, you had several questions on the rail project. I also think we need to enforce and make a stronger ethics commission. Her work seeks to hold the government accountable for how it spends money and makes decisions that affect people's lives. You showed your cards there. In the primary, former U.S. representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district Colleen Hanabusa, former state senator John Carroll, and former mayor of Honolulu Mufi Hannemann were eliminated along with many other candidates. Let me say this: When I see homeless on the sidewalk, I feel sad. His mother suffered from mental illness and Keith was brought up by various relatives until he moved in with a friend whose father, Bert T. Kobayashi Jr., became Keith's hnai father. Again, you need to enforce the vacation rental laws. Check us out any time for great content and great community. Or did you change anything? Amemiya's campaign web site says he and his wife purchased a. For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Keith Amemiya . I struggled financially, admits Amemiya in recalling that period of his life in the 1980s. So every situation is different, and in some cases, my sense is that the developers checked every box that they were supposed to check. I am the only candidate who has a detailed plan to clean up corruption so that we can focus on the critical issues facing working families statewide, such as affordable housing, homelessness, and climate change. PHOTOS COURTESY KEITH AMEMIYA. Do you think that it was incompetence or criminality that got us where we are? Industries such as agriculture, aquaculture and renewable energy should be further explored after having been neglected for far too long, he says. The next mayor needs to do something about it. How does that comment make you feel? Our neighborhoods were being altered, the character of them and the nature of them, and a lot of my friends who lived in areas from Kaimuki to Pearl City to Kailua complained about the proliferation of tourists living right next door to them in residential neighborhoods. Amemiya testified before a federal grand jury Thursday. I created girls water polo, I created girls judo, I created girls wrestling. I mean, theyre all lumped together and its huge, huge concerns, and theyre lumped together and they both have the same solution. Its governments failure in general. Would you require something like that as part of the permitting process, some kind of online forum for people that developers would have to go through, reach out to people really let people engage? I mean, why not? I was heavily involved in that project, it was a project involving the state, the city, the non-profit sector, and we were able to build, in rather short order, 150 homes housing 600 people, 150 families that were previously homeless, and there are plans in the works to build more of those. And Im in favor of that. Everythings okay, weve heard you, youve had a chance to voice your concerns, but were moving ahead. Would you support that project? Collin Moore, Hawaii News Now Political Analyst: Is there one or two big ideas that voters should connect with your candidacy? Did you see all that, and did you try and take action on it? So I dont wanna speculate. They tout the wrong kind of experience. Sir John Mills CBE (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 1908 - 23 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. Eliminating taxes on food, medicine, diapers, and other essential products. I know their issues. They already are in Kaaawa and places like that. Those people need revenue, their lack of having gainful employment affects all of us, affects the citys revenue, affects the states revenue, the federal revenue. On his campaign. Im not complaining about it, but its stressful to have to care and worry about someone in your family thats mentally ill. Its on your mind numerous times a day, everyday. What's one of the more difficult periods of your life and how did you lift yourself out of it? What are you gonna do about this very fundamental problem? Amemiya rallied many community groups, including his sons baseball teammates at Punahou School, to assist with the building of Kahauiki Village. Are you the candidate thats going to end homelessness on Oahu once and for all? If anything, people on the community level, in the working class level, theyve asked me to run up for office for years and years, and I resisted for various reasons. I created a separate girls golf as a sport. Everyone has some relative or friend who has mental illness, and its its like any other illness. Okay, youre from the police commission. Keith, in your latest television commercial, you talk about your family, and you also remind viewers that youre a Democrat. And by the way, Civil Beat has reported over the years on a lot of bad cops. Let me ask though, other candidates in the race have been making a lot of accusations about fraud, corruption, contractor, even theft from the system. So Im in support of that. I even worked the weekends as a handyman to help pay my way through college at the University of Hawaii and law school afterward.. Keith, when was the last time you changed your mind about something important? Speaking of fairness, what about for the hotels that have been essentially not able to operate for months what about giving them a tax break on property taxes? We need to have someone who will bring people together to find solutions to it and just build more affordable housing. It would also create a diverse field of new local jobs that pay competitively in industries to help keep our young people in Hawaii and create more remote working opportunities so workers can spend more time with their families rather than on the road. Keith Amemiya (born 1965 or 1966) is an American business executive and politician who ran in the 2020 Honolulu mayoral election. [18], Amemiya's biological parents divorced when he was 10 years old, and he was raised afterward by a friend's family. Its been disastrous from before construction. I believe youve actually considered amending our city charter to give the commission more teeth. During his 12 years with HHSAA, for example, he successfully persuaded many risk-averse principals and athletic directors to launch a second state championship division for the so-called smaller schools. It was a move that not only brought in more money for the state, but also increased the level of excitement for prep sports exponentially. In 2018, the ACLU had to sue the state of Hawaii to get equal treatment for women, for girl athletes. Ive been able to bring people together, Ive been able to collaborate, and Ive been able to find solutions through team work. Is it really almost done? We can do other things, and maybe were gonna talk about Sunshine Law before this hour is over, but we need to get more meaningful engagement from the community, not just neighborhood board commission meetings. We bought a unit in the open market, we bought it for our son, we paid market rate in the hopes, hes in college now, we bought it in the hopes that when hes done with college, he comes back home and has a place to stay. Yes, absolutely, but this does not address the long-term issues. What would a future generation of Hawaii say about you in three words? Whose failure is that? To be honest, there's 15 candidates, I know some better than others, but I view myself in terms of the candidates I know, to be the most liberal. I felt concerned for her. Homes on the North Shore, when the tide is up, what are you gonna do about this? So to be clear, I wasn't there in 2018, and I don't think any of you are suggesting I was, so during my tenure, there were a lot of improvements to female athlete facilities. So as mayor, if you find yourself in the middle of it, what do you say to each of those factions, when people are putting themselves on the line? "Keith brings a wealth of knowledge, relationships and experience to CPB Foundation," said Catherine Ngo, Chair, CPB Foundation. Corruption scandals at the Capitol have shaken our trust in Hawaiis elected officials. Therefore, following graduation from Punahou School, he would be expected to fend for himself. If theres a shortage of workers at DPP, lets look at outsourcing even more and focus more on compliance and enforcement on the back end. We need to be creative. Well, Plan A is what I hope happens, that we have a viable option that works out for the city. In the near-term, abortion rights will be protected in our state, but we need to work to strengthen these rights at the state level, such as ensuring greater access for medical abortions across all islands and creating opportunities for others from outside the state to access medical services here. And one of the initiatives I wanna undertake as mayor is to create an Office of Community Engagement, and that offices job is to go out in the community and speak to people way ahead of any project thats gonna be proposed. Coordination of evidence-based and research-driven practices for community-wide testing and vaccinations. So I think if you cut down on that, itll help the over-tourism that we all felt. We plan on helping him merge morals and values. To him, it was just another way of giving back to the community while also paying homage to the family who took him in and taught him, among other things, how to be plucky and stand on his own two feet. And the police commission has less power, duties and responsibilities than one would think, and given all the attention on police reform nationwide and here locally, I think its a great time to revisit that situation and see if the Commission can have more oversight and authority. You say that you want to restore trust in government. By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Terms of Service. Would you continue that practice. It wont supersede the neighborhood boards, itll supplement the neighborhood boards. Wow. Hes appointed me to a couple of state boards and commissions. The power of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor can be used to coordinate and work between state agencies, convene working groups for departments working on housing issues, and streamline existing processes. They had four children of their own, and I was a fifth child, so to speak to them, and I learned a lot about giving back, compassion, selflessness, and just doing good when you dont expect anything in return. Well, we need to do what we can to find them alternative places to live. If the man who hopes to be Oahus mayor has learned anything in life, its that good deeds need to be reciprocated. We still own the unit, were renting it out to a local family who cant afford to buy a unit of their own in town, but wanted to live in town and are renting from us. In television ads, he talks about how his mother suffered from mental illness and was on the brink of. Is that Kirk Caldwell and David Ige? Im a firm believer, when I was on the commission 10 years ago, Im a firm believer now, that any effective oversight body, especially one involving the police and law enforcement, needs transparency and accountability. Give us something different, something that would bring down the number of tourists, other than Airbnbs and get you this high spending tourist you keep talking about it. Well, Id like to think that my hallmark, my background, is based on trust and integrity. What have they done wrong? Im not just gonna work with Democrats because Im a Democrat, but I do believe and stand by Democratic ideals. The additional space at the Hawaii State Hospital is a start, but we need long-term treatment facilities for our communities that dont require someone to hurt another person before they receive care. Hawaiis cost of living is hurting our families and communities. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 13, 2022. Remember, one-third of the people in this state actually voted for President Trump. We need to find a different place for them. Its legal. When I served on the commission, Chief Kealoha wasnt the chief and I wasnt involved in the selection of Chief Kealoha. What did that experience teach you about mental illness that other people could learn from, and how will it affect your ability to deal with the terrible mental illness problems we have in this city? The overturning of Roe v. Wade is a tragic blow to a womans right to choose and has dangerous implications to other civil rights and freedoms in our country. You can impose a tourist passport tax, to levy against tourists, and itll be used to help provide or pay down infrastructure. And we saw first-hand that the incidences of domestic violence were already increasing. This link will redirect you to a site that may have certain associated risks, including not being insured by federal deposit insurance. What we need now, more than ever, is not another career politician or lobbyist, but a true leader, who knows how to bring people together to get things done. Its a comprehensive plan that seeks to aggressively reduce the housing vacancy or housing inventory shortage that we have right now. Copyright MidWeek | All rights reserved. Keith, one of the major contributors here to the carbon, to our carbon footprint, is road transportation. What would you do differently than current and previous mayors? I felt it was important to take a stand to show what party I belong to. Keith brings a wealth of knowledge, relationships and experience to CPB Foundation, said Catherine Ngo, Chair, CPB Foundation. Im in support of vacation rentals in resort areas like Waikiki and Ko Olina. Our vision is to be a leader in shaping a more vital and thriving Hawaii as the foundation for future generations. Thats a function of poor communication between government and our citizenry, and thats something that I wanna emphasize as mayor. Senator Brian Schatz, and was appointed by several state leaders to serve on citizen boards, including the Honolulu Police Commission, Hawaii Board of Education, and Aloha Stadium Authority board.[2]. If you have any, ideas on how to deal with that, all the cars on the road, buses, other things? I suspect that if Im elected mayor, our lives are all going to change, he says. It clearly is, and we need to take action now. I strongly support diversifying our local economy, and driving tourism in a more regenerative direction. This Endless Young people are leaving our state in alarming numbers, and we cant attract and retain essential workers because Hawaii is simply not affordable. One of the cornerstones of his campaign addresses Honolulus severe housing deficit, which he says is 22,000 units short of demand. To fix this issue, hes vowed to curb activities such as illegal vacation rentals, which he argues increases the cost of housing. Can I ask, what was your involvement with the 801 South project? Again, when it comes to experience, theres different types of experience, and they have the wrong kind of experience. Id like to talk about homelessness a little bit, because it was cited as the number one issue of concern among residents in the latest National Community Survey, and the recent Point In Time count shows that numbers are virtually unchanged from last year. I basically doubled the amount of female sports opportunities during my tenure. Keith we wanted to change a little bit of direction and get to know a little bit more personal side, a side that a lot of people don't know about. There were no sparks during their initial encounter, in which they initially found themselves working on opposite sides of a lawsuit. Im for open communication, transparency, we need to make it easier for people to have their say, and technology has proven that you can do it. Government needs to continue to be vigilant and make decisions to protect our residents based on science and best practices. My understanding is that theyre nearly finished with it, and it is a road map, a guide map on how to address climate change in the next several decades. We need to do all of that, because housing is in short supply on the island. During this pandemic, my campaign pivoted from campaigning for a while and provided meals to low income elementary school students, healthcare workers and domestic violence survivors, and their children. Thats what mayors do, thats what leaders do, is find solutions to very difficult situations. Commissioner, right, you actually ran that back under Mayor Hannemann, if I remember correctly, Hannemann. But you also have to do your homework and show them on paper, and once you get a track record of success, then the next time you propose something, theyre more open to it.. Well, I think we have to wait and see. We have to wait and see. I just, I knew she wasnt acting like that on purpose, I knew something was wrong, so if anything, I felt compassion for her. Its not good to have a homeless person living on the sidewalk, but the solution to that is more affordable housing, more mental health treatment, more drug abuse treatment. Stopping it actually makes a situation worse again. His mother suffered from mental illness and Keith was brought up by various relatives until he moved in with a friend whose father, Bert T. Kobayashi Jr., became Keith's hnai father. #7-500 We have become far too reliant upon waiting for our Congressional delegation to bring home resources, when most states and counties are proactively applying for funds. At least two of your competitors say that they dont need training wheels to be mayor. Theyre entitled to what they say. The ethics commission should have more enforcement powers. Climate change is the crisis of our lifetime, he notes. Why cant we have online submittal, or registering for testimony? We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. So what specific steps would you take to do that? We also need to look at more third-party review. So I dont think we need to cut any other departments while were improving the quality of service at DPP. Being able to house our families is at the heart of our responsibility to ensure a basic quality of life for our communities. The state needs to work with the counties to ensure zoning regulations help support development for residential housing. Theres only a few hundred shelter beds available at any one time, so in the meantime, when there is this immediate situation, would you continue enforcement? You need to lead by example. What would you do to help them, either by creating jobs or otherwise helping people who are really vulnerable right now, in very big numbers? I cant think of one off hand. Kahauiki Village is a perfect, perfect example. The Jazz said Hundley died at his home in the Phoenix area. It taught me that its a difficult problem, there are not enough services for mentally ill people. Right now, my favorite song is Mama Mia, cause. Like it or not, Im forewarning you, we have a campaign song that is sung to that tune. Whats your Plan B for the rail system? Yet, Amemiya apparently did well enough over time to convince her that he was the one. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Additionally, he is credited with reuniting the Oahu public and private schools in football after 48 years of separation, a feat many thought was impossible. I know the Hawaii Community Foundation has been helping a lot, Aloha United Way has helped a lot, the Hawaii Foodbank, and just us as a citizenry, we always come through for each other. The lieutenant governors office is an office of opportunity. Dutifully, Amemiya accepted the Kobayashis decision even though at the time, he had no idea what it took to be a young, responsible adult with everything resting on his shoulders. I used to spend weekends with them often, and one day they asked me, or told me like, Hey, why dont you live with us?' Prior to this pandemic crisis, the city was in pretty good financial shape. And number two, when you talk about change, those are probably two (of) the biggest organizations resistant to change. Ive been an executive in several areas in the private sector, the public sector, the non-profit sector. What makes you the leader that voters should trust to lead Oahu out of this pandemic crisis? Executive Director, Central Pacific Bank Foundation. When you say that rail was ill-planned, who do you blame for that? So in the meantime, would you continue sweeps? If a developer, for instance, followed the law, they did reach out to people such as the Kahuku windfarm. I know that costs money, but one organization that I feel strongly about, that I know can help domestic violence in particular is the Domestic Violence Action Center. I dont wanna say somethings gonna be cut until we know the true situation in terms of the citys finances a year from now. The next mayor needs to work with the state, the City Council, the legislature, the federal government to attack climate change. I had an office in the downtown area and it just wasnt a good environment for the homeless or the Chinatown merchants and shop-goers. How do you answer those two questions? Additionally, state government operates in silos much too often. What do you for them? But the homeless situation continues to be terrible in Chinatown. Theyre experienced in leaving their office to run for another office during the term that theyre sitting in office. Sure, there were issues, there always are, but none to the magnitude that occurred during Chief Kealohas tenure. The Amemiyas Christopher, Keith and Bonny currently call Pauoa home. Some of them are quiet, working-class. Join Facebook to connect with Keith Amemiya and others you may know. You have a heart condition, you go to the doctor. And there was certainly cultures of looking the other way for domestic violence, there was favoritism among police officers. He also intends to push for more affordable housing projects around Oahu, and lobby the private sector to develop additional residences within the urban core. And we exponentially increased the amount of college scholarship opportunities for girls. We need to do more proactive engagement with the community. Theyve been involved in politics. Keith, speaking about Governor Ige, obviously, one of the things the mayor will have to do is work closely with the governor and with the legislature, particularly now, in the recovery from COVID. We have to get the cost of living under control too many of our families and friends are already having to leave every year. All our focus is on COVID right now, were taking a hit budget-wise, but this is the biggest problem of our lifetime. You need to be proactive and you need to get out there constantly. bike to work, walk to work, catch the bus to work. Personal Banking Beyond the Basics is a blog dedicated to financial literacy in Hawaii. Keith has got a good skill-set when it comes to dealing with people and making connections with them, observes wife Bonny. I hear from everyone in the construction industry, the development industry, even the home improvement industry, people who wanna build an extension to their house. Telephone: 808-529-4747, Big Island mayor remembers Hilo couple fatally stabbed, Ron Menor, longtime Hawaii politician, dies at 67, Girl, 17, critically injured in vehicle crash in Hawaii Kai, Passengers video captures last moments before Nepal crash, Police search for suspects after visitor robbed in Kaneohe, Ascending Spyros Chakas named National Player of the Week, Hawaiian Home Lands seeks extension to spending deadline, Community contest announced to resolve name beef, Jan. 13, 2018: Hawaii officials send out false alert about incoming missile. The project has a least another five or six years, I think, to completion. thats the closest I can get. And thats why Im running. The real property tax assessments in the upcoming year, we cant assume or shouldnt assume that theyre gonna go down significantly. What did you do about that issue when you were actually there? We know how it worked out, now Sherwoods is finally off the table, but it seemed like people were listening and reaching out in the community. Most people, most politicians are saying they want to bring back a lower level of tourism. I will work with the governor to empower our office around affordable housing and dedicate staff and resources to work with statewide initiatives. Little wonder why so many of his supporters believe that in a city ripe for a leader who can galvanize the masses, Amemiya represents their best hope. Well, theres a couple of other ways. One of the very first guests to their home was former Molokai High standout Kalei Adolpho, who wound up starring in basketball and volleyball at University of Hawaii at Mnoa. Theyre more productive, theyre healthier, they have more time for their families, so any time you can raise the wage, Im in favor of it. My roots are deepest in education, having served as the Executive Director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, Executive Administrator and Secretary of the University of Hawaiis Board of Regents, and as a State of Hawaii Board of Education Member. Born on September 1, 1965 in United States, Keith Amemiya started his career as business executive and politician . My family was having some problems and I was taken in by my best friends family. Again, Im not saying nothing happened, but the meals and the cell block interactions, those happened before my tenure on the police commission. I care deeply about the community, and I want to create a better Hawaii and a better Oahu for all of us. We need to identify state lands that make sense for housing our communities. I need to show voters that Im running to be mayor for the right reason, he continues. Now, in terms of the project, you are talking about, transit-oriented development is one area where we can utilize to build more housing. There within these hubs, he envisions a city within a city thats full of housing, retail outlets, grocery stores, restaurants and entertainment all within a walkable, bikeable distance of the rail station, and where we can decrease our reliance on cars., During the early stages of the COVID-19 shutdown, Amemiya helped organize delivery of 14,000 meals at Palolo and Kauluwela elementary schools. Essentially, they told him that although they had welcomed him into their home and raised him since his early teenage years, he the childhood buddy of their son Christopher and someone whom Bert had frequently coached in youth sports leagues needed to learn to stand on his own. Whoever was involved in the beginning of the project before construction. But is it really almost done? Mauna Kea is a special place for Hawaii, for spirituality, and for the universe. We have many people working second and third jobs, but they need to pay attention. At the time, he was a young civil litigation attorney and Bonny (formerly Suzui) was the CFO of a local fast food chain. So the rail project right now, its a major step. They started that way, and they dont have the resources to pick up and move. They dont want people with long-time experience in politics. And again, I know you said we cant keep mentioning illegal vacation rentals, but that will play a huge role in limiting the type and quality of tourists that we have. You know, not all residential areas that are on the seashore are high-end residential areas. Do you support that, given what you just said about the hotel industry, and what mechanisms do you think there is there within the power of a mayor to actually control the flow, the number and the type of tourists? Well, that was a lot more than three words. Especially during these difficult economic times, its critical that they have the resources needed to continue their important work in helping people get back on their feet.. You cant announce a proposal and expect everyone to like it. Shes engaged me to help run various projects, including increasing breakfast participation by low-income students in our public school state-wide. Amemiya will manage strategic planning, programs, and operations for CPB Foundation. We need to allow to submit testimony on line, whether it be a Skype or FaceTime or Zoom. So that, number one, will create more efficiency. Waimanalo, were telling you, you you need to show up at Pope Elementary cafeteria this Thursday night. I was pleased to see the hard work of the working group that was composed of voices from various perspectives that I believe all care about Hawaii and our special places. You know, I dont know if its the citys role to tell them what to do, but I do know the hotels are already planning for climate change and sea level rise. It was rushed, it was ill-planned, and its been a source of frustration for everyone, but were almost done, as I said. So prior to that I was getting shuttled from relative to relative, and I was very close to the Kobayashi family. Now granted, I had a lot of help with that, but it was through my initiative to do that, and Im proud of giving girls more opportunities. These days, Amemiya is working harder than ever, pushing himself as if the future of the city is at stake. I have a good relationship with Governor Ige. I mean, we dont need to go to that point yet, but again we need to change the mindset that everyone does not have to own a car and that we need to explore other modes of transportation. Instead, with each passing day he grew more resilient when faced with challenges. With no candidate receiving an outright majority of the vote in the August 8 nonpartisan blanket primary, the top two finishers, Amemiya and Rick Blangiardi, advanced to a runoff on November 3. All rights reserved. They had a lot of engagement in the community that said, We dont want it. And the developer said, Well, too bad. We need to look at all those options, and COVID has kinda taught us that maybe not everyone has to work in the office everyday. We need to change our mindset. Most recently joining iHeart Media Honolulu as premiere sponsors of The Salvation Armys "Rescue Christmas" program - supporting their mission to provide help and hope to those most in need in Hawaii. While they taught me how to be generous, compassionate and loving, they also showed me the value of hard work and that I could do things on my own.. Thats the aloha spirit at work, and those who are fortunate need to help those who are less fortunate. And as mayor, I will work with everyone. So just how does Amemiya plan on curing the citys ills? Keith Amemiya [2][3][4] is an American business executive and politician who ran in the 2020 Honolulu mayoral election,[5][6] and in 2022 for lieutenant governor of Hawaii. For the very determined Keith Amemiya, the seeds of his disposition were planted the day hnai parents Bert and Harriet Kobayashi sat him down for a heart-to-heart discussion about his future. But if not, were gonna have to look at making changes, whether its alterations to the rail station or the like. Name on ballot: Keith Amemiya Running for: Lieutenant Governor Political party: Democrat Campaign website: amemiyaforlg.com/ Current occupation: Executive Director, Central Pacific Bank. We need to do what we can to help them economically. Were not extremely close, but we know each other. I know his wife, Dawn Ige, because she was a former public school vice principal. [20][21], American business executive and politician, 2022 Hawaii lieutenant gubernatorial election, "New TV Spots Promote Keith Amemiya's Democratic Roots", "Keith Amemiya: Political Outsider Or Establishment Insider? Let me ask one more question, and along those lines, you were on the commission, there were problems with the police department when you were on the commission too. Well, to be blunt, we need to do what we can to get money into their hands, whether its federal money, state money, or county money, CARES Act money, in particular. [7] Before running for elected office, he was the senior vice president of Island Holdings, Inc., starting in 2012, and executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association from 1998 to 2010. Theres no debate about that, in probably some things will have to be cut. Below is the full transcript of Keith Amemiyas discussion with Mahealani Richardson, Daryl Huff, Colin Moore, Chad Blair, Christina Jedra and Stewart Yerton. And the general public as well. Its worked in other cities, and I can;t see why it wont work in urban Honolulu. It sounds a little bit like unicorns and rainbows to me, but what happens if that doesnt work? I have the experience to lead organizations. We have to get away from fuel dependency by continuing to invest in green infrastructure and multi-modal transportation. Its doable, but let me add that another area where we can greatly increase housing inventory is through public-private partnerships. All rights reserved, Central Pacific Bank Business Debit Mastercard, See All Central Pacific Investment Services. Keith Amemiya, Honolulu Mayoral Candidate: Right, well, I have a lot of broad-based experience, especially for the job of mayor. Whos really behind your campaign?' The bespectacled man seeking to become Honolulus top executive was surprisingly not born with that plucky attitude many have come to know him for; rather, he inherited that trait from his best friends family. Itll help to maintain our tourist attractions, like our natural tourist attractions, whether its the Koko Head stairs or other natural hikes. Everywhere I go, people say that we need change. [19], Amemiya met his wife, Bonny (ne Suzui), in 1995 when she was the CFO of a local fast food chain. Given that youre a first time candidate, have you read through it and familiarized yourself with city finances? Im running for lieutenant governor because Im concerned for Hawaiis future. But now were at a critical point in our citys history, and its time to step up. Thats the way I look, when you have a cold, you go to the doctor. Where do the previous administrations fail, though cause everyone says, we need more affordable housing. In terms of fundraising, he has spearheaded many successful multi-million dollar campaigns statewide, including to save Junior Varsity sports in our public schools, the construction of Roosevelt High Schools new football field and track, and the creation of middle school sports programs in the most impoverished areas in the state. But theres three other areas that I think should be, or know should be, reviewed as part of police reform, if you will. I dont know, Im just thinking out loud, and maybe the city will acquire that property for them, or the state, and that in turn will help find them a new house and pay for it. Well, theres no good place for homeless people to stay, but Chinatown is not one of the places we should focus on. As part of his economic recovery package, Amemiya aims to lift residents out of the coronavirus crisis through continued testing, increased contact tracing and vigilant treatment, all the while calling for greater protection of Hawaiis environment and zero-emission transportation for a sustainable future. Our future generations have been overlooked for far too long, and we need to build our future for them. With 23.2% of the vote, Amemiya placed third in the 2022 Democratic primary election for Hawaii lieutenant governor and was thus eliminated. Senior Vice-President Island Holdings, Inc. Keith Amemiya is an attorney and the Senior Vice-President of Island Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Island Insurance and four other local subsidiaries. But thats part of the deal and Im OK with it.. Those things do take time, though. Full Transcript: Keith Amemiyas Interview, The five leading candidates for Honolulu Mayor sit down for an extensive job interview with six journalists from Hawaii News Now and Civil Beat, 'The Other Side of Paradise' with Lynn Kawano, [email protected] (808) 847-3246, [email protected] (808) 847-3246, [email protected] (808) 847-3246, [email protected] (808) 847-3246, [email protected] (808) 847-3246. Prior to his candidacy for Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Amemiya was Senior Vice President of Island Holdings, Inc. the parent company of Island Insurance, Atlas Insurance Agency, Tradewind Capital Group, IC International, and Pacxa. But in regular neighborhoods, quote unquote, clearly Im against them. This advertisement is published with the approval and authority of the candidate. Keith, if you're augmenting one department, like the Planning Department, what department or other initiatives would you be willing to take away from to help balance the budget? Bert and Harriet were great role models for me. Other cities have pivoted to make themselves attractive to production companies and have reaped the benefits. You know Keith, I was looking back, you place so much importance on your role running the high school athletic programs. He has served as Chief Administrative Officer for the University of Hawaii Board of Regents and Honolulu Police Commissioner.He is an attorney, former executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, and executive involved with the investments of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative created by Mark Zuckerberg and his . Yeah, we know you from high school, we know about Island Holdings, and you left that company, youre no longer with that company. He also served as Executive Director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. The police were sent in, and now those windmills are going up, those wind farms. 500 Ala Moana Blvd. I would need to think about it through, but Im inclined to say yes. It was done under the Abercrombie administration. You know, you bringing up now, talking about tourism, a lot of people are coming off of our 10 million tourist year and then actually having a sort of vacation from the tourists right now. Number one is crack down on the illegal vacation rentals; theres too many out there. That is a big reason we have a higher cost of living. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - With Hawaiis primary election getting closer by the day, the five leading candidates for Honolulu mayor sat down for an extensive, hour-long job interview with journalists from Hawaii News Now and Honolulu Civil Beat in an attempt to find out which candidate was most qualified for the citys top job. Keith Amemiya is an attorney and the Senior Vice-President of Island Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Island Insurance and four other local subsidiaries. So, none of those incidents that you mentioned were brought to our attention. The city had approximately $200,000,000 in reserve in the prior fiscal year. Keith, but some of the complaints that have come out of that, I think of Campbell High School in particular, where there may be a sports team for the girls, but they may not have locker rooms like the boys do that would be very fundamentally unfair. Utilizing creative tax credits to incentivize companies to relocate to Hawaii, we can generate much needed revenue. They know that the job functions of many of their employees in HGEA need to be retooled, and so I look forward to working with both unions to make their workers jobs better and more efficient and beneficial to the taxpayers.
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