News Release from Hawaii Republican Party   October 15, 2014

In tonight's Hawaii News Now town hall debate, Senator David Ige demonstrated exactly why he cannot be trusted to avoid further tax and fee increases on Hawaii families and small businesses when he has done so many times before -- over $833 million in the past four years alone.

Senator Ige accurately said he put all options on the table, even potentially disastrous ideas like taxing pensions and raising the general excise tax on everyone's groceries, medicine and clothing.

Essentially, Senator Ige was for these misguided tax hikes before he was against them, even though the cost of living and doing business in Hawaii is among the worst in the country.

"When asked whether he could be trusted not to raise taxes again on Hawaii families facing the highest cost of living in the country, Senator Ige only created more doubts. Senator Ige somehow managed to claim tonight he was only against taxing pensions and raising the excise tax on groceries and medicine after he was for it." --Hawaii Republican Party Communications Advisor Ted Kwong

WATCH

SEN. DAVID IGE: I take responsibility for the fact -- when I became chair, the deficit was 200 million. Within three months it had grown to $1.2 billion in a $5 billion budget. It was clear to me that we had to look at all options.

So yes I did look at the pension tax as an option. I did look at raising the GET tax. They're going to make a different story. At the end of the day it's about walking the talk. We killed the pension tax. We killed the GE tax. We found a way to balance the budget.

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MEDIA RELEASE: Aiona Campaign Statement Following HNN Debate

News Release from Aiona-Ahu Campaign

Dewey Arakawa, Campaign Manager for the Friends of Duke Aiona released the following statement in response to the final debate of the election season:

As voters start to receive their ballots and make key decisions, the Ige campaign must be concerned because the contrast between candidates could not be more clear.

Duke Aiona is focused on lowering the soaring cost of living for Hawai‘i’s middle-class families with innovative ideas such as the H.O.P.E. affordable housing program.

Senator Ige on the other hand chooses to distract and confuse voters over his record and ultimately offers no new solutions to move Hawai‘i forward.

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Related: Ige Again Claims He Opposed the Tax Increases He Voted For