STATEMENT ON MAUI DEBATE

From www.AionaFinnegan.com

HONOLULU - Travis Taylor, communications director of the Aiona-Finnegan Campaign, today issued the following statement regarding the Maui Economic Development Board's gubernatorial debate between Duke Aiona and former Rep. Neil Abercrombie.

"Duke Aiona was solid, focused and specific on the issues facing our working families and small businesses.

"Our opponent continues to speak in platitudes, including an over-reliance on federal funding as the solution to Hawai‘i's economic issues.

"Duke Aiona addressed balance, integrity and fiscal responsibility in state government, while creating job opportunities, reducing the financial burden on our working families and small businesses and improving the quality of public education.

"In every debate and forum, Duke Aiona has proven to be the only candidate with real solutions - not rhetoric."

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The Aiona-Finnegan campaign issued the following fact check in response to false statements made by our opponent at the Maui Economic Development Board's gubernatorial forum.

MYTH

Our opponent says he's in favor of decentralizing decision making in the Department of Education to get authority down to the school level.

FACT

In 2004, when local school boards were proposed to get more authority down to the schools, our opponent was absent from the debate.

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MYTH

Our opponent says we need a change in direction in order to achieve energy independence.

FACT

Our opponents' plan to set up an energy authority would set us back for achieving energy security and self-sufficiency, and derail Duke and Lynn's plan to cut our dependence in oil in half by 2018. 

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MYTH

The last thing we need is an audit of the Department of Education.

FACT

The Department of Education consumes 41 percent of the State general fund budget, but how it spends this huge amount of money has not been independently examined since 1973 - nearly 40 years ago. Financial audits verify whether taxpayer dollars are being spent in accordance with State laws and regulations, and management audits determine whether the money is being spent effectively and efficiently. We need both.

Many Democrats in the State Legislature agree with Duke Aiona.

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MYTH

Pacific Biodiesel independently and objectively supports our opponents' campaign.

FACT

Pacific Biodiesel received a specific Congressional earmark of approximately $3 million, which means they are not an impartial supporter.

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MYTH

Our opponent will achieve energy independence.

FACT

The federal Department of Energy was founded in 1977 to curb the importation of foreign oil, yet now the department has approximately 16,000 employees with a $26.4 billion budget, and we import more oil than ever. Our opponent has been in Congress for 20 years, and there is no reason why we should believe he has changed his ways now. 

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MYTH

Our opponent thinks the Transient Accommodations Tax should still be called the Hotel Room Tax.

FACT

The Transient Accommodations Tax applies to vacation rentals, time shares and other non-hotel transient accommodations, as well as hotels. Calling it just a "hotel tax" fails to understand the scope of this tax.

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MYTH

Our opponent says we're failing to provide fairs and events that attract people from around the world to our islands.

FACT

One example is the Maui International Film Festival, which is one of the most respected international events attracting an audience from around the world.

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