News Release from Hawaii Republican Party    October 18, 2014

Debate season is finally over and it did not reflect well for Senator David Ige, who could only try to defend his policies over the past four years that have made the soaring cost of living even worse in Hawaii.

In contrast, Duke Aiona continued to outline his plans to tackle that very issue which is the top concern for so many middle-class families and small businesses in Hawaii in this election.

IN THE NEWS...

Duke Remained Focused On Innovative Ways To Lower Hawaii's Cost Of Living (Hawaii Tribune-Herald). "Hawaii’s high cost of living is a prime target in former Lt. Gov. James 'Duke' Aiona’s plans for improving the state. Aiona, running for governor on the Republican ticket, says high taxes and high prices for housing, food and energy are among the factors leading to a Hawaii that’s too pricey for all but the wealthy. He thinks the state can lower costs and improve quality of life without raising taxes. 'The cost of living is a huge issue in Hawaii,' he said. 'I just want to make things better.'" (10/12)

Even Manny Pacquiao Is On Board (KITV, Honolulu Star Advertiser). "Boxing champion and Filipino politician Manny Pacquiao has endorsed Duke Aiona in Hawaii's race for governor. In a video released on YouTube over the weekend, the boxer says the Republican will 'fight for a better life for the people of Hawaii.' Aiona then says he shares the same values as the boxing champ and that his experience and training has made him ready for the fight." (10/13)

Meanwhile, Senator Ige Offered New Ideas To Increase The Cost Of Living, Like Making Parking In Downtown Honolulu More Expensive (Civil Beat, AP). "Ige, a state senator, wants people to walk and bike more. Maybe a lane on King Street should be devoted to bikes, he said. He also said charging $500 a month to park downtown might convince some that other modes of transportation are far cheaper." (10/15)

Senator Ige Struggled To Defend His Record In The Final Televised Debate (Hawaii News Now). "And it clearly wasn't David Ige's night. He actually forgot one of the questions partway through an answer. He said he didn't know much about agriculture and he admitted he never traveled much to the neighbor islands until the last year when he started running for governor." (10/15)

Hawaii Was Ranked With The Worst Tax Burdens, And Senator Ige's Record Doesn't Help(Hawaii Reporter). "Hawaii has the highest 'sales' tax in the nation — about $42.62 per $1,000 of personal income is taken by the state — and, when the excise tax is equated to sales tax, Hawaii has the single most burdensome tax on goods... Senate Ways and Means Chair David Ige, who is running for governor as a Democrat, declined to comment, but the Hawaii GOP criticized him this week for sponsoring several bills to increase taxes while in the Senate. Ige proposed a gross income tax on every graduate of the University of Hawaii for the first 10 years of employment after graduation. With his Democratic colleagues, he supported measures to increase the state’s general excise and increase Hawaii’s income tax to 11 percent." (10/17)

At The Same Time, Honolulu Was Ranked 135th For Affordable Food (WalletHub). "In celebration of World Food Day on Oct. 16, WalletHub analyzed the 150 most populated U.S. cities to find the most and least economical foodie scenes in the country. We did so by examining 18 key metrics, ranging from the cost of groceries to the number of restaurants per capita." (10/15)

In Fact, The Cost Of Living Has Been Burdening Families In Hawaii For Quite Some Time (Civil Beat). "A whole lot of us have to hustle hard to make ends meet. It is why we work overtime — whether paid or unpaid — and lead the nation in the percentage of the population with more than one job. As I recently wrote, the national household income that is believed to give people a good chance at happiness — by allowing people to avoid core stresses about not having enough money — is, when adjusted for Hawaii’s cost of living, $122,175. That’s more than $55,000 above the state’s median household income." (10/17)