We also need to dedicate a team to pursue ongoing federal funding, as we know that we are leaving billions of dollars on the table every year. Keith, nobody puts no experience on their resume. You have a heart condition, you go to the doctor. I read through it, but to be honest, I cant memorize it line by line. I've been an executive in several areas in the private sector,. Ive worked directly with communities on Oahu on an every-day basis. Theyre experienced in leaving their office to run for another office during the term that theyre sitting in office. And I think the Galapagos Islands and other tourist locals (use them). 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. 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?' A huge shot in the arm for your campaign, but also it seems to it also comes with strings attached. Amemiya rallied many community groups, including his sons baseball teammates at Punahou School, to assist with the building of Kahauiki Village. Well, one issue I want to undertake and start from day one is to increase the affordable housing inventory in Hawaii. Its increasing even more as a pandemic lasts, so we need to do more partnerships, collaborations with non-profit agencies that are equipped to handle those kinds of situations. Theres enough checks and balances in DPP and the permitting process, where if you approve a permit, as long as you have the enforcement and compliance mechanism after, I think well be okay, because there are professionals like architects and engineers looking at the plans as submitted. Thats something that the city should consider. Yet, Amemiya apparently did well enough over time to convince her that he was the one. Keith Amemiya ( Democratic Party) ran for election for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. I mean, why not? 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. I dont know, I have to think about it. 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. Ban fundraising during the legislative session And people only started to protest when they actually saw the bulldozers come in, and at that time, the mayor, perhaps expressing some tone deafness on his part, did not want to stop the project. 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. Like it or not, its almost finished. For the past 10 years, the CPB Foundation played a leading role in supporting The Salvation Army with their Angel Tree Campaign and 4-Corner Red Kettle Challenge. 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. I just, I knew she wasnt acting like that on purpose, I knew something was wrong, so if anything, I felt compassion for her. Why did you do that, when the office of mayor is non-partisan? Anyone who lives in those areas have an expectation that there will be tourist as their neighbors. Its a important viable alternative means of transportation for us on this island. Copyright 2020 Hawaii News Now. 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.. He definitely wasnt trying to impress me, says Bonny, chuckling at the memory. Amemiya donated thousands to Mayor Kirk Caldwell's political campaigns. Amemiya is a member of a number of boards, including the Aloha Stadium Authority, Marcus Mariotas Motiv8 Foundation, and Assets School. We have talented local producers and compelling stories to tell that can be part of a regenerative economy. 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.. As the only candidate for lieutenant governor who is not a career politician or lobbyist, and the only one who does not take money from lobbyists, I support the following measures to combat corruption in our legislature: Impose term limits on legislators And Im in favor of that. 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. I worked with high school principals, local businesses, and community leaders, including Carissa Moore and Marcus Mariota, to distribute over 20,000 meals at schools to ensure our keiki and their families were fed. The next mayor needs to work with the state, the City Council, the legislature, the federal government to attack climate change. I got to meet a lot of working-class people, and I got to learn about their issues and their challenges first-hand. 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. We need to dedicate significant funds to subsidize the cost of infrastructure development for affordable housing developers. 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? You cant announce a proposal and expect everyone to like it. As lieutenant governor, Senator Schatz built such a team, and we should reconstitute it. 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? It seems like the commission was the same culture that it had back when you were there, that led to Kealoha, that led to the payoff to Kealoha. Were looking at in just a few decades or less, with even just a few feet of sea level rise, those being inundated, and that means roads are gonna be falling to the sea. 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. 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. They started that way, and they dont have the resources to pick up and move. I feel that people who have the power to affect change should do so, and we need to do what we can to make life better for them. Her work seeks to hold the government accountable for how it spends money and makes decisions that affect people's lives. Name on ballot: Keith Amemiya Running for: Lieutenant Governor Political party: Democrat Campaign website: amemiyaforlg.com/ Current occupation: Executive Director, Central Pacific Bank. Its doable, but let me add that another area where we can greatly increase housing inventory is through public-private partnerships. And thats what I intend to do as mayor. 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. Eliminating taxes on food, medicine, diapers, and other essential products. 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. Well, we need to do what we can to find them alternative places to live. My top spending priorities will be for affordable housing and reducing the cost of living for our residents. Collin Moore, Hawaii News Now Political Analyst: Is there one or two big ideas that voters should connect with your candidacy? Is it really almost done? Theres no perfect police department, theres no perfect organization, so anything we can do to further instill trust in the public, is something that Im in favor of. This link will redirect you to a site that may have certain associated risks, including not being insured by federal deposit insurance. Check us out any time for great content and great community. We plan on helping him merge morals and values. Summary. We do a lot of chores and we do a lot of takeout, notes Bonny, adding that the couple often passes its weekends watching documentaries and, prior to COVID-19, attending numerous sporting events together. You know for some reason, I thought I might be asked that today, and I have the answer. We need to have someone who will bring people together to find solutions to it and just build more affordable housing. Thats my goal. Im hoping theres another infusion, but in the interim, we need to use our resources in the non-profit industry. There are hardly any services in Chinatown. 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. ", "Amemiya announces run for Honolulu mayor", "Former Honolulu mayoral candidate Keith Amemiya hired to lead Central Pacific Bank Foundation", "Keith Amemiya Hawaii High School Athletic Association Executive Director", "Business executive throws his name in the race for Honolulu mayor", "Kokua Council to host online debate between Honolulu mayoral candidates Keith Amemiya, Rick Blangiardi", "Honolulu Mayor: Blangiardi And Amemiya Advance To Runoff", "Voters set up runoff for mayor between political newcomers: Blangiardi and Amemiya", "Amemiya picks up mayoral endorsement from U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz", "AFL-CIO announces endorsement for Amemiya in mayoral campaign", "Four more Honolulu City Council members endorse Amemiya for mayor", "HGEA endorses Keith Amemiya for Honolulu mayor", "Keith Amemiya named executive director of Central Pacific Bank Foundation", "CPB Foundation Appoints Keith Amemiya Executive Director, Awards $100,000 Grant to The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Keith_Amemiya&oldid=1125280749, Candidates in the 2020 United States elections, Candidates in the 2022 United States elections, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 December 2022, at 05:23. My family was having some problems and I was taken in by my best friends family. Its the number one issue here as well, based on my feedback from constituents. Both situations, theyre not good. We have lost trust with the public. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Keith Amemiya knows a lack of political experience could be his biggest weakness. Can I ask, what was your involvement with the 801 South project? 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. I go back to just the federal subsidy, we received a loan thats $800,000,000. I think I saw a recent study that showed that most people in Hawaii lived within several miles of their place of work. Im in support of vacation rentals in resort areas like Waikiki and Ko Olina. Whose failure is that? We also need to look at more third-party review. 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. 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. [19], Amemiya met his wife, Bonny (ne Suzui), in 1995 when she was the CFO of a local fast food chain. thats the closest I can get. 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. 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. I believe youve actually considered amending our city charter to give the commission more teeth. We need to find a different place for them. As a business leader, I have been able to bridge gaps between our businesses and our communities. Keith brings a wealth of knowledge, relationships and experience to CPB Foundation, said Catherine Ngo, Chair, CPB Foundation. Theres a case where that issue, the development put in the ball field and the parking lot and tear down all the trees had actually been in the works for years and years and years. 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 . If I could follow up, both on Mahea and Daryls point, some people said, Wheres this guy coming from?' Waimanalo, were telling you, you you need to show up at Pope Elementary cafeteria this Thursday night. 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? And we as a government need to do what we can to facilitate it. 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? In addition to creating long-term housing that our families can actually afford, the state has neglected supporting the mental health needs of our community. 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? 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. And for years, Keith Amemiya has been a generous donor to the political campaigns of Hawaii's power players. Ive led large statewide organizations. 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. I sympathize with the public. Their oldest son, Chris, was my best friend. in Philosophy at Colgate University. Theres a lot of city employees that are retiring in the coming years. 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. Most people, most politicians are saying they want to bring back a lower level of tourism. Amemiya's campaign web site says he and his wife purchased a. Number one, the police chief is already doing it, looking into whether chokeholds should be altered or eliminated altogether. Where do the previous administrations fail, though cause everyone says, we need more affordable housing. I have a good relationship with Governor Ige. We need to allow to submit testimony on line, whether it be a Skype or FaceTime or Zoom. What happens with someone like that, whos got a residential property on the makai side of Kam Highway on the windward side or down in Ewa Beach, right up against, you know, near Hau Bush and stuff. bike to work, walk to work, catch the bus to work. Working closely together, they got to know and like each other. Keith Amemiya: Moral Leader - YouTube A 1st time Candidate.Keith Amemiya is running for Mayor!Keith is committed to Moral Leadership! 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. Tourism is one of our economic life-bloods, and we need to do what we can to work with these hotels to address the rising sea levels. And also Governor Ige came out and said that was a failed policy. 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. 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. He is the Chairman of the Board for two of the subsidiaries, Atlas Insurance Agency and Pacxa (IT company). Many of them were struggling. And thats why Im running. We need to be creative. Join Facebook to connect with Keith Amemiya and others you may know. 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. We need to pivot towards a more multi-modal transportation system. It was 1995 when Amemiya first crossed paths with the woman who would become his life partner. Thats not fair to people who follow the law. We need to look at maybe elongating the financing of the rail project, but we need to finish the rail project. 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. Again, you need to enforce the vacation rental laws. "Keith brings a wealth of knowledge, relationships and experience to CPB Foundation," said Catherine Ngo, Chair, CPB Foundation. There were cell block beatings, the scandal where they were selling food out of the police stations kitchen that was meant for prisoners, things like that were happening. 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. Let me say this: When I see homeless on the sidewalk, I feel sad. I do believe that whenever Hawaii has an opportunity to be the worlds leader in a field, when we can further the discovery of our universe, and when we can create more high paying jobs on Hawaii Island, we need to strongly consider it. Below is the full transcript of Keith Amemiyas discussion with Mahealani Richardson, Daryl Huff, Colin Moore, Chad Blair, Christina Jedra and Stewart Yerton. We need to restore trust in government. With executive leadership experience in both the public and private sector, Amemiya has unique insight to the multitude of issues facing Hawaii, coupled with the ingenuity to forge impactful solutions through public-private partnerships. 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. I know their issues. He is the Chairman of the Board for two of the subsidiaries, Atlas Insurance Agency and Pacxa (IT company). I know theres a federal investigation ongoing, and lets see where it takes us. 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. Its worked in other cities, and I can;t see why it wont work in urban Honolulu. One of the things about working class people we hear, with the hotel workers, for example, one job should be enough, and calling for better wages. It wouldnt make sense to force a $20 an hour minimum wage when companies will shut down because they cant afford to pay their workers, but I do favor a serious look at increasing wages for our front line workers. I strongly support diversifying our local economy, and driving tourism in a more regenerative direction. We need to just be creative, we need to be innovative. Well, theres no good place for homeless people to stay, but Chinatown is not one of the places we should focus on. 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. Theyre tired of the same old politicians running for office and making the same type of decisions that arent improving the lives of working-class families. The ethics commission should have more enforcement powers. 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. We just wanted to launch into the questions for this job interview. What are you gonna do about this very fundamental problem? 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. Thats the aloha spirit at work, and those who are fortunate need to help those who are less fortunate. I will continue enforcement as long as we find more shelter beds. Amemiya, 54, has made the story of his upbringing a central part of his campaign. 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. She was living independently, but clearly needed help. 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. Keith, this election is about future generations, our keiki. Since then, the family has lived a rather ordinary life within the walls of their Pauoa home. 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. I mean, I cant blame it all on government. 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