Name: Reginald Yago
Current job: Realtor
Residence: How long you’ve lived in the district: 28 years
Background: What qualifies you for the position? What else have you run for? Have you been in public office before and if so, what position? I am not a politician. I have never run for public office. I am a concerned citizen who is scared about the direction Hawaii is headed.
Major issues: What are the biggest issue in your district/state and your proposed solutions? Like the rest of the state, the economy is the biggest issue. I recommend that we lower taxes to encourage job growth, and an audit of the DOE, and transparency in government so we can find government waste.
Budget philosophy: What is your budget philosophy? Do you foresee increases in revenue through tax hikes and fees or do you believe in cutting spending? We have to cut spending. The former mayor Hannemann in a radio ad mentioned redundancy of workers at the county and state level. Why hasn’t he done anything about that? Let’s find the government waste and eliminate them.
Taxes and fees: Do you believe Hawaii’s taxes should be lowered or increased? If you do plan to raise taxes and fees, which specific taxes or fees would you increase? Or would you sign a pledge that says you will not raise taxes? WE CANNOT RAISE TAXES IN THIS ECONOMY.
Rail: If the city has difficulty raising enough revenue for the rail, would you support state tax support for the rail project? WE CANNOT AFFORD TO RAISE TAXES NOW.
Legalized Gambling: Do you believe gambling should be legalized in Hawaii in any form and if so, in what form? No, for many reasons. One, the tax revenue is not guaranteed. Las Vegas was not recession proof. On the contrary, Nevada has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, along with one of the highest foreclosure rates. Reason two, many of the state lotteries intended to fund schools have been raided in favor of the general fund of the state. Raided funds? Sound familiar?
Public Education: What are your plans to support the public education system while ensuring accountability and results for our students? Do you support an appointed or elected school board? I support an appointed school board, and I support an audit of the DOE. We need to make it policy that 90% of the DOE budget is spent on the school level.
Economic Growth: What are your plans to promote long-term economic growth for Hawaii? We need to diversify the business climate in Hawaii. Right now, we depend on government and tourism; both have not been reliable the last two years. In order to promote diversification, we need to be a business friendly state. Let’s lower the taxes to attract more businesses.
Crime: What is your solution to making Oahu a safer place to live and visit? We need more police on the ground. We need to eliminate government waste so we can afford to pay our police.
Second Amendment: Would you support concealed carry or more freedom for law abiding firearms owners, do you feel the current laws should remain in place, or do you believe stricter gun laws should be in place? I believe we need more freedom for law abiding firearms owners. How safe is Hawaii if only the criminals were carrying weapons?
Homeless: What is your solution to homelessness? This is a tough problem for Hawaii. First, we need to fix the economy. Next, we need government to give incentives to developers to build more affordable homes. Finally, I support a temporary place on state lands where the homeless can camp.
Compact with Micronesia: Micronesians are able to freely move to Hawaii, which they are doing in large numbers to take advantage of the public education system, medical services and other government benefits. But the governor and other public officials say they are taxing Hawaii’s resources and costing the state more than $100 million a year. This is a federal decision, but would you share your view on whether the Compact with Micronesia should remain in place, should there be some parameters put on the Compact or do you have other solutions? We need some parameters on the Compact. The average resident does not know about this problem.
What is your position on the Akaka Bill? Do you believe it will unite or divide Hawaii? What is your vision for how the Akaka Bill will change Hawaii? I haven’t heard or read enough arguments on either side of the issue to make a comment.
Jones Act: Opponents of the federal Jones Act say it increases the cost of living in Hawaii through a shipping duopoly while supporters say it is needed to ensure port security and American jobs. While this is a federal decision, would you share your view on whether you support an exemption for Hawaii from the Jones Act or should it remain in place? The average resident does not know about the Jones Act, and if they did, they would be outraged. We need to repeal this Act.
Contact information:
Phone: (808) 368-3808
E-mail: vote2010@reginaldyago.com
Mail: PO BOX 971327, Waipahu, HI 96797
Web site address: www.reginaldyago.com
Campaign Slogan or Theme: For Waipahu