2014 Hawaii Governor's race: on Jobs

Neil Abercrombie: Put money back into state Employer-Union Trust Fund

IGE: Last year Hawaii became the first state in the country to enact a plan for handling unfunded liabilities for the State Employer Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.

ABERCROMBIE: The Employer-Union Trust Fund (EUTF) has never been prefunded until my administration came into office. With our financial turnaround of the state's finances, we've started to put money back into the EUTF to address its unfunded liabilities. Working with the Legislature, we passed Act 268 in 2013 to statutorily establish an annual required contribution. Hawaii was one of the first states to really address the unfunded liability for Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB).

Neil Abercrombie: 2-year agreement with Legislature to raise the minimum wage

ABERCROMBIE: We must acknowledge that living in the middle of the Pacific comes at a cost. After two years of lobbying the Legislature, I am pleased that we have finally come to an agreement to raise the minimum wage. Raising the purchasing power of our residents through higher incomes not only benefits our citizens directly, it also helps to stimulate our economy.

IGE: We must build homes that Hawaii's working families can afford--not luxury condominiums for out-of-state speculators. With average new home prices approaching $700,000, there needs to be leadership to increase the supply of housing at all price points while protecting Hawaii's natural beauty. The construction of the Honolulu rail system provides the opportunity for Transit Oriented Development incorporating housing along its 21-mile route.