Andria Tupola in 2018 HI Governor's race
On Corporations:
Cut corporate taxes and unnecessary regulation
- Create an atmosphere for local businesses to thrive so more people can stay in this place we call home for generations to come.
- Decrease corporate tax and unnecessary regulation.
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Increase access to capital grants and build local partnerships.
- Increase vocational training for high schools and community colleges to connect more local families with available job opportunities.
Source: 2018 Hawaii governor campaign website VoteTupola.org
Sep 1, 2018
On Government Reform:
Video testimony to legislature; no constitutional convention
Q: Do you support or oppose holding a state constitutional convention?A: I strongly advocate for allowing the people's voices to be heard through the legislative process and to work on improving the current process. However, we should be concerned
about the costs of a constitutional convention and the specifics of the process.
In 1978, the constitutional convention cost $2.6 million dollars. The cost for a constitutional convention in 2018 would be much higher and comes at a time when our state
is in financial chaos.
I would suggest as an alternative to a constitutional convention that we increase the transparency and access to the legislative session by allowing remote video testimony for our neighbor island and rural residents, giving the
public increased insight to laws and bills through video recap and commentary after sessions, and taking significant steps to make it easier for all residents to participate and be heard in the lawmaking process.
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Aug 9, 2018
On Welfare & Poverty:
Clearinghouse for decentralized solutions on homelessness
Q: Homelessness continues to be a major problem in Hawaii. What specific proposals do you have to help reduce homelessness?A: As the problem of homelessness in our state is one of geographically and socioeconomically disparate populations, the state
government should serve as a central clearinghouse for a policy of decentralized solutions. Regionally specific approaches should be adopted in conjunction with the current individual needs-assessment approach.
In short, we need to engage, empower,
and educate. We need to engage the community by assembling regional teams on each island to include a combination of nonprofits, county and state officials, law enforcement, community organizations, and the homeless themselves. We need to empower the
homeless population to better their current situation by evaluating the unique needs of individuals. We need to educate those who are recently housed to prevent them from returning to be homeless.
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Aug 9, 2018
On Welfare & Poverty:
Increase affordable housing by tax cuts & fewer regulations
Q: What should be done to increase affordable housing, especially for the middle class? What could you as governor do specifically?A: To increase affordable housing for the middle class, we must first must decrease the cost of living in order for
those receiving a median income or below to not only survive, but thrive here. Every individual or family deserves the opportunity to have a fighting chance to purchase a home of their own instead of sinking their hard-earned income into sky-high rental
bills each month if they choose. I will prioritize decreasing taxes so that individuals and families can utilize their income more effectively to improve their quality of life. I will increase support for local developers and local jobs so that more
dollars can stay here and stimulate our economic growth and sustainability. To increase our supply, I will work toward reducing the burdensome permit waiting period for developers, which will allow building to occur more quickly.
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Aug 9, 2018
On Civil Rights:
Give same rights to American Samoans living here
The proposed disqualification of House candidate Timoteo is raising questions about the policies that bar American Samoan citizens living in the U.S. from voting and running for office. Tupola says that Timoteo should be allowed to run.
The state says Timoteo is ineligible because as a citizen of American Samoa she's considered a U.S. national and not a U.S. citizen. "They're called American Samoans, but yet they have less rights than other American citizens," Tupola said.
Source: Hawaii News Now on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Aug 4, 2018
On Energy & Oil:
For renewable energy if affordable and environmentally safe
I strongly support sound renewable energy initiatives which are financially feasible and environmentally sound. While natural gas has taken over as the number one source of renewable energy in the country, I am concerned with the consequences that
natural gas has been found to have on our environment due to fracking and CO2 emissions as a fossil fuel. For these reasons, I would support cleaner sources of energy with less impact on our environment than natural gas.
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Aug 2, 2018
On Education:
Education needs to be an interconnected community issue
The vision for Hawaii, Tupola said, should be to create an atmosphere where local businesses can thrive, and to be a champion for education and underserved communities. School enrollment, she said, declined by 1% last year, while charter
school enrollment increased by 5%. "We definitely need better education, but we can't keep choking people with more taxes and creating high cost of living, we have to look at it as one interconnected issue that we have to solve together" she said.
Source: The Kaua'i Garden Island on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Jul 31, 2018
On Environment:
People must understand what environmental protections do
We cannot expect people to just automatically know that this is what I should do because it's better for the environment, we need to be
actively teaching our communities, showing them why these options are not just better for our health but also better for our environment.
Source: Pacific Business News on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Jul 31, 2018
On Families & Children:
The burden placed on families through taxes needs examining
I think there's ways to save money, but we haven't really looked into a lot of them.
I definitely think cost of living has to be addressed by addressing a lot of the burden that's placed on families through taxes.
Source: Hawaii News Now on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Jul 31, 2018
On Environment:
If we take care of the land it will take care of our needs
Tupola pointed to traditional Hawaiian principles of taking care of the aina and not just taking from it. "If you don't go and take care of the commons, then you don't get to hunt, you don't get to fish," she said, describing the traditions. "But that
practice has been lost. Now people take, take, take, take, and use, use, use, use, but they don't give back."Governor Ige pointed to the state's farm to school program as an initiative implemented under his watch to support local growers by buying
their produce to serve in public schools. Concerning the tension between development and the environment, Ige said, "I really think it's about balance."
"What we should do is invest in agriculture," she says. "It's a no-brainer." Tupola acknowledges
that building Hawaii's agriculture industry "won't happen overnight." The state has to invest money for infrastructure, like irrigation, and identify crops that can be lucrative enough to support an industry over the long term.
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Jul 9, 2018
On Environment:
Tension between development & environment is about balance
Governor Ige said the state should continue to support agriculture, and he pointed to the state's farm to school program as an initiative implemented under his watch to support local growers by buying their produce to serve in public schools.
Concerning the tension between development and the environment, Ige said, "I really think it's about balance."As an example, Ige points to a mediated settlement approved by the Hawaii Water Commission, which restores water rights to
Hawaiian homestead lands on Kauai. The 2017 Waimea Watershed Agreement was praised not only for providing water for farming on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands properties, but also for paving the way for
a renewable energy venture involving DHHL and the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, which supplies electricity to the island.
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Jul 9, 2018
On Gun Control:
Supporter of 2nd Amendment, it's a right not a privilege
I support 2nd amendment rights and have regularly helped the NRA oppose some of the legislation regarding gun control. We didn't have any last year. But the year before there were many bills introduced and I voted
No on all the bills that took away gun rights. I agree that the right to bear arms is in fact a right, and not a privilege that can be "curbed" by legislation. I am firm in my stance to protect the second amendment.
Source: 2ahawaii.com blog on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Feb 1, 2018
On Tax Reform:
Work on local tax policies; give more back to the people
Representative Tupola is introducing legislation to make the recently established state earned income tax credit refundable. "We have the 2nd highest tax burden in the country, and it's about time we start taking the burden off the people," said
Tupola. "We have seen significant advances made by several private sector employers as they forecast the benefits of the tax cuts," said Tupola. "We need to continue reforming our local tax policies to give more money back to the people."
Source: Hawaii Free Press on 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial race
Jan 16, 2018
Page last updated: Dec 01, 2021