Name on ballot:

Mike Ruggles

Running for:

Hawaii island mayor

Political party:

Independent

Campaign website:

mayormikeruggles.com

Current occupation:

retired cement mason

Age:

63

Previous job history:

cement mason

Previous elected office, if any:

Student Body Senator Hawaii Community College

Please describe your qualifications to represent the people of Hawaii.

My qualifications are critical thinking and 43 years of experience of living on the Big Island. By living here I was tutored by all the best kupuna on the Big Island, a lot who are no longer with us, but still live through me.

What will be your top priority if elected?

Fixing the housing shortage which will help the economy too.

As Hawaii faces the COVID-19 pandemic, what more should county government do to protect residents’ health?

Mayor need to realize that he has the power to open public restrooms and provide hot water and soap for everyone, including the homeless, to improve hygiene and require stricter protocol if necessary.

What should county government do to help residents who have been economically affected by the pandemic?

We are going to start a housing boom, open food hubs in every district for local farmers, ranchers and fishermen to safely process and sell their products, and provide incentives for small business to employ the unemployed.

Do you support or oppose the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on the Big Island and what should the county government’s role be in the process?



Right now is the absolute worst time to side with big corporations against the people of Hawaii. We need to band together to make it through this depression and show the residents we got their backs and then they will have ours.

Do you support reforms to policing in Hawaii? If yes, please explain what reforms you support.

We need to stop administrative forfeiture, stealing from citizens does not make them trust you. And neither does writing 10,000 tickets against people using the road and wasting $20 million in overtime for nothing. And we need to change the rules of engagement back to you can only return deadly fire, not shoot citizens if you are scared.

Is there anything more that you would like voters to know about you?

I want the voters to know that if I am elected I will do my best to stick up for them and the Big Island. I believe if we have faith in our small businesses and diversify our economy we will be able to make it through the depression. Trickle-down barely worked during good times and certainly won’t work during bad ones. We need to stop relying on tourism and start helping our residents.