Name on ballot:

Galen Kerfoot

Running for:

Honolulu city council – District 1

Political party:

Independent

Campaign website:

gckfoot@aol.com

Current occupation:

Retired business owner

Age:

66

Previous job history:

Owned and operated 3 small successful businesses

Previous elected office, if any:

No answer submitted

Please describe your qualifications to represent the people of Oahu.

Born and raised entire life in Honolulu. Witnessed the growth (and destruction) of our home and represented officials. Know 1st hand the issues and problems that our real citizens (not the 33% minority that has been deciding) feel are most important and need attention to. I’m ready to stand and say NO, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and NOT ANYMORE. I’m running for all those that have either given up, lost faith and believe they are no longer heard or properly represented anymore.

What is the most pressing need for the people you seek to represent, and what can you do to address that need?

#1 Affordable housing for sale or rent. Truly down to earth, realistic Affordable Housing not was is being called and marketed as Affordable. Rent controls to keep rents reasonable for local residents not priced for profit to tourist or speculators.

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

Supply accurate up to date information that the general public can understand in simple terms. Not create fear by having closed meetings. Make sure that there are immediate practices implemented to all business that all products must be limited to provide for all residents and avoid hoarding which creates fear and panic. They should seek solutions to finding and providing needed supplies such as Alcohol, hand sanitizers which could have been made locally by any of the liqour producers yet those same producers were threatened with fines because they are not licensed to make santizers only alcohol. In the meantime the county tells everyone what to do? Well that doesnt mean a thing when its not available and create a panic again

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

They need to provide some type of stabilitzation regarding rent, bill payments, etc. Landlords could file claims for unpaid rents, utilities, etc for all the general public. If the general public has to suffer from economic woes then everyone, including companies and organizations must also take the hit along with the consumers. It is not a one way street.

Should public worker furloughs, pay cuts or downsizing be used to help the county deal with lower tax revenues and higher expenses during the pandemic? Why or why not?

Yes. Why should the government be any different from any other business. 1st government is already way too big. It should have been downsized many many years ago. As regular companies become more and more tech savy, they have less and less employees. Why at the same time the government continues to hire? They need do downsize not only because of the pandemic but because it is funded by taxpayers money. A pay cut also should have been implemented as many of the general public lost all their income so why should taxpayer funded employees still receive payments while the taxpayer has lost his job? But to make matters worse, instead of cuts or furloughs they actually think they should get a raise? This is a government totally out of touch with its taxpayers, they are total financially irresponsible and need to be held accountable and bring themselves in line.

What specific solutions do you propose to combat homelessness?

There should be property tax freezes and rent control. People are losing their homes due to rising property taxes while renters pay unreasonable rates simply because the same rental can be used for visitors who pay substantially more thereby making less rentals available to residents. Speculators and non residents should be taxed at very high rates to lower such practices. Many of our residents are on the verge of homelessness as well as the ones we see about. Those about should have small types of villages or barrack type units for shelter and health purposes as a transitional beginning.

Do you support or oppose stopping construction of the rail project at Middle Street? Please explain.

At this point the rail should be stopped at Middle Street until there is a clear financing plan in place to complete the last 4 miles. This has been a disaster from the beginning. All those responsible for initializing the project should be held accountable. It is and always will be a financial disaster funded by the taxpayers. It will never be self sufficient, cannot exist on its own and will continually need funds more and more. This is not what the taxpayers were originally sold on the idea to vote in favor. Instead the route has changed dramatically, the fund was only supposed to be a 1/2 % for a set number of years. Well that even wasnt followed. Instead we now charge outer islands, hotels, etc for more and more funding. The council needs to be firm and say NO MORE. A 10 billion dollar disaster. that money could have and should have been used for many more important needs. If the rail is to finish the last 4 miles, then it needs to be funded by the hotels, ala moana shopping center and private enterprises only…. Las Vegas did it, why didnt we?

Do you support or oppose using new city funds to cover any shortfall in HART’s construction or operating costs? Please explain.

No more new funds. No more additional funds. The developers chosen for the project by bidding should be held to those bids and made to pay any addiional cost out of their own pockets. If new city funds are to be needed then the rail must be stopped immediately where it lies. #1 First of all the entire rail project has been mishandled and planned from the beginning. Why was the rail started out in the middle of nowhere and continuing to be built towards the more populated areas. The rail should have been started in the opposite direction simply because by that means it could and would have been already operational and producing revenue as it was continuing to be built. It is totally backwards. Who is going to catch the rail to Aloha stadium or even middle street. It doesn’t even serve the university students or Waikiki’s populace. No more funds. At this rate, it would be cheaper for us to repay the Federal Government funding instead of continually raising more fees, more taxes, never ending charges.

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

No. Our police force is much better now under their new Chief. They only thing they would need to do is keep abreast of current problems and be brought up to date either thru training or special classes. Perhaps they do need more sensitivity training in dealing with the public. Sometimes their attitudes tend to make the general person uneasy and simpleton. The police are there to protect, serve and they should also respect the general public instead of a god complex that some share.

What can county government do to mitigate the affects of sea-level rise on Oahu?

The sea level is always going to rise, it will never stop due to what we have done to the climate. If we build walls it makes no difference, it only causes problems somewhere else. The rate of rise is not significant for many many years from now. We can immediately cease building close to the shores. Those very close should in time consider relocating. In time we will adjust building wise to meet the new criteria. We can also look at ways of reducing harm causing effects and at least slow the rise.

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

For many years, the public has voted for career politicians, allowed to many financial backers, organizations and special interest groups to fund candidates. This already is wrong as it is those backers who are controlling the candidates and the government. Term limits must be established for all offices not just some. Far to many officials have been found to have special interest, financial interest, etc in projects built by the government. The general public has been taken more and more each year to fund more and more projects even though there are budgets set. The government no longer follows its budgets, instead come up with additional taxes, fees, etc to raise more revenue. The time has come for not more revenue but Cost cutting, financial overhauls and reducing government to more properly be in line with a true budget and a goal for the peoples needs not wants. I offer a new direction and hope that other new individuals will also follow. I will not use the same tactic as others have during elections and that is to tell the people what they want to hear in order to get their votes. Then once in your in…. if I am elected I will tell the other Representatives and elected officials what we the people will make you hear to keep your jobs. I stand and represent that change in leadership that is needed for a system that has lost touch and unresponsive to their voters and general public. Change is badly needed and that change will start with me and the words No More. I am only an instrument of that change coming with your vote we can take back our government so that it represents all of us as individuals and not the continued sponsors, special interest groups. Change is overdue and that change can start with you trusting in me to bring the government back to you.