Name on ballot:

Cory M. Chun

Running for:

State House – District 35

Political party:

Democratic Party

Campaign website:

electcorychun.com

Current occupation:

State Representative

Age:

46

Previous job history:

Senior Advisor, Honolulu City Council, 2020-2022
Government Relations Director, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, 2011-2020
Staff Attorney, House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, 2011
Research Attorney, Legislative Reference Bureau, 2008-2010
Regulatory Specialist, Hawaiian Telcom, 2006-2008
Legislative Aide, House of Representatives – Office of the Majority Leader, 2006
Staff Attorney/Advocate, Hawai’i Disability Rights Center, 2003-2005

Previous elected office, if any:

State Representative, 2022 – present

Please describe your qualifications to represent the people in your district.

I have an extensive background in public policy and advising legislators on issues as a staff attorney and research attorney in the legislature. I’ve held a position within the Honolulu City Council and understand the dynamics between state and county authority and jurisdiction. I also have experience collaborating with community leaders, residents, and government agencies while serving as a member of the Waipahū Neighborhood Board from 2007 to 2022. During that time, I served as Vice Chair from 2011 to 2021, and as Chair from 2021 to 2022. I also volunteer as a member of the Pearl City Lions Club and the Waikele Neighborhood Security Watch. During my first term in office I was given the 2023 Legislator of the Year award by the National Association of Social Workers – Hawai’i Chapter, and I currently serve as a co-convener of the Legislative Kūpuna Caucus.

What is the most-pressing issue facing residents in your district and how would you address the problem?

Cost of living continues to be an issue in the district. I hear from people who are concerned about the many challenges of being able to stay in Hawai’i. Everyone knows somebody who has moved to the mainland for more affordable housing or better paying jobs. From retirees living on a fixed income, to working families, to our young adults who are entering the workforce, financial pressures due to rising costs affect everyone. Addressing this issue is complex – there are many factors that lead to the high cost of living. Some of those factors are affected by global changes. Despite these challenges, I believe that there are policy changes that can be made to address different aspects of a household budget: wages, taxes, housing, transportation, insurance, food, and goods and services all have major impacts. Using the levers of government to affect these cost drivers in an effective manner is something that the Legislature continues to look at every session, and I will continue to look at ways to address these cost of living issues.

What would you propose to be done at the state level to help residents cope with Hawaii’s high cost of living?

There many drivers of the high cost of living – as I mentioned in my response to question #1 – that makes living in Hawai’i so expensive. Rebalancing and amending our tax code is one way to address this issue. The Legislature took one step this year to reduce the income tax burden on residents. This is something that will keep more money in the pockets of our working families. There are also opportunities to look at how we regulate housing and find ways to repair and expand our aging infrastructure to support new housing initiatives. I also believe in preparing our keiki and young adults for our workforce by providing them the skills and expertise to fill our high-demand and well paying jobs.

What can the state Legislature do to help Hawaii home and condo owners with rising property insurance rates?

One initiative that didn’t pass this last session was a mechanism to bolster the insurance market by generating more revenue into the hurricane relief fund. The funds would be used to be an insurer of last resort to stabilize the market by providing coverage when none is available. This won’t address all of the insurance issues, however. The insurance market is affected by national and global events, so we need to look at ways to reduce cost drivers like reducing risk through maintenance and infrastructure improvements.

Can Hawaii’s tourism-dependent economy be diversified, and, if so, what can state government do to support the effort?

Tourism will likely always remain a part of our economy. To diversify our economy, we need to continue to look at incentives and other ways to support innovation. Hawai’i has many marketable goods and value added products that can grow our agricultural, manufacturing, and technology sectors. By fostering these small markets, we can introduce and expand local businesses into the national and international marketplace. We are also investing in media arts and there are opportunities in health care as Hawai’i can serve as a strategic point for medical innovations and therapies in the Pacific region.

What would you propose to help increase affordable housing in Hawaii?

The housing crisis is multifaceted and complex. What we need to do is address the issue by collaborating with the counties. Each county faces different challenges in either building new homes or increasing the housing stock by regulating the uses of residential and commercial property. I firmly believe that the counties need to be a partner in trying to address the housing shortages. In some cases, the counties need the state to provide the tools necessary to implement housing plans. Long term planning is also needed to make sure that construction can be sustained with adequate infrastructure and resources to support that growth.

What can state government do to better support and improve public education in Hawaii?

Public education has taken great strides to address our state’s workforce issues by creating innovative programs like the high school academy system and early college programs in collaboration with the University of Hawai’i. Students have opportunities to graduate from an academy with specific skills in engineering, business, culinary arts, and so many more. A lot of students also take advantage of the early college programs and graduate not only with a high school diploma, but also with an associate’s degree or certified nursing assistant credentials. I want to continue advocating for the public school system to innovate while maintaining core education disciplines and incorporating additional life skills such as financial literacy.

Should the state continue to pursue building a replacement for Aloha Stadium in Halawa? Please explain.

I see the value of having a stadium facility, however, I do have concerns on having any project require additional state resources and costs that continue into the future. The operational and management plan with the stadium project will be as important to the viability of the project as the construction plans. We need to make sure we get a good deal for the state.

Should members of the state Legislature have term limits like Honolulu’s mayor and City Council members?

In general, I have concerns over term limits. Term limits can eliminate institutional knowledge within legislative bodies and narrows the focus of lawmakers to only the short time they will be in office. Term limits also give lawmakers no urgency to arrive at the long-term results if he or she will be out of office by then. Short-term commitments do not facilitate sound long-term decisions. We are accountable to the districts we represent and voters have the power through the ballot if we are not performing or meeting the expectations of the job.

What reforms, if any, would you propose to make local government more transparent to the public?

Lawmakers should be in their districts meeting with their constituents. Usually during the session there would be the convening of get-togethers at a school or a rec center to discuss issues during the session. The more we can do to expand these opportunities during session will provide greater access to legislators and communication with their constituents about the legislative process. Some aspects of the Sunshine Law could be considered for application to the Legislature. The challenge would be to look at how it could be applied without amending Hawai’i’s Constitution. One of the issues will be if this prevents the Legislature from acting on short notice during a time of an emergency where flexibility and the ability to act quickly is essential.

What will be your top priority if elected?

My top priority is continuing to look at ways to address the high cost of living. One of the areas that I am focused on specifically is with the rising cost of health care. The Legislature passed a measure this past session, Act 159, that creates a long-term care master plan to address issues of workforce, financing, delivery of services, and quality of care. A master plan is crucial to making the policy changes needed to address these issues in our long-term care system. I want to continue working on our long-term care system to make sure that access to quality and affordable care is available for those who need it. As a co-convener of the Legislative Kūpuna Caucus, I also want to continue working on issues that affect our kūpuna, caregivers, and their families.

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

One of my passions is working to make life better for people affected by cancer. After working in cancer advocacy for nearly 10 years and having cancer affect my family and friends, I continue to advocate for cancer patients and their families by serving as a board member with the American Cancer Society – Hawai’i and Guam Region, a member of the Patient Advocacy Council at the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center, and on the State Comprehensive Cancer Coalition Steering Committee.