Name on ballot:

Isaiah C Baclaan

Running for:

State House – District 42

Political party:

Democrat

Campaign website:

votebaclaan@gmail.com

Current occupation:

Politican

Age:

30

Previous job history:

-Captain, Personnel Officer, Hawaii Army National,
-Committee Clerk, Hawaii State Legislature 2024
-Executive Officer, Task Force Maui, Maui Wildfires Lahaina, Hawaii Army National Guard
-Project Officer, G4, Hawaii Army National Guard 2022-2023
-Personnel Officer, Task Force Oahu COVID-19, Hawaii Army National Guard 2021
-Reserve Commander, Task Force Hawaii COVID-19, Hawaii Army National Guard 2020
-Legislative Aide, Hawaii State Legislature 2016-2017

Previous elected office, if any:

N/A

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

As the only candidate in this race that grew up in our District, I find it important that we have representation that reflects our communities values. My years of service in Politics and the Military has given me the skills to be a powerful advocate for the issues crucial to Ewa, Kapolei, and Ho’opili.

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

Traffic is currently the most pressing issue facing my district. Regardless of the socio-economic status that residents of District 42 are currently facing, Traffic has been detrimental to our quality of life and survival. It is a shame that many of the residents, have to brave hours of traffic each day just to afford basic neccesities of life.

As State Representative I will prioritize establishing relationships and partnerships that enable me to ensure that greater funding and initiatives are geared towards traffic mitigation and road repair.

Ensuring that we as a State prioritize our means of transportation improves the quality of life of all our citizens, overall success of Hawaii’s industries, and allows our diligent work force the time to spend with their familes and enjoy Hawaii.

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

I would champion proper allocation of funding and having fiscal responsibility with the budget that is backed by the hard working citizens of our State.

We as a State need to produce a fair and reasonable budget that prioritzes Hawaii’s greatest needs, such as Infrastructure, Housing, Education, and Health Care. If we consistently push forward a fair and reasonable budget, it will reaffirm out commitment to being fiscal stewards of the States Finances to the people of Hawaii, and renew some faith in the good work we as legislators can accomplish.

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

Ensure that we as Legislators advocate for a healthy Housing Market and afford our local residents intiatives that allow them to purchase homes to enjoy the islands we call home.

Working with professionals within the housing industry we will ensure that we can get the citizens of our great State homes to grow ans prosper.

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

Of course our economy can be diversified! As State Representative I will champion initiatives and programs that bring jobs and industry to Hawaii like Movie/Entertainment, Digitial Tourism, and Agricultural Tourism.

These initiatives will provide jobs for our youth to aspire to while bolstering our economy to put more funds that can be focused into our budget and aimed at bettering our communities.

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

I would propose working with our housing industry professionals to ease the restrictions on systemic building hindrances that cause a skyrocket in cost and estimated timeline of completion.

As a State we need to ensure we have houses to afford the next generation safe and reliable places to call home. We also need to ensure that places that fall into disrepair are repurposed to contribute to our current housing crisis.

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

As a student of our Public Education System K-12, i can say from experience that Hawaii needs to invest in our schools and our teachers. Our public school education has profound impact on the future success of our keiki and can posture them for great possibilities. As the husband of a Highschool Teacher at Kapolei High School, I have seen first hand the effort and labor of love our teachers put into seeing their students succeed. They deserve all the help we can give them as they mentor the future of our islands.

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

Yes, i believe that Aloha Stadium in the future will be a focal point of both tourism and local events for Hawaii. To that end, i fully support investing in a better Aloha Stadium for our State.

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

I believe that the will of the people will always be heard. If represenratives fail to do their job the people will find a way to find someone who will. As a the only candidate in the race for District 42 who grew up in our District i believe we need representation from a leader who reflect our values. If I as a Representative fail to do my job, i believe the people will show me that in the polls and future elections. Thus I do not believe in taking that choice away from our constituency by enforcing term limits at the State Rep level.

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

A greater emphasis on transparency and public involvement will do wonders for our current perception of politicans. We as Leaders need to do better in showing the people of Hawaii why we are serving and that ultimatley we serve their interests.

What will be your top priority if elected?

Advocating for the needs of my constituency and ensuring I as their Representative have a seat at the table to bring their main issues to the lime light. One of the reasons why I am running today is because I feel our current leadership is lacking in ensuring that my community has a genuine seat at the table when it comes to making the decisions that affect our District. As Representative I will not let partisan politics restrict me from coming across the isle and working with my fellow Representatives to ensure thag Ewa, Kapolei, and Hoopili have the funding and initiaitives they deserve.

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

As a local boy from Ewa, who claims both Ewa Villages as his hometown and Kapolei as his second home, I am striving to serve my community and the people I consider my family. From kindergarten in Ewa Elementary to my college degrees at UH West Oahu, our slice of West Oahu has been my home and i will fight with a fierceness to ensure that we have a say in how our future is decided at the legislature.

These past 6 years I have served our State as a Captain in our Hawaii Army National Guard during some of Hawaii’s worst disasters in recent times. I hope to continue to serve our community as I have served our State with Honor, dilligence, and committment to a better life in Hawaii.

Mahalo Nui Loa and Salamat Po,
Isaiah C Baclaan