Name on ballot:

Ian M. A. Ross

Running for:

State House – District 23

Political party:

Democratic

Campaign website:

www.rossforhawaii.com/

Current occupation:

Public Affairs Director at Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center

Age:

33

Previous job history:

Public Policy and Advocacy Manager, Alzheimer’s Association – Hawaii (2018-2022); Legislative Aide, Hawaii State Senate (2017, 2022-2023); Legislative Analyst, Hawaii State House (2017-2018); Program Manager, KUPU (2014-2015).

Previous elected office, if any:

Honolulu Neighborhood Board #10, Member (2017-2024) and Chair (2019-2024)

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

I was born and raised here in Hawaii and I’m a proud graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, with a BA in Economics. As a community organizer, Neighborhood Board Chair, and public health advocate, I have helped deliver results by effectively collaborating with our local, state, and federal leaders. My advocacy work with the Alzheimer’s Association, four years of experience as an aide and bill drafter at the State Legislature, and five years as a Neighborhood Board Chair representing the community, have provided me with the experience I need to be a strong voice for the district.

I want to use my experience and collaborative leadership approach to better address the problems we’re facing in the heart of Honolulu by bridging the divide between our community and government. I’m running for State Representative because a lot of work needs to be done to reduce homelessness and to ensure that Honolulu is safer and more affordable for local residents.

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

Homelessness and the need for truly affordable housing for local residents.

We need a comprehensive approach to reducing homelessness. To accomplish this, we should establish more facilities and programs similar to Hawaii Homeless Healthcare Hui, expand access for individuals with mental illness, increase the availability of beds in shelters, and expand the Kauhale Initiative’s tiny home program. Additionally, we should utilize Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 1115 waivers and CMMI grants to direct Medicaid funds toward prevention and proactive treatment rather than treatment after the fact — by some estimates, this would save $300 million while improving outcomes.

When it comes to housing, the goal must be truly affordable housing for local residents. The bottom line is that no one deserves to be priced out of their community. Because of this, I support taking immediate action to stabilize the insurance market for condominiums, investing in transit-oriented development, authorizing mixed-use housing that includes repurposing vacant office rooms for residential use, adopting social housing models such as ALOHA Homes that drive down the cost and are only open for local residents, and following through with serious investments in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

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

Housing is the highest cost for most residents, and the state can work to directly alleviate this.

We must support first-time home buyers, to help the next generation transition from renting into homeownership. And since Hawaii residents must compete with international buyers, we should help locals by providing housing units for K-12 teachers, social housing through programs like ALOHA homes that come with 99-year leases only available to local residents, housing for the elderly, and housing through the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. These approaches can provide housing that cannot be purchased from out of state, simultaneously benefiting those living in these units and helping all residents by expanding supply to meet demand.

In addition to housing policy, and more immediately, we should adjust the low-income household renter’s credit, which was created in 1977 and hasn’t been modified since 1989. The income eligibility cut-off can be increased, and the credit can be raised to offer assistance to those who most need it.

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

I support taking immediate action to stabilize the insurance market for condominiums. This must happen by 2025 at the latest, however I would also support a special session in 2024.

Increased risks of wildfires and hurricanes have caused condo insurance rates to skyrocket. These increased prices are affecting owners, and in many cases are being passed on to renters. The price increases are large and wildly inconsistent.

Last year, the state legislature considered House Bill 2686, which would have authorized the state to stabilize the local insurance market and avoid a price spike. Unfortunately, the bill was amended to instead create a study and subsequently died during the final days of the legislative session. Major actions, like the bill’s original version, are necessary to protect owners and renters from soaring insurance costs, and I will do everything I can to make sure that a bill is passed next session to relieve condo owners of these high expenses.

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

Tourism will probably continue to play a major role in our economy for the foreseeable future, but we should also be making serious efforts to diversify. Since the decline of plantation agriculture, tourism has long been the driver of Hawaii’s economy. However, the dramatic reduction in tourists during the pandemic demonstrated the weaknesses of an economy that relies on a single industry so heavily. Also, additional industries can provide a wider array of economic opportunities for young people who may otherwise choose to leave our state.

There are fields that are ripe for growth. For example, the medical field has a shortage of staff, including nurses and doctors. Doing more to fill these roles would simultaneously help us meet community health needs and provide high-paying jobs.

We also need to increase funding and availability of programs to promote careers that do not require a college degree, such as trades. This includes establishing more apprenticeships that offer a living wage, especially in the green workforce developing renewable energy. Doing so will help us create jobs while helping Hawaii meet the challenges of environmental restoration and climate change.

Our University of Hawaii system should also play a larger role in economic growth, since a robust system of higher education and vocational training is necessary to continue producing professionals skilled in media specialties, aquaculture, engineering, entrepreneurship, and other critical professions.

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

As I mentioned earlier, the goal must be truly affordable housing for local residents. By expanding the availability of housing in ways that are protected from out of state demand, we can bring down costs for local residents.

I support taking immediate action to stabilize the insurance market for condominiums, investing in transit-oriented development, creating teacher housing, authorizing mixed-use housing that includes repurposing vacant office rooms for residential use, adopting social housing models such as ALOHA Homes that drive down the cost and are legally permitted to be open only for local residents, and following through with serious investments in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

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

There are enormous rewards for investing adequately in education, such as increased graduation rates, increased adult earnings, decreased poverty, and reduced crime. However, these benefits take time, and a sustained funding increase must come before these substantial and measurable benefits.

My top priorities for our public education system are (1) smaller student-to-teacher ratios, (2) higher salaries for public school teachers, (3) improving facilities with a particular focus on fairness for neighborhoods with fewer resources, (4) expanding availability of mental health services for students, and (5) improving teacher retention through expanding programs like teacher housing.

By addressing these priorities, we can create a more equitable and supportive learning environment that empowers our keiki and strengthens our community as a whole. Investing in education is investing in our future, and it’s crucial that we make these changes to ensure all students in Hawaii have the opportunity to succeed.

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

Yes. Though a new stadium is not as critical as other priorities, such as housing, a project like this still has large benefits. It would create jobs, helping to stimulate the local economy. And due to the project’s proximity to the rail lines, this major entertainment facility could provide recreation for residents living in transit-oriented development. It would also help our state in its mission to serve as a hub of arts in the pacific region.

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

While it is important to have experienced legislators, I support term limits on the higher end, restricting people from holding office for decades at a time. Unfortunately, term limits are not a silver bullet for solving problems in government. Other states have experimented with term limits for their legislators and, unfortunately, they have not led to improvements in legislative outcomes.

We need additional reforms if we want to provide voters with more viable choices on their ballots. These include expanding public financing and placing a cap on the maximum size of war chests carried over from previous elections. We should also allow candidates to use campaign funds to cover caregiving expenses incurred by being a candidate, making it easier for parents and caregivers to run for office.

This year will be the first with a voter guide listing candidates, including their pictures and why they are running. Next session, the Legislature should expand this by budgeting funds to print and mail these guides to every voter.

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

The biggest obstacle to applying transparency policies such as the Sunshine Law to the state legislature is how the legislative session is currently structured, with tight deadlines and a very fast pace. I support lengthening the legislative session, which would allow us to fully implement the Sunshine Law. And since Hawaii is facing myriad challenges, we’d be better served by our leaders being full-time employees who work year-round.

What will be your top priority if elected?

My top priority will be making sure that people are not priced out of their neighborhoods and communities. In the immediate term, this means a bill which urgently stabilizes the condominium insurance market, so that both owners and renters are protected. For the longer term, we need to produce more housing units that are truly affordable for local residents.

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

I was born in Honolulu and raised by my single mother on Kauai. Life wasn’t always easy, but we made it work. I worked my way through high school and college in a variety of jobs such as a senior living facility, a computer repair shop, and Costco, until I became a proud graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a BA in economics.

I know firsthand that making ends meet in Hawaii can be a challenge. The state needs to focus on creating more housing that is truly affordable for local residents, reducing homelessness with a comprehensive approach, and improving public safety through measures that will decrease gun violence and shut down illegal game rooms.

As we face challenges like these, it’s important to have public servants who will put the community first. That’s why I’m running, to serve as a strong voice for the district.