Name on ballot:

Jakki Nelson

Running for:

Kauai county council

Political party:

non-partisan

Campaign website:

No answer submitted

Current occupation:

independant sales rep for National Write Your Congressman

Age:

54

Previous job history:

My background is thirty-five years in restaurant and hospitality

Previous elected office, if any:

I am not a polititian

Please describe your qualifications to represent the voters of your county.

I am motivated to devote myself to Kauai full time. My roots in the Kauai community include being on the board for the Kauai Business Association and President of the Kapaa Rotary as well as having numerous volunteer positions with local non-profits and service organizations

What will be your top priority if elected?

Creating a business- friendly environment while reopening safely

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

The county governement should start focusing on our financial health.

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

The county can look at zoning, push back on urban boundaries and regulations that restrict home-owned businesses.

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?

Strategic downsizing, perhaps. I’m all for cutting fat, but furloughs and pay cuts are not practical.

What specific solutions do you propose to combat homelessness?

We need to invest in building middle class neighborhoods. There has not been enough affordable housing on Kauai in decades. Plenty of our homeless population have jobs and no physical or mental limitations. They just cannot afford to get into a home of their own. Rents are high, especially if you have a child. It’s hard to save enough to get into a home while renting on Kauai. If your lease runs out and you lose your rental, you may experience a houseless period due to inadequate availability of affordable housing.

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

I think police are undertrained and under paid. Many consistently work overtime to pay their bills. What needs reforming are Police Unions that make it difficult to fire the bad cops.

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

We need business-centered solutions and government support.