Both candidates seeking first-time office to become Honolulu’s next mayor — Keith Amemiya and Rick Blangiardi — have announced plans to deal with the most critical issues facing the city and state even as developments affecting rail, COVID-19 and the post-pandemic economic recovery are constantly changing.
Amemiya released his “recovery plan” in June that includes his positions on issues such as police reform, women’s rights, economic recovery and rail.
(Find it at keithamemiya.com/
positions/#health.)
Earlier this month, Blangiardi released his 13-page “90 Day Roadmap to Recovery” position paper that often relies on new job descriptions and new responsibilities for city officials along with greater accountability, with a pledge to work
cooperatively with state officials, the
City Council and others. (It’s available
at rickblangiardiformayor.com/ricks-roadmap/.)
Blangiardi’s positions often lack specifics. On rail, for instance, his position is to improve “communication and working relationships between the City and HART (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation). … It is unacceptable for the City and HART to not be fully aligned.”
The retired broadcasting executive told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that one of the keys to crisis management is remaining “fluid” while adhering to fundamental principles such as accountability and oversight.
“In crisis management, you need to expect the unexpected,” he said.
By pledging to work more closely with other elected officials and experts, Blangiardi told the Star-Advertiser, “the challenge of this job is to be a really strong collaborator. What’s new is the leadership and that’s what I own.”
Regarding COVID-19, for instance, Blangiardi’s road map says he will “pledge to work in close cooperation with the City Council on all matters related to COVID-19 mitigation and economic recovery/revitalization, to integrate and implement like-minded initiatives, to capture challenges unique to Districts, to avoid and reduce redundant and contradictory efforts, and to deliver more efficient services to the people of Honolulu.”
In response, Amemiya took two separate swipes at his opponent’s plan.
Immediately after Blangiardi released his document, Amemiya issued this statement: “For months, I’ve been pressing my opponent to share with voters his plan for Honolulu and we still have not learned much. It looks more like a plan to develop a plan that will do little to actually beat COVID. My opponent still hasn’t done the hard work of learning the city and figuring out what to do other than assembling his CEO friends to make a plan in February.”
In response to a follow-up question from the Star-Advertiser about the difficulties in making plans while not yet in office on issues like rail and COVID-19 that are constantly changing, Amemiya said: “With the election weeks away and people already voting, my opponent just released his recovery road map. Voters deserve better. It was slim on specifics and a reflection of his top-down, CEO attitude.”
Regarding COVID-19, Amemiya said: “We must continue to support, and fund as quickly as possible, the systems needed to prevent an unmanageable spike in COVID-19 cases: testing, contact tracing, and isolation and quarantine facilities. We also need to get funding to families and small businesses faster than we have. This will require allocating funding for those that need it most and working with service providers to streamline systems so that financial support can get out the door and into peoples’ hands.”
When it comes to kick-starting Honolulu’s economy, Amemiya said: “We will expand the City-operated WorkHawai‘i Division to retrain skilled workers as the demand for a diversified workforce increases in areas like agriculture, aquaculture, renewable energy, healthcare, and technology. We will create a Honolulu Small Business Innovation Fund to provide capital to entrepreneurs and small businesses on O‘ahu. Additionally, implementing my ‘Housing For All Plan’ will stimulate our economy and make strides towards meeting our need for 22,000 housing units by 2025.”
While the office of the mayor is a nonpartisan position, Amemiya, 54, calls himself a Democrat.
A lawyer, Amemiya became a household name among high school sports families as executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association and also served as executive administrator to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents.
Blangiardi, 73, describes himself politically as an independent and previously told the Star-Advertiser he has a “conservative-leaning” bent.
In college, Blangiardi played linebacker for the UH football team from 1965 to 1966. He later returned to the team as associate head coach and defensive coordinator.
To another generation, Blangiardi became a familiar face on television for his editorial positions on a wide range of issues as Hawaii News Now’s creator, president and general manager.
Blangiardi retired in January after
43 years in the broadcast industry — and touts his business background as one of his strengths to become Honolulu’s next mayor.
To view the full Star-Advertiser 2020 General Election guide, go to https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/10/18/special-sections/2020-general-election/
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