Of course, those ordinary days figure to be history if Amemiya finds a new home at Honolulu Hale. Essentially, they told him that although they had welcomed him into their home and raised him since his early teenage years, he the childhood buddy of their son Christopher and someone whom Bert had frequently coached in youth sports leagues needed to learn to stand on his own. We need them to succeed. This is an economic situation changing by the week, changing by the month, its unprecedented. But clearly the current systems not working, and when I ran high school sports in Hawaii, and it was obviously a state-wide organization, it sounds simple, but it worked, in my opinion very well. Im for open communication, transparency, we need to make it easier for people to have their say, and technology has proven that you can do it. So prior to that I was getting shuttled from relative to relative, and I was very close to the Kobayashi family. They provided a lifeline to me, they provided love, compassion, they provided structure to me, they proved to me that all it takes is one family or one person or set of people to show they care and it can uplift you and change your life trajectory. Well, we need to look at overhauling through the department. Keith Amemiya is a candidate in the 2020 Honolulu mayoral election.. There are shelters available, but not enough for the 2,000-some un-sheltered folks that are on the street right now. We have to wait and see. The state needs to take an active role in increasing the supply of housing for middle- and low-income residents. Summary. I cant think of one off hand. Reaching out to the public, you need to make sure the public knows. Like it or not, its almost finished. In 1971, he received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Ryan's Daughter. I strongly support diversifying our local economy, and driving tourism in a more regenerative direction. Tourism is one of our economic life-bloods, and we need to do what we can to work with these hotels to address the rising sea levels. What's one of the more difficult periods of your life and how did you lift yourself out of it? The next mayor needs to do something about it. Utilizing creative tax credits to incentivize companies to relocate to Hawaii, we can generate much needed revenue. Former Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz developed a team to pursue federal funding, something we should reconstitute to secure the billions needed for our state. What are you gonna do about this very fundamental problem? Instead, with each passing day he grew more resilient when faced with challenges. We can look at financing, interest rates are still relatively low, we can look at partnerships with the private sector. His leadership is proving invaluable to hit the ground running, forging a bright path forward beyond the current pandemic and continuing our mission of supporting Hawaii communities.. Many residents and business owners often and rightfully felt confused, fearful, and uncertain with restrictions and recovery plans. I know there are challenges. You know, I never held it against her. Coordination of evidence-based and research-driven practices for community-wide testing and vaccinations. We need to contemplate innovative revenue generation opportunities, including potential green taxes, to create more funding. Now if I can add to that, the pandemic has taught us that maybe everyone doesnt have to go to downtown to work, that maybe you can work from home, maybe we can have four-day work weeks across the board with rotating days off, so that traffic is spread out over the week. Theres no debate about that, in probably some things will have to be cut. How does that comment make you feel? Well, to the point we discussed earlier, giving more teeth to the police commission may help, and that in turn will give more confidence in the public. Below is the full transcript of Keith Amemiyas discussion with Mahealani Richardson, Daryl Huff, Colin Moore, Chad Blair, Christina Jedra and Stewart Yerton. All our focus is on COVID right now, were taking a hit budget-wise, but this is the biggest problem of our lifetime. I have the experience to lead organizations. Its a problem thats often swept under the rug, whether family members or society is embarrassed by it and doesnt wanna deal with it, but its a thing, its a problem, and we need to address it. When you type Amemiya into an iPhone, it comes out, Mama Mia.. #7-500 What would a future generation of Hawaii say about you in three words? The seeds the Kobayashis had planted in their hnai son had begun to bear good fruit; the first signs of his gritty can-do, not cant-do attitude were firmly taking root. I go back to just the federal subsidy, we received a loan thats $800,000,000. Work with community organizations to go beyond just saying no and move into envisioning what we are willing and wanting to say yes to affordable housing in their communities. [2] So every situation is different, and in some cases, my sense is that the developers checked every box that they were supposed to check. To him, it was just another way of giving back to the community while also paying homage to the family who took him in and taught him, among other things, how to be plucky and stand on his own two feet. It wont supersede the neighborhood boards, itll supplement the neighborhood boards. Were looking at in just a few decades or less, with even just a few feet of sea level rise, those being inundated, and that means roads are gonna be falling to the sea. Additionally, he is credited with reuniting the Oahu public and private schools in football after 48 years of separation, a feat many thought was impossible. Were gonna talk about it, we wanna hear your view points. And I think with all the controversies that have gone on nationally and locally, and the uprisings, nationally and locally, this is the election, I hope, people speak up and vote. When you look at the Mauna Kea movement and how it has sparked conflicts over projects, what do you tell the nervous developers who have already received the green light by government, and what do you tell the police who have to enforce the law, and native Hawaiians who are willing to protest and put their lives at risk for their causes? While their stays are at best only over the summers and school breaks, these student-athletes are no doubt appreciative of the generosity demonstrated by the Amemiyas. Id rather look at cutting those positions, then positions held by live bodies, so to speak. Keith Amemiya is on Facebook. I worked with high school principals, local businesses, and community leaders, including Carissa Moore and Marcus Mariota, to distribute over 20,000 meals at schools to ensure our keiki and their families were fed. He also served as Executive Director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. And in particular, because after that project was completed, many units changed hands and at higher prices. Keith Amemiya is 56 years old today because Keith's birthday is on 09/01/1965. Well, first, they were breaking the law, and thats not right. Amemiya will manage strategic planning, programs, and operations for CPB Foundation. I dont know, I have to think about it. I used to spend weekends with them often, and one day they asked me, or told me like, Hey, why dont you live with us?' Theres a lot of city employees that are retiring in the coming years. You know, I dont know if its the citys role to tell them what to do, but I do know the hotels are already planning for climate change and sea level rise. You say that you want to restore trust in government. You know it is what it is, you know. One of the cornerstones of his campaign addresses Honolulus severe housing deficit, which he says is 22,000 units short of demand. To fix this issue, hes vowed to curb activities such as illegal vacation rentals, which he argues increases the cost of housing. Keith, you know, whenever we mention illegal vacation rentals, we always have people call us and say whether theyre illegal or not, they need that income from that house or from that room in their house to supplement their income because our cost of living is so bad. Require legislators to follow sunshine laws. Bert and Harriet were great role models for me. When I served on the commission, Chief Kealoha wasnt the chief and I wasnt involved in the selection of Chief Kealoha. You need to be proactive and you need to get out there constantly. Did you see all that, and did you try and take action on it? So I dont wanna speculate. Keith Amemiya, Honolulu Mayoral Candidate: Well, Im running for mayor because we need change. Umm, there must be some issue I changed my mind on, and I need to think about it a little more. I know their issues. This Endless You know, not all residential areas that are on the seashore are high-end residential areas. I know his wife, Dawn Ige, because she was a former public school vice principal. Thats the way I look, when you have a cold, you go to the doctor. He definitely wasnt trying to impress me, says Bonny, chuckling at the memory. Im sorry. Ill answer the resistance to change part first. Weve gone too far. How would that work? Mental illness is a problem that no one wished upon themselves, they cant help it, and I was frustrated Im still frustrated at the lack of services, the lack of awareness, the lack of priority by government to address that concern. As one of Amemiyas first actions as Executive Director, CPB Foundation awarded The Salvation Army's Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division a $100,000 grant to support their Addiction Treatment Services (ATS) program located in Nuuanu. Hey, were gonna possibly redevelop Sherwood Forest. So I dont think we need to cut any other departments while were improving the quality of service at DPP. At the time, he was a young civil litigation attorney and Bonny (formerly Suzui) was the CFO of a local fast food chain. The Amemiyas were not alone. This pandemic has been horrible for many, many reasons, but if theres any by-product of it, its proven we can communicate pretty effectively without being face-to-face. Amemiya, 54, has made the story of his upbringing a central part of his campaign. But in regular neighborhoods, quote unquote, clearly Im against them. A lot of families dont have that opportunity, but we took that opportunity, and we didnt do two things that I wanted. Too many of our candidates, too many of our politicians have been entrenched. But if you did have to cut, what would you look at? With 23.2% of the vote, Amemiya placed third in the 2022 Democratic primary election for Hawaii lieutenant governor and was thus eliminated. Today, girls sports such as wrestling, golf, water polo and canoe paddling owe their existence to the noble battle Amemiya first waged nearly two decades ago. Everythings okay, weve heard you, youve had a chance to voice your concerns, but were moving ahead. Would you support that project? I wonder, What got them to that point. I think of my own mom, who has mental illness and was on the brink of homelessness many times, if not for her family and friends. I believe youve actually considered amending our city charter to give the commission more teeth. You know Keith, I was looking back, you place so much importance on your role running the high school athletic programs. We have heard in the middle of this pandemic from behavioral health specialists that they are deeply concerned that depression will get worse, domestic violence, all of these other issues will get worse because of the pandemic. Im not against all vacation rentals. Contact & Personal Details. We cant afford to pay back over $800,000,000 in federal subsidies that weve already received for the rail project, and we also need to ensure that rail is completed, so that we can proceed with transit oriented development. The mayoral candidate joins 100 supporters during a sign-waving outing in East Oahu. Ive led large statewide organizations. During his 12 years with HHSAA, for example, he successfully persuaded many risk-averse principals and athletic directors to launch a second state championship division for the so-called smaller schools. It was a move that not only brought in more money for the state, but also increased the level of excitement for prep sports exponentially. Its the number one issue here as well, based on my feedback from constituents. Stopping it actually makes a situation worse again. Right, well, I have a lot of broad-based experience, especially for the job of mayor. We need to identify state lands that make sense for housing our communities. And there was certainly cultures of looking the other way for domestic violence, there was favoritism among police officers. I do know that it was a little higher than the prior year, its an ambitious budget, its an aggressive budget, and time will tell whether they can fulfill all the mandates in that budget. All rights reserved, https://www.cpb.bank/resources/2021/february/cpb-foundation-appoints-keith-amemiya-executive-director-awards-100-000-grant-to-the-salvation-army-hawaiian-pacific-islands, Copyright 2022, Central Pacific Bank. You can impose a tourist passport tax, to levy against tourists, and itll be used to help provide or pay down infrastructure. Keith Amemiya: Moral Leader - YouTube A 1st time Candidate.Keith Amemiya is running for Mayor!Keith is committed to Moral Leadership! We need to find more alternative housing options for homeless people. It wasnt evident if you saw her and spoke to her maybe one or two times. Prior to this pandemic crisis, the city was in pretty good financial shape. What happens with someone like that, whos got a residential property on the makai side of Kam Highway on the windward side or down in Ewa Beach, right up against, you know, near Hau Bush and stuff. I had an office in the downtown area and it just wasnt a good environment for the homeless or the Chinatown merchants and shop-goers. The public needs to pay attention more, too. Build water and infrastructure capacity, where appropriate, to incentivize development of housing local families can afford. And for years, Keith Amemiya has been a generous donor to the political campaigns of Hawaii's power players. To be honest, there's 15 candidates, I know some better than others, but I view myself in terms of the candidates I know, to be the most liberal. So Ill do what I can. I also believe we need to improve in the following areas: Clearer, more consistent communication to the public, with coordination from all levels of government and business and community leaders. It keeps getting pushed back, and as you know, HART was hoping to open up that first segment this year. Its a big, pervasive problem in our society. Im a firm believer, when I was on the commission 10 years ago, Im a firm believer now, that any effective oversight body, especially one involving the police and law enforcement, needs transparency and accountability. It seems like the commission was the same culture that it had back when you were there, that led to Kealoha, that led to the payoff to Kealoha. Its a comprehensive plan that seeks to aggressively reduce the housing vacancy or housing inventory shortage that we have right now. Obviously, I cant speak for the current administration, and what theyre gonna do from now to the end of the year, but we need to have a balance, like in all things in life, and if the hotels need a tax break, and the city can make it work on their end, and we should look at it. With executive leadership experience in both the public and private sector, Amemiya has unique insight to the multitude of issues facing Hawaii, coupled with the ingenuity to forge impactful solutions through public-private partnerships. Its not for personal gain, for wealth or fame, but its to fix problems and make the community better.. Speaking of fairness, what about for the hotels that have been essentially not able to operate for months what about giving them a tax break on property taxes? Why did you do that, when the office of mayor is non-partisan? Right now, my favorite song is Mama Mia, cause. Like it or not, Im forewarning you, we have a campaign song that is sung to that tune. So my relationship with Governor and Mrs. Ige is strong. We should get homeless out of Chinatown. We met, we first met when I was running high school sports, and weve kept in contact since. We need new leadership. 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