Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 1, 1 January 2007 — HAWAIIAN ISSUES SURVEY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HAWAIIAN ISSUES SURVEY

As part of our pre-election coverage in October, Ka Wai Ola ran a questionnaire of candidates for state office asking the candidates to weigh in on a number of issues of importance to Native Hawaiians. This month, as the state Legislature prepares to convene for its annual session, we

are re-running the responses of those candidates who eventually won their races, as a reminder of the commitments they made to the Hawaiian community on these issues. We urge members of the public to monitor the legislative session closely, and to let your lawmakers know your opinions on these and other issues that affect all of us who eall Hawai'i home.

QUESTIONS Ql) Do you believe Native Hawaiians qualify for indigenous status similar to that already held by Native American and Alaska Native groups? Background: During the past legislative session, nearly all state lawmakers voted in favor of a resolution supporting the efforts of Hawai'i's eongressional delegation to gain federal reeognition of Native Hawaiians' speeial poliīieal status as an indigenous people. Hawai'i's eurrent governor and lieutenant governor have also strongly supported the measure, as has OHA's Board of Trustees. Those who support federal reeognition see it as the best means to eounter the reeent onslaught of lawsuits seeking the elimination of programs that solely benefit Hawaiians. Those who oppose reeognition either feel that any speeial status for Hawaiians would be racially discriminatory, or that it does not go far enough to promote true Hawaiian self-determination. Q2) Would you support Native Hawaiians in forming their own governing body? Background: Recently, OHA has reapplied itself toward sponsoring a process through whieh Hawaiians could elect a poliīieal body to represent their collective interests. While those elected to form such an entity would choose on behalf of their constituents what form the governing body would take and whether or not to seek federal recognition, any negotiations over the possible transfer of existing Hawaiian land and trust assets would require state government approval. Q3) Should at least one seat on various state land and resource boards be reserved for a candidate proposed by OHA? Background: Over the past several legislative sessions, OHA has introduced bills to reserve one seat eaeh on the Land Use Commission, Board of Land and Natural Resources, Water Resource Management

Commission and Coastal Zone Management Advisory Board for an appointee to be chosen by the governor from a list of nominees submitted by OHA. The bills have never made it through legislative committees to a final vote, although this year lawmakers did pass a measure requiring that at least one member of the state's Land Use Commission possess "substantial experience or expertise in traditional Hawaiian land usage and knowledge of cultural land practices." OHA officials have maintained that providing the agency with formal input into the selection of individuals to serve on land and resource boards would allow Hawaiians more of a voice on these vital issues. Q4) Would you increase state funding for public /charter schools that focus on Hawaiian language immersion or Native Hawaiian cultural curricula? Background: Among the legislative initiatives put forth by Native Hawaiian groups in the past few years have been several intended to address the ongoing disparity in educational statistics for Hawaiian students. Included in these have been bills seeking increased autonomy and funding for charter schools that focus on Hawaiian cultural and language curricula. Charter school advocates say that the schools have been consistently under-funded compared to regular DOE schools. Unlike standard DOE schools, charter schools are not provided with land, facilities or maintenance funds. Q5) Would you approve state funds to assist with the construction of an OHA headquarters and Hawaiian cultural center on the Kaka'ako waterfront? Background: Currently, negotiations are in progress with the state's Hawai'i Community Development Authority over the possible construction of a combined OHA headquarters/ Hawaiian cultural center on state land on the Kaka'ako waterfront. Meanwhile, OHA has sought funding from the Legislature to assist with planning for the project, so far without success. While the Legislature has in the past helped other ethnic groups in

the islands establish their own cultural centers, no such facility yet exists solely for Hawai'i's native culture. Q6) Should OHA receive zoning and building code exemptions, similar to those currently held by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, in order to develop affordable housing for Native Hawaiians? Background: Native Hawaiians are hit especially hard by the affordable housing and homelessness crises in the state. During the last legislative session, OHA sought to help alleviate these problems for Hawaiians by establishing itself as an attractive partner for housing development through exemptions from zoning and building codes, similar to those afforded to DHHL. While the proposal did not get far in the legislative process, OHA is committed to continuing such efforts to improve housing conditions for Hawaiians. Q7) Do you believe Native Hawaiian cultural interests should eome before commercial interests in water rights cases? Background: In recent years, a number of heated battles over precious water resources have been fought between development interests and Hawaiian kalo farmers and homesteaders in areas like Waiāhole Valley, East Maui and Moloka'i. With development continuing to boom across the state, water access is sure to become even more of a critical issue. Q8) Do you support tuition waivers for Native Hawaiian students at the University of Hawai'i? Background: Statistics from the 2000 census showed that Hawaiians continue to lag behind national averages in higher education, and they continue to be underrepresented at the University of Hawai'i compared to other ethnic groups. Currently, some - but by no means all - Hawaiian students at UH are eligible for federally funded tuition waivers based on financial need. Bills to provide tuition waivers for all Hawaiian students at UH have eome before the Legislature in the past, but without success. S

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