{"id":1163,"date":"2018-08-01T04:31:52","date_gmt":"2018-08-01T14:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/?p=1163"},"modified":"2018-08-01T19:00:12","modified_gmt":"2018-08-02T05:00:12","slug":"1163","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/?p=1163","title":{"rendered":"Choon James: Alternative to Status Quo"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/h6>\n
Name on ballot: JAMES, Choon<\/h6>\n
Running for: Honolulu City Council<\/h6>\n
District (if applicable):District 2<\/h6>\n
Political party: Nonpartisan<\/h6>\n
Campaign website: www.VoteChoon.com<\/h6>\n
Current occupation: Real Estate Broker<\/h6>\n
Age: 61<\/h6>\n
Previous job history: College Instructor<\/h6>\n
Previous elected office, if any: Community Associations<\/h6>\n

Community organizations\/prior offices held<\/h4>\n
Chair, Defend Oahu Coalition – Keep The Country Country; president, BYU-Hawaii Alumni Association; president, Laie Point Community Association; board member, Laie Community Association; founding member, Kahuku Hospital Board, Save Oahu Farmlands Alliance; member, Honolulu Board of Realtors; producer, Olelo Community Media; member, Hawaii Thousand Friends; member, Sierra Club; member, Ko\u2019olauloa Sustainable Communities Advisory Planning Committee; member, Amnesty International; member, Friends of South Pass City; member, Relief Society Women\u2019s Organization; merit badge counselor, Aloha Council BSA.<\/div>\n
What are the top three challenges facing the voters you seek to represent?<\/h5>\n

District 2 is the most diversified and largest land area in the City Council. We span rural communities from Kahalu\u2019u to Wahiawa to an award-winning planned community in Mililani Mauka. We have wonderful residents!<\/p>\n

1. Costs of Living & Housing<\/strong> \u2013 Hawaii is such a beautiful place with a stable political environment that does not discriminate real estate ownership; our local residents have to compete with international investors for real estate holdings. Increased property values and property taxes outpace many residents\u2019 fixed social security and income. Our residents are feeling priced out on so many different levels.<\/p>\n

Many work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet and sustain themselves. Our young people have to resort to exchange babysitting in parking lots on the way to work! Kupuna are worried about sustaining themselves in their golden years and passing on the family home to their children.<\/p>\n

Most of us work very hard to make a living.<\/p>\n

The government must deliberate carefully before imposing escalating fees and taxes on our people. Residents are not eternal money trees.<\/p>\n

2. Quality of Life Ko\u2019olauloa<\/strong> and North Shore is the Oahu\u2019s golden goose for tourism. While residents are welcoming, the quality of life must be considered. Residents are overwhelmed by the increased amount of tourists. Tourism\u2019 multiplier impacts on our infrastructure and public space are real. Traffic is a constant aggravation. The one hundred- year-old Kamehameha Highway, parks, other finite natural resources and other municipal services have to be considered into policy-making and deliberations .<\/p>\n

3. Economic Opportunities<\/strong> This cash economy is leaving many of our residents behind. Homelessness is on the rise in our District. We have homeless camping in the streets, mountains, and other public places. This is not good for them and not good for the public. The world is changing. Jobs that are here today will not be here tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, we have very successful residents who are willing to help and share. As a city councilwoman for my District, I will also focus on this area \u2013 to help our residents explore start-ups, resources, education and options to lift ourselves and our families to the countless opportunities out there for economic gain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Let’s gang up for the public good! I humbly ask for YOUR vote.<\/p>\n

Choon James<\/p>\n

808 293 8888 text<\/p>\n

ChoonJamesHawaii@gmail.com<\/p>\n

www.VoteChoon.com<\/p>\n

www.CountryTalkStory.com<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Name on ballot: JAMES, Choon Running for: Honolulu City Council District (if applicable):District 2 Political party: Nonpartisan Campaign website: www.VoteChoon.com Current occupation: Real Estate Broker Age: 61 Previous job history: College Instructor Previous elected office, if any: Community Associations Community organizations\/prior offices held Chair, Defend Oahu Coalition – Keep The Country Country; president, BYU-Hawaii Alumni […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[103],"class_list":["post-1163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-choon-james"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1163"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1174,"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1163\/revisions\/1174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/countrytalkstory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}