Monthly Archives: June 2018

Choon James: Robert “Bobby” Bunda and I Meet Again!

Choon James: City Council Candidate Robert Bunda Served on  PLDC and Honolulu Rail Board

City Council Candidate Robert Bobby Bunda and I are on the opposite ends of many public policies.  Mr. Bobby Bunda was on the PLDC Board and we were challenging him.

The PLDC  – Public Land Development Corporation – was a moment in time when all of the Hawaiian Islands combined to repeal Act 55.  PLDC caused so much anger amongst the residents. The name itself was an oxymoron.  PRIVATE developers should not be given unfettered access and authority to use PUBLIC lands.

People Power from all the islands of Hawaii ganged up and repealed the bad action in 2012.

Mr. Bunda was also on the Honolulu Rail HART Board. He recently resigned from the Honolulu Rail HART ( Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit) Board. Honolulu Rail issue is another concern that we citizens tried very hard to insert some sanity into the fiscal process.

Choon James is shown here at the State Legislature trying to prove a point – Don’t keep throwing good money into the fiscal black hole. The state Senate Ways and Means Committee narrowly voted to advance the $2.37 billion  bail out for the city’s financially troubled rail project on August 28, 2017.

Choon James -Honolulu City Council District 2

 

                     RESIDENTS FIRST!

Choon James For Honolulu City Council District 2

Aloha! 

I’ve been involved in city affairs as an activist and advocate for decades.  I’ve grown older and impatient! I would like the opportunity to make a difference in  the lives of our residents INSIDE city hall.

I truly believe the government exists to improve the life and happiness of its citizens. I want to put residents FIRST! You are the major  stakeholder.

So many of our residents face economic and social pressures.  Many of our residents have to carry 2 or 3 jobs to survive. Our kama’aina  folks worry about escalating costs of living and being priced out of Hawaii. 

One fundamental issue I want to champion and work with the other eight council members is to provide a property tax cap for local homeowners who have lived in their homes for more than 15 years and to provide incentives to property owners who rent long-term to long term residents. (This is not out of the blue. Case in Point – The city has provided property tax relief where developers only paid $300 per year instead of  about $160,000 .00 per year for property taxes. )

Of course, there are other issues like traffic, tourism impacts, infrastructure, homelessness, jobs creation and business opportunities, oligarchy, gentrification,  Aloha Disconnect, parks and resources, retirement, families in distress, carrying capacity, crime, drug addiction and so forth. Jobs that are here today may be obsolete tomorrow.

There are solutions to the challenges on  our island home.  You the residents have valuable local knowledge and wisdom to share.   Many of you  have have international  experience, professionally combed the world,  gained insights and expertise.  Collectively, we can improve our island home! 

Let’s put your smarts, imagination, expertise, common sense and aloha together to improve our lives and communities.  WE can all win!

Let’s gang up for the public good!   I humbly ask for your vote!

                      Mahalo, Choon

Mililani MaukaWahiawā, Schofield, Whitmore VillageMokulēʻiaWaialua,
HaleʻiwaWaimeaPūpūkeaSunset BeachKahukuʻieHauʻula,PunaluʻuKahana BayKaʻaʻawaKualoaWaiāholeKahaluʻu

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Meddles With State Auditor

http://www.civilbeat.org/2018/05/state-auditor-says-rail-agency-is-interfering-with-his-work/

Marcel Honore

Marcel Honore is a reporter for Civil Beat.
You can email him at mhonore@civilbeat.org

In blunt public testimony during Thursday’s Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board meeting, Les Kondo said that HART staff members are being required to record their interviews with auditor personnel, then deliver those recordings to HART management to be transcribed.

“I have strong concerns about that. In my opinion, that is akin to management sitting in the interview itself,” Kondo said during his latest surprise appearance at a HART meeting. “Big Brother is there. Big Brother is listening. And whether intended or not, the implication in my opinion to the employees is that they better tow the company line.”

“This is an audit. It is not litigation. It is not discovery as part of a lawsuit,” he said, adding the recordings are “frankly unprecedented” for his office.