Editor’s note: The Trade Wind asked candidates in the primary election to respond to a questionnaire on key issues and priorities if elected.

The following responses are from Paʻele Kiakona, a Green Party candidate for state House District 14, which includes Kahakuloa, Waiheʻe, parts of Waiehu and Māʻalaea, Olowalu, Lahaina, Lahainaluna, Kāʻanapali, Mahinahina Camp, Kahana and Honokahua.

Paʻele Kiakona is unopposed in the Aug. 8 primary and will advance to the general election to face Republican Elle Cochran and one of three Democrats: Ashley Olson, Kanamu Balinbin or Sne Patel.

Why Paʻele Kiakona says he is best suited for the job

Paʻele Kiakona, a Lahaina native and former Board of Water Supply member, said his experience organizing and helping the community after the wildfire shaped his approach to leadership. He said he wants to serve because he loves the islands and believes effective leadership means listening, building relationships and strengthening coordination between state and county to serve families.

The biggest issue in District 14: housing

Kiakona called housing the core challenge, noting families are being priced out of communities where their kūpuna lived. With Lahaina still recovering, he said his first six months would focus on forging a close partnership with Maui County to align resources and convert short-term rentals back to homes for local residents.

Constituent question: interisland shipping

On whether to maintain a monopoly for interisland shipping, Kiakona said he would pursue careful reforms that reduce costs and improve reliability for local businesses, while protecting maritime workers and union jobs. He said any changes must ensure essential goods reach every island at prices families can afford.

Key 2026 legislation and missed opportunities

Kiakona supported advances on emergency response but criticized the failure of several measures, including SB 2737 on anti-bribery, SB 2313 on public campaign financing and SB 1214 to tax vacant homes. He said he would prioritize transparency and ethics, along with policies that protect housing and keep working families at the center of decision-making.

Rebuilding trust after the cash-in-bag scandal

Addressing the $35,000 cash incident involving an influential lawmaker, Kiakona said restoring confidence requires humility and accountability. He said he supports public financing of elections, stronger ethics rules and more open collaboration across state and county to earn back public trust.

Preparing for disasters

Drawing on lessons from the Lahaina fire, Kiakona said readiness depends on state and county working in concert. He said he would bring stakeholders together to underground power lines, safeguard water resources and establish neighborhood resilience hubs to keep families connected and supported before the next emergency.

Climate action and costs

Kiakona said he would move away from shoreline hardening toward nature-based defenses such as restored dunes and healthy reefs that buffer waves. He supports assisting property owners who plan a managed retreat from the shoreline and investing in local agriculture for food security.

To fund adaptation, he said Hawaiʻi’s green fee should benefit frontline communities and vacant offshore-owned homes should contribute more.

Should there be a limit on bills?

Kiakona supports a reasonable cap on the number of bills introduced each session. He said fewer measures would allow deeper debate, clearer public understanding and more transparent lawmaking.

Require fiscal analyses for bills?

He favors mandatory fiscal notes so taxpayers know the real costs before laws pass. He said transparent pricing would help direct funds to housing, schools and infrastructure while avoiding unintended burdens.

Term limits

Kiakona supports term limits, describing legislative seats as a temporary stewardship. He said limits keep fresh voices in government and encourage service with humility and urgency.

Improving public schools

Kiakona said competitive teacher pay and real housing options are essential to retain educators in the district. He also supports safer classrooms, culture-based learning and strong career and technical pathways for keiki.

Diversifying Hawaiʻi’s economy

He said he wants young people to build lives at home through investment in local agriculture, clean energy that creates union jobs and regenerative tourism that shares benefits locally. Supporting small businesses, farmers and cultural practitioners, he said, will grow careers rooted in ʻāina and community.

Helping struggling residents

With an estimated 60% of residents struggling, Kiakona said he would prioritize lowering housing costs by working with the county to return more short-term rentals to local families and stabilize neighborhoods. He also pointed to living wages and affordable childcare as part of supporting working people.