Hawaii State Representative, Dist 33
Duties: The Hawaii State House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Hawaii State Legislature. The Hawaii House of Representatives is a part-time body.Area Represented: Portion of Halawa, a portion of Aiea, WaimaluHow Elected: The house consists of 51 members elected from an equal number of respective representative districts. A Representative must be a Hawaii resident not less than three years, is at least 18 years old, and is a qualified voter of the representative district from which the person seeks to be elected. Candidates for state legislative offices who are nominated in the primary election and are unopposed in the general election will be deemed elected to the office sought after the primary election regardless of the number of votes received by that candidate (Hawaii State Constitution, Article III, Section 4).Term: Two years, not subject to term limits.Base Salary (FY2024): $72,348 plus $225/day if living outside Oahu, $10/day for members living on Oahu; Speaker of the House - $81,024
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KONG, Sam Satoru
(Dem)
Please provide a brief Candidate Statement describing why you are running for this office and why you are qualified to hold this office.
What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what would you do about it?
Hawai`i's economy is still heavily reliant on tourism. What, if anything, should be done differently about tourism and the economy?
What steps would you take to ensure that the state has resources to meet emergency needs in addition to supporting the state's annual budget?
Education
Kalani High School (Class of '77)
Community/Military Service
U.S. Air Force; Mana Loa Nimitz Lion's Club
Campaign Phone
8086990222
Aloha! I'm your State Representative, Sam Kong, and I’m truly honored to serve our Hālawa, ‘Aiea, and Waimalu ‘ohana. Since you elected me in 2014, I've been fully committed to improving both our district and the great State of Hawai‘i. My focus has been on key issues: enhancing our education system, tackling homelessness, addressing traffic safety, and supporting our local businesses. These priorities are crucial for strengthening our community and ensuring a prosperous future for everyone.
I am dedicated to continuing my work on these issues, effectively representing your interests and needs
Having been a local businessman for over twenty years, I understand the unique challenges that small businesses experience, from government regulations, taxes, Force veteran, I understand the problems and concerns of military members as they are stationed home, particularly since many live in my district of Aiea, which is home to Camp Smith and Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam.
In addition, my commitment to volunteerism spans more than 25 years and continues through today. I dedicate myself to community projects that improve the community, such as being a member of the Mana-Loa Lions Club, Gus Webling’s Community Representative, and more.
This year we passed historic tax relief for Hawai'i's working families which will in turn also benefit our local economy. We also need to work on diversifying our tourism industry, such as investing in medical tourism by promoting Hawai'i as premier destination for medical treatment and services. Another example would be Cultural or Agricultural tourism in which visitors can actively participate in the revitalization of Hawai'i's unique cultural heritage and agricultural sector.
Last year's tragic Maui Wildfires have shown us the importance of ensuring that our State is properly prepared for any kind of emergency. One important way of having the necessary resources to respond properly to emergency situations while supporting the State Budget is by ensuring that the State's "Rainy Day" fund is adequately funded. Additionally, we must find creative solutions to ensure that insurance rates for homeowners and natural disasters such as Hurricanes remains low while at the same time providing adequate coverage.
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