Tom Berg

Party: Republican

Age: 48

Job: Administrative Services Manager for House Minority Floor Leader Rep. Kym Pine; last two sessions worked on the House Floor documenting votes and floor speeches and administering Minority Caucus votes.

Born in . In Hawaii since 1997, arrived from Minnesota

Contact: 808 753-7324, tom@bergforhouse.com

Web site: www.bergforhouse.com

Job history past 10 years:
Current- 2 years with Rep. Kym Pine; Office Manager Rep. Rida Cabanilla 3 years (2005-2008); Office Manager Senator Will Espero 6 years (2000-2005)

Ever run for public office? When? Outcome?
State House District 42; 2008; Lost to incumbent.

Other civic experience or community service:
Ewa Neighborhood Board- current Vice Chair and its Legislative Committee Chair; Ewa Director for Oahu Resource Conservation and Development Council; Past VP Ewa Gentry Cmty Assn; Olelo volunteer 11yrs

Anything else you'd like voters to know about you?
Was active on community Vision Team from past and now with the Kalaeloa Advisory Team and a member of its Rules Cmte. Preserving historical features- volunteer with Railway Society, TV documentaries

1) What qualifies you to be a member of the state House?
I have managed our Capitol Improvement Projects and advocated for our district's needs, pushing projects through, resolving constituent concerns for the last eleven consecutive legislative sessions. Having worked for Democrats and a Republican, fighting for our bills to pass is the bottom line and I have done that for Ewa Beach and Waipahu; research, writing bills, lobbying for us, planning ahead.

2) What do you feel is the biggest problem facing your district and what would you do about it?
The Ewa Plain has untapped historical features still in place from military to Hawaiian culture that could sustain quality jobs if made into museums for tourism and revenue. Our roads could handle it if Roosevelt Ave. were widened, Kualaka`i Parkway connected to Keoneula Blvd., and the East West Connector Road linking Ft. Weaver with Kualaka`i Parkway finished. Float bonds to developers to build.

3) How would you have voted on House Bill 444, the civil unions bill? Explain.
The lack of transparency and the omission of Sunshine Law applied to the Legislature ruined the opportunity to settle this matter, again. The bill should have been heard in the finance committees to probe, gather, and conclude what fiscal ramifications upon business, and the state's own retirement plan would transpire if enacted. Marriage is to be for a man with a woman. I would vote no to HB444.

4) How can the state help the city address the problem of homelessness?
We must at least try the Tent City method deployed elsewhere that is working- it puts all trespassers into compliance with the laws and serves their needs to get them the very tools to be productive on site, on demand, with accountability. The reason Tent Cities are working, is because no one wants to live there which in turn is the incentive to find a legal residence. No more beach living ends it

5) What is your stance on increasing the general excise tax to balance the budget and/or fund needed programs?
I cannot support raising taxes especially when the Department of Education has yet to go through a full comprehensive audit to explore where money can be saved instead. Our state needs $4 billion in roadwork improvements but has laws against letting the private sector build the very roads government cannot afford to build. The more the private sector is let in to perform tasks, the more we save.

6) What is your stance on gambling?
For Hawaii to outlaw the game of BINGO when the military says it builds community cohesion, is just too silly of a prohibition to remain on the books. I see BINGO as a means for schools to raise money to get them the air-conditioning they need, and for churches to be able to expand their bonds within their communities with this safe, harmless activity. Legalize BINGO & watch good will proliferate.