2018 Primary Election Candidates

Click to select a candidate

Name on ballot:

MARUMOTO, Ricky

Running for:

Honolulu City Council

District (if applicable):

Political party:

Does not apply/Nonpartisan race

Campaign website:

n/a

Current occupation:

PGA Golf Professional

Age:

Previous job history:

Kalani High School Assistant Golf Coach, Ewa Beach Golf Club, Honolulu Country Club

Previous elected office, if any:

n/a

What qualifies you to represent the people of Hawaii?

As a golf professional for 10 years (elected to PGA Class A Membership in May 2018), I've learned to directly work with people and help them enjoy the game of golf and provide the best service to them. Similar to golf professionals, politicians must directly work with the people to help make their lives prosperous, comfortable, and stable. The education in becoming a PGA golf professional teaches practical business planning with strong customer relations that creates a profitable and welcoming culture in a golf facility, which is an imperative asset in any leadership role. It is true that I am a "newcomer" with no political experience whatsoever. However, the idea of helping communities and the people without the complexity of politics is very possible. I have worked directly with many people and I've heard their voices. Perhaps it is time that someone on their side steps in to get the job done.

What are the top three challenges facing the voters you seek to represent?

1. Traffic: From Hawaii Kai to Kaimuki, many residents must utilize Kalanianaole Highway and/or the H1 freeway to drop their children off to school, go to and from work, pick up their children from school, go grocery-shopping, and possibly much more. With this busy lifestyle, our roads do not support the high-volume traffic. Will the rail relieve this traffic? I don't see how it's reasonable to use public transit for all of these tasks that residents must get done.

2. Rail Transit: With a 53% approval vote in 2008, the rail's estimated cost was at approximately $4-billion. Today, the rail's new cost is estimated between $9-billion and $10-billion. The big question from many of us: why? why has the cost more than doubled after we voted for a $4-billion project and not a possible $10-billion project? Our leaders have to get the job done at the cost and timeline that was promised to the voters 10 years ago. It's beyond that point now, but our leaders of today and tomorrow must put immediate damage-control on this project; we cannot let our tax payers continue to suffer and pay for the inflating cost.

3. Affordable Housing: Homelessness is on the rise and the big reason is the high-cost of living in paradise. Home prices continue to sky-rocket but yet too little is done to ease the burden on our fellow citizens. A recent report from the US Housing and Urban Development guidelines stated that $93,000 or less is considered low-income on Oahu. It should alarm our leaders in office when $93,000 is considered low-income and the average household income in Honolulu is approximately a little less than $86,000. Something has to be done to drive cost of living down; it can't be discussed about anymore and action must immediately take place or more of us will be either homeless or be forced to move abroad.

If elected, what will be your highest legislative priority?

If elected, my highest legislative priority will be to solve the issues that the people face in front of them. From traffic to homelessness, high cost of living to affordable housing and even the rail, we must solve the issues now and take action. My job in office will be to fight for the people and make sure they earn what they deserve. It's time that the people, not government, boost their revenue and allow them to keep more of what they earn.

If elected, what can you do to improve the lives of your constituents?

The key to improving the lives of people is making the right decisions that will benefit them. In office, I will step back and look at the 'big picture' before making any type of decisions. Goal-setting is also important in improving the community and its people: Goals I will set in office include: halt tax and fee hikes so that you can keep more of what you earned, create new programs that will not only put the homeless in more shelters but also back in the workforce, making sure that we are always prepared for disasters, and most importantly listen to the voices of the people and heed their calls for a better government and better leadership.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

I'd like the people to know that the number one reason why I have entered this race is for you, the people. Many of you, and including myself, have experienced and been through the real struggles that come with living in paradise and it's time that struggle reached an end. If elected, I will do my very best to make sure that you, the people, will gain benefits from my service in office. For 10 years I served the golfing community, and I hope to expand it to Honolulu District 4 and beyond.