The future of Hawaii, the most isolated major archipelago in the world, can be immeasurably enhanced by using our existing resources more efficiently and effectively. The path to this objective lies in enhancing our transportation system, establishing a more equitable tax system and in the appropriate application of technology to government.

Transportation: Hawaii needs an ocean-going vehicular ferry system to unite the islands, stimulate intrastate commerce, and provide our people with a cost effective alternative to travel by plane and shipping by barge. We must also promote competition between Asia and established West Coast shippers for direct freight service to Hawaii. This would not only dramatically reduce consumer costs for the people of Hawaii but also would also expand business opportunities and stimulate overall economic growth within the State.

Tax Reform: In an expanding economy such as ours, tax dollars should not be frittered away through wasteful tax credits and direct grants-in-aid to special interest groups. We need to eliminate the "pyramiding" of the General Excise Taxes in business to business transactions. The working poor of our State are being unfairly taxed. We must eliminate their inappropriate tax burden by increasing the state income standard deduction and personal exemption to the same levels as the Federal Government system. And finally, for all of our citizens, we must eliminate the excise taxes now required on food and medicine.

Technology: In a full employment economy such as ours, we could easily reduce the size and cost of state government through the appropriate use of laborsaving technology. For example, the massive bureaucracy and red tape of our public welfare and assistance programs could be dramatically reduced through the introduction of a "smart card" program for recipients. Adopting a biometric ID card system would practically eliminate fraud and ensure that the benefits go directly to intended persons without public employee intervention. There are many other ways in which modern technology could assist in reducing the cost of government in Hawaii.

Improved ocean transportation, tax reform and appropriate use of technology will stimulate, expand and diversify our economy, while reducing the size and cost of state government.

Gordon Trimble
12th Senatorial District