“But before looking to the future, let's glance back at the road we've traveled these past two years because that is the source of much of the optimism we are all feeling about the future.”
“Hawaii is an island state, thousands of miles from anywhere. It's as if we are in a boat, caught in treacherous waters, needing to set sail for a better place. If I were to chart a course north, but you insisted on going south, then we would go nowhere. We would stay stuck exactly where we started.”
“Before a community can prosper, the people must believe in their leaders. They must know that at the core of every decision is careful planning, hard work, and unbending integrity rather than partisanship or self-gain. They must trust that the awesome power of government is not being abused.”
“Throughout my political career, I've believed in the concept of home rule. Some call it local control. Whichever phrase you use, the concept is the same - the best decisions are those made closest to those who will be impacted by the decisions.”
“Good schools, good jobs, good government. These are not unreasonable demands. But sadly, some of our people have already lost heart and have left Hawaii to look for these things elsewhere.”
“I'm not an education expert, and frankly I don't want to make education decisions for our state. But I am experienced at successfully managing organizations, and putting people on a path where they can succeed.”
