Excellent questions from Carol, though I would like to hear replies to them from Council office candidates as well as state office candidates. Seems to me there is significant overlap between the Council and state on many issues. Action is possible at all levels on many issues.
Here are some further questions for all of the candidates:
How significant a threat do you feel rat lungworm disease, dengue fever, and other epidemiological concerns are to public health, the economy (especially the tourism sector), and agriculture in Puna and Hawaii? Noting there is a connection between emergent diseases and invasive species--as via range expansion of the ideal slug host for rat lungworm--if you feel these diseases and expanding invasive species are a significant threat then how do you propose addressing these issues? Please be as specific as possible in your reply.
Do you feel Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are a problem of concern in Puna and Hawaii? If so, then then how do you propose addressing this preventable birth defects issue? Please be as specific as possible in your reply.
Have you studied the pros and cons of traffic roundabouts? If so, then
how do you feel about them for Puna and Hawaii? Please be as specific as possible in your reply.
How do you feel about food self-sufficiency in Puna and Hawaii? That is, how important do you feel it is that the populations of Puna and Hawaii be able to feed themselves if for whatever reason the flow of ships and planes were to be interrupted? If you feel achieving food self-sufficiency is a significant issue then what do
you propose, specifically, toward advancing this goal?
How do you, personally, feel about equal marriage rights (versus "civil union" legislation)
expanding to include families headed by two law-abiding, tax-paying, citizens who are both men or both women? How would you vote on this issue? Please be as specific as possible in your reply.
If there is a conflict between the personal religious convictions of an elected public official (based on his or her sect's teachings or holy text of whatever sort) and the action for which a clear majority his or her constituents have expressed strong support, then how do you feel the public official should vote? Based on personal religious conviction or as per the clear majority of constituents? How would you vote in such a situation? Please be as specific as possible in your reply.
Californians will vote this year on Proposition 19, the Tax Cannabis initiative; the matter has large economic and social relevance to Puna and Hawaii. Are you well-informed through study of the issues, how do you feel about the various factors involved, and how would you vote on a similar Hawaiian Tax Cannabis initiative? Please be as specific as possible in your reply.
Apart from voting for you in the upcoming election, if you could succeed in winning over each and every Puna and Big Island resident to feel the same way as you do on one critically important key issue, then which one issue would you choose to win people over on?
Edits in green: typos corrections for better clarity.
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MSP's wingsuit segment from "Seven Sunny Days"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0tU3Hy7et8&feature=related
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