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Mitch Roth has been succesfully working on "community" initiatives, which are a way of investing in positive outcomes: helping people make better life choices reduces the need for later prosecution, which both saves money and makes for a nicer place to live.
His opponent Kagami thinks this is an improper use of the office, and that Roth should spend his time "prosecuting people" because "that's his job".
In many ways, the prosecutor is actually more important than the mayor. I believe that should Kagami win the election, we will experience a crackdown on unpermitted shacks, homelessness, and other "easy wins" against those least able to defend themselves.
Please re-elect Mitch Roth, no matter who you choose for Mayor.
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Cracking down on unpermitted shacks might be a good thing, they have gotten out of hand and it seems too many folks have taken advantage of the lack of enforcement.
I was shocked to recently visit a "home" just purchased for around 70k in Orchidland. The new owner was already adding on to the large falling apart shack while ignoring the rusted out old cars on the property.
That said I've had a good deal of personal experience with Mitch Roth and am still hugely impressed with his character and progress in cleaning up the Big Island political subterfuge.
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Mr Ruggles is now facing three life terms in prison.
Mr Ruggles chose to dispense marijuana and possess firearms (including at least one "prohibited" item), and State does not recognize your rights to both of these at the same time.
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"Please re-elect Mitch Roth, no matter who you choose for Mayor."
Gotta agree with this statement ! Mitch Roth has done a very good job !
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i'm still trying to figure out what made a guy from Oahu decide to run for the Hawaii County prosecutors office, when we have a perfectly reasonable, although not perfect, prosecutor already in place. It isn't as if there was some huge outcry from the public demanding Roth be replaced. More and more of our county level races have off island interests pushing for the replacement of local politicians with ones beholden to outsiders. Our judges on the other hand seem to be eminently replaceable.
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what made a guy from Oahu decide to run for the Hawaii County prosecutors office
His answer: "I want to come home."
Draw your own conclusions...
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Kagami was the former prosecutors Deputy. He was released after Mitch Roth started the cleanout. His support comes from that previous staff who feel they lost their turf. Kagami is one of them. Really there's no other reason....
Mitch has a modern perspective about crime and punishment. Hopefully he'll be reelected. It would be necessary for his programs to have the time to bear sufficient fruit that they then become embedded in our system here.
Much preferable to the preciously entrenched, status quo driven, old guard. Who by the way had way too many cold cases and reluctant prosecutions.
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http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/pros...approaches
"That's our only mandate in the County Charter: Investigate and prosecute crime," Kagami said. "You know, community programs are important, but that shouldn't be our main focus."
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Kagami's wife and family live in Kea'au. He wants to be able to work in his home county.
