Editor’s Note: In September 2012, Civil Beat sent six questions to each of the candidates running in the Nov. 6 general election for Hawaii Legislature. The questions and answers are reproduced below in full. Click on each topic listed below to read Civil Beat’s question and the candidate’s response. We’ve also put together a full list of who’s on the general election ballot.

• General Excise Tax
• Environmental Regulatory Review
• Gambling
• Sunshine Law
• Best and Worst Legislation
• Overlooked Issue

Preferred Candidate Name: Liz Larson

Party Affiliation: Republican

Senate/House District Number: Senate District 12

Date of Birth: 06/11/76

Place of Birth/Hometown: Greeley, Colorado

Current Profession/Employer: Owner Koko Resorts

Education/Alma Mater(s): BS Mathematics, MBA, Brigham Young University

1. With the exception for Honolulu rail, the state has not raised the general excise tax in decades. Would you consider increasing the GET to help the state meet its budget demands?

No. The state’s budget revenue needs can be met by cutting expenditures and promoting economic growth. ↩ back to top

2. Lawmakers proposed relaxing environmental regulatory review to spur development and job growth in the 2012 session, and the issue is expected to resurface next year. Where do you stand?

I oppose bypassing environmental standards. I would vote to repeal the Public Land Development Corporation Act. ↩ back to top

3. Gambling — are you for it or against it? If not, why not? If so, what type of gambling and with what kind of restrictions?

I oppose gambling because the negative social and economic consequences far out weigh any benefits. ↩ back to top

4. The Sunshine Law is a hallmark of an open democracy accountable to its citizens. Yet, the Legislature exempts itself from this requirement. Do you support more transparency in government operations, or are there legitimate reasons to conduct some of the people’s business behind closed doors?

I support greater transparency because the mediocre performance of the legislature is directly related to the lack of public scrutiny. ↩ back to top

5. What is the best legislation — and worst legislation — that the Legislature has approved in recent years? Please explain.

The best – HB 2096, which postponed the unemployment insurance rate hike that would have hit employers with a $400 increase per employee.

The worst – Act 55 which creates the Public Land Development Corporation and exempts developers from county permitting and zoning regulations and allows them to bypass environmental and historical preservation standards. ↩ back to top

6. What is an issue that you would champion at the Legislature — one that perhaps has not received much attention, or an issue that is important to your district?

I would focus on making Hawaii more affordable for our kupuna and ohana by opposing any efforts to tax pensions and social security benefits, encouraging LNG imports to decrease utility costs, supporting affordable housing and reducing the regulatory burden on non-profit organizations and small businesses that ultimately raise the cost of living for all of us. ↩ back to top