Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi General Election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Ernest Caravalho, Democratic candidate for State House District 28 which covers the urban Honolulu communities of Sand Island, Iwilei and Chinatown in the Aug. 8 primary election.

His Democratic opponents are Reno Abihai, Nadia Alves, Anthony Nagatani and incumbent Michael Ratcliffe.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job? And why do you want the job?

I’m a Kalihi kid through and through. I was born and raised here, served in the U.S. Air Force, and have spent years working in my community as a former Neighborhood Board Chair and volunteer. I know the struggles our families face because I’ve lived them. I’m running because Hawaiʻi needs leaders who show up and listen. If we want our culture, respect, and way of life back, we must get involved. I’m running to be a voice for our community and fight for a better future.

What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

The biggest issues facing District 28 are the high cost of living and public safety. Working families are being priced out of their homes while crime and disorder affect our neighborhoods. We are losing our people, our culture and our sense of community. In my first six months, I will bring residents, businesses and public safety partners together to focus on affordable housing, safer streets and supporting local businesses. Real solutions start by listening and action.

Here’s one question from your constituents: Do you support maintaining a monopoly for interisland shipping?

I don’t support anything that keeps costs high for our people. Interisland shipping affects the price of food, building materials and everyday goods in Hawaiʻi. If competition lowers costs and improves service, we should seriously look at it. But we also need to protect local jobs and reliability. My focus is simple: Lower the cost of living for Hawaiʻi families while making sure workers and services aren’t left behind.

What do you think were the most important bills to come out of the 2026 Legislature? What failed that should have passed? What passed that you wish had failed?

The most important issues this session were housing, cost of living, interisland shipping and public safety. What should have passed are real affordable housing reforms, faster action to bring down everyday costs, and stronger mental health and addiction services tied to safety. What failed that should have passed are real relief for working families. What I wish had failed are any bills that add more cost and pressure on the people of Hawaiʻi.

The 2026 session was also overshadowed by an issue of public trust: $35,000 in the brown paper bag given to an “influential” state lawmaker. What do you think the Legislature needs to do going forward to rebuild public confidence in state government?

Trust in government is broken, and our community is paying the price. We need real change, stronger ethics laws, full transparency and serious consequences for corruption, no matter who is involved. No more backroom deals, no special treatment. People deserve to see exactly how decisions are made and who is making them. I will fight for open government and accountability because public service should never be about power or personal gain, it must always be about the people.

In recent years, Hawai’i has experienced a series of damaging and dangerous weather events that have exposed weaknesses in our planning, preparation and response. What could you as a lawmaker do to help your district be better prepared?

More extreme weather is showing us what we already know; we’re not prepared enough. In my first six months, I will push to fix our aging infrastructure and make sure every neighborhood has clear evacuation plans and communication that actually works when disaster hits. We can’t wait until people are in danger to act. We need to invest now in drainage, housing safety and community readiness. My job is to make sure government shows up before the storm, not after.

What would you do in office to address the here and now of climate change? And how would you address the costs to taxpayers, property owners and businesses to adapt?

Climate change is here now and we are seeing it in floods, storms and extreme weather. In office I will focus on real action like fixing drainage, strengthening infrastructure, improving emergency response and making sure every community has clear evacuation plans that work. I will also push for state and federal support so the cost does not fall only on taxpayers, property owners and small businesses. We must protect our people without pricing them out of their own communities.

Over 3,000 bills are introduced every session and there is always frantic horsetrading in the final days of session. Do you think there should be a limit on the number of bills introduced to enable more meaningful debate?

Our session is too short for the amount of work we are trying to do, and it leads to rushed decisions at the end. I am open to extending session or restructuring it so major issues like housing, cost of living and public safety get real debate, not last minute deals. But more time alone is not enough. We need better discipline, earlier deadlines and a process that puts the public ahead of political trading. Lawmaking should be thoughtful, not rushed.

Hawaiʻi lawmakers are often in the dark about how much a piece of legislation will cost because the Aloha State is the only one in the nation that doesn’t require a fiscal analysis for bills. Should lawmakers be forced to put a realistic price tag on the legislation they introduce?

Yes, I believe every bill should come with a real and honest cost attached to it. Lawmakers should not be voting in the dark or guessing what something will cost the taxpayers. People in Hawaiʻi are already struggling with the cost of living, and we cannot keep adding more without knowing the impact. If we are serious about accountability, then every piece of legislation should show clearly what it costs and who is paying for it.

There are no term limits for state legislators in Hawaiʻi, so incumbents tend to win. Would you seek to change that? Why or why not?

I believe in letting the people decide. I understand why term limits are talked about, because long-term power can make government feel disconnected. But I also think experience matters when you’re dealing with complex issues like housing, public safety and the cost of living. Instead of focusing only on term limits, I would focus on stronger accountability, more transparency and making it easier for new voices to run and be heard. At the end of the day, voters should have the final say.

What would you do to help improve the state’s public school system?

Our public school system needs real action, not more talk. I would focus on putting resources directly into the classroom, reducing overcrowding, supporting and retaining teachers, and making sure students have the support they need to succeed. We also need stronger career and trade pathways so our kids can build a future here in Hawaiʻi, not feel forced to leave. Education should give every child a fair shot, no matter where they live or what their background is.

Hawaiʻi is heavily reliant on tourism. What would you propose to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy?

Hawaiʻi cannot keep relying only on tourism while working families struggle. We need to diversify our economy by supporting local agriculture, strengthening small businesses and investing in skilled trades, STEM, and renewable energy. We should also help local entrepreneurs get access to funding so they can grow here at home. The goal is simple: Build an economy that keeps our people here, creates opportunity and reduces our dependence on outside industries.

An estimated 60% of Hawaiʻi residents are struggling to get by. It’s a problem that reaches far beyond low-income folks and into the middle class, which is disappearing. What would you do to help?

Too many families in Hawaiʻi are struggling just to get by, and it’s not just low income anymore, it’s our working and middle class too. We have to bring down the cost of living. That means more affordable housing, supporting local agriculture so we rely less on imports, and pushing for real relief on everyday costs like food and utilities. We also need wages that match the cost of living here so our people can stay in Hawaiʻi and live with dignity, not just survive.