Coming off the fractious special session that legalized same-sex marriage and heading into the 2014 mid-term elections, state lawmakers may have less than their usual appetite for controversial issues. But as a new legislative session gets underway today, elected officials must not shy away from the hard work to be done in the next 60 days, especially when it comes to recognizing and properly funding the top priorities.

While some lawmakers are loath to loosen the purse strings, the state is in much better economic shape now than it has been the past few sessions, and key initiatives deserve prudent funding — and not every good idea will cost the state money, of course.

The important issues before the Legislature are too numerous to list in full here, but our wish list includes:

» Lifting Hawaii’s minimum wage, which has stalled at $7.25 since 2007, and enacting a state Earned Income Tax Credit to benefit the working poor.

Democrats control Hawaii’s House, Senate and governor’s office, so there’s little excuse for not achieving this, unless addres- sing poverty is not as high a priority as the national party claims. Politicians regularly raise their own pay, and the salaries of taxpayer-funded state workers. Hawaii’s working poor deserve the same respect.

» Expanding preschool for lower-income 4-year-olds.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie rightly scaled back last year’s vague universal preschool initiative to focus first on the neediest kids. The $8 million budget request is reasonable. Moreover, it is unnecessary to wait for voters to approve a constitutional amendment to expand state programs that already exist, namely the Preschool Open Doors program and pre-kindergarten classes at select public schools. Preschool programs that increase parental involvement merit special attention.

» Protecting a priceless stretch of Oahu’s North Shore via a conservation easement negotiated with the landowner, which operates Turtle Bay Resort.

Conserving Kawela Bay and Kahuku Point may cost the state about $40 million in general obligation bonds, a worthy investment to help keep the country country.

» Advancing Hawaii agriculture by strengthening statewide laws that support farmers, ranchers and horticulturists while also protecting consumers and the natural environment.

Lawmakers should defeat the so-called GMO labeling bill, as they did last session; it wrongly stigmatizes biotechnology and crops grown using this legitimate scientific technique.

» Floating tuition-backed revenue bonds to finally tackle a monumental backlog of repairs and maintenance at the University of Hawaii.

The total cost of the project is $487 million, with most of the years-overdue work required at the 101-year-old flagship Manoa campus.

» Restructuring governance of the Hawaii Health Connector, the state’s unique and disappointing insurance marketplace, created to meet the requirements of the federal Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.

More than $200 million in federal grants fueled the Connector’s creation and operations, and when that money dries up, its functions should be consolidated within an existing state department.

» Restricting the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. News that Hawaii will be a test site as the Federal Aviation Administration develops regulations for commercial drones rightly triggered privacy concerns. Hawaii residents should be protected from undue surveillance.

» Bringing urgency to the issue of homelessness and getting the chronically homeless off the streets.

The mentally ill, drug- and alcohol-addicted members of this population may be the hardest to help, but they also may be the most visible, vulnerable and disruptive. City and state governments, nonprofits and the tourist industry must act as one to get them off the streets. In the short term, that might mean funding what amounts to a bare-bones boarding house.

It’s vital for Hawaii’s people to engage in the political process, and the Legislature’s simple-to-navigate website makes it easy to dive in. At capitol.hawaii.gov, you can read up on bills and find out about public hearings.

Also, get help with research in person at the Public Access Room, Room 401, which is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the regular session.

In a representative democracy such as ours, citizens end up with the government they deserve. Participate.