2 governors’ protocol chief challenges incumbent

Two-term state House member Kaniela Ing faces a Democratic primary challenge from an opponent who is a former gubernatorial appointee and has the backing of several construction-related labor unions.

Challenger Deidre Tegarden served as chief of protocol under Gov. Neil Abercrombie and in the same capacity with Gov. David Ige before stepping down to seek the 11th District (South Maui) seat occupied by Ing since 2012.

The winner will run against Republican Daniel A. Pekus in the general election.

Tegarden, 47, who also received the endorsement of the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, once served as director of the Office of Economic Development under Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares.

Ing, 27, who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, is the youngest member of the state Legislature and chairman of the Ocean, Marine Resources and Hawaiian Affairs Committee.

This year he opposed a bill that would give Alexander &Baldwin control over East Maui water for the next three years, despite its decision to close its 34,000-acre sugar cane plantation. The bill, which passed the state Legislature, is on Ige’s desk for his review.

He was a sponsor of a bill that repealed Abercrombie’s Public Lands Development Corp.

The PLDC, established in 2011, was to develop state lands through public-private partnerships and exemptions from some land use laws — and was opposed by environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, which endorsed Ing this year.

He broke away from the majority of Democratic legislators in March by publicly endorsing U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders for president.

Ing has publicly spoken against a residential development at Olowalu, Maui, citing the need to preserve its pristine coral reefs and the development of a 700,000-square-foot mall toward the entrance of Kihei.

“Voters just don’t want Maui to become another Honolulu, and we’ll have to disrupt the status quo to prevent that,” he said.

Maui voters are also worried about developing industries to provide employment for an estimated 2,800 workers losing their jobs as a result of A&B’s planned shutdown of the Hawaiian Commercial &Sugar Co. and the closure of the Makena Beach &Golfing Resort this year.

Tegarden said more should be done to revitalize the Maui Research &Technology Park, perhaps through outreach to companies that include tax incentives.

She said government also needs do more to work with the University of Hawaii Maui College to prepare students for these future jobs.

Ing and other Democratic lawmakers supported extending unemployment benefits to Maui workers and providing $850,000 for job training for laid-off employees.

He said he has pushed efforts to create new agricultural parks and incubator businesses to turn new farmers into entrepreneurs, and also was the co-sponsor of House Bill 2555, allowing the commercial sale of industrial hemp for research purposes. The commercial-hemp bill is on Ige’s desk.

Tegarden has also criticized Ing for failing to push hard enough for a new high school in Kihei.

Ing said that during his first term in office in 2012, the state House authorized $65 million in construction for Kihei High School and that another $65 million was authorized by the state Senate, totaling $130 million.

He said Abercrombie refused to release $100 million of the $130 million, even though the budget director said he had the authority to do so.

Ing said the project is moving along, with groundbreaking for the first phase occurring this year and phase two going out to bid this month.

Tegarden has a bachelor’s degree in Chinese and Japanese studies from the University of Maryland. She lived in China, Japan and Hawaii through secondary and early high school.

She served as conference services manager with the Outrigger Hotel and Resort in Wailea in 1997 and later as assistant director for the Hula Bowl Maui.

As the governors’ chief of protocol, she was the lead person helping to oversee visits from foreign leaders and business people to Hawaii.

Tegarden said she received the endorsements of some major unions as well as business groups because of her track record of accomplishments.

“I’m a recognized leader in the community, and I get results,” she said.

She became executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui in 2004, after her predecessor was accused of stealing more than $25,000 from the organization in 2002-2003, and said she steered the organization away from near bankruptcy.

As head of the Office of Economic Development, she oversaw investments in some county-related activities, including Wailuku First Friday and “Got Choice Think Local.”