Full name: Shannon Kauionalani Kaiama McCandless

Name on ballot: Shannon K.K. McCandless

Age: 31

Office: Hawaii County Mayor

Email address: Shannon.McCandless.Mayor@gmail.com

Current job:

Civil servant, supervising driver license examiner

Place of birth: Honolulu

Campaign website: shannonmccandless.com

Job history past 10 years:

2008-09: Cultural resource specialist, Cultural Surveys Hawaii

2006-08: Recreations, Four Seasons Hualalai

2005-07: Researcher, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Ever run for public office? If so, when? Outcome? This is my first campaign for public office.

Other civic experience or community service?

2003-current: Member, Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association

2003-current: Donor, Blood Bank of Hawaii

2014-current: Education committee chairwoman, sight and hearing chairwoman, 1st vice president, Waimea Lion’s Club

2013-15: Den leader/assistant cub master, Parker Ranch Cub Scouts Pack 27

2010: President, Lalamilo Community Association

2008-09: Researcher, Papa Ola Lokahi

2006-09: Volunteer, Hui Palama Canoe Club

Anything else you’d like voters to know about you?

2009: Master’s degree, University of Hawaii at Manoa, public administration

2006: Bachelor’s degree, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaiian studies

2003 High school diploma, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama

What makes you qualified to be mayor?

I have firsthand knowledge and experience working within the County of Hawaii; this has allowed me to understand how the organization works, who the key players are, submitting, projecting and managing a budget of $1.49M. Experience combined with my educational background makes me the most qualified candidate.

What are your top five priorities for the county?

My top five priorities are:

1. Improving the efficiency of government in rendering services in a timely and efficient manner

2. Increasing and expanding public transportation

3. Infrastructure

4. Renewable energy

5. Homelessness

What is your one big idea?

We need to be proactive at planning for the future and working toward improving our communities. Our actions as leaders now affect the outcome of what our future will look like and the resources or opportunities that may or may not be available for future generations.

The Hilo landfill is nearing capacity. When it closes, should trash from East Hawaii be hauled to the Puuanahulu landfill, or not?

Hauling trash from East Hawaii to Puuanahulu is an ineffective option, and extremely costly. Resources need to be allocated to find a new landfill location for East Hawaii and a recycling facility should be incorporated into the new landfill site to help reduce our carbon footprint.

The basic fare for the Hele-On bus system is $2, but the system still requires taxpayer subsidies to operate. The county has demonstrated that a lower fare can increase ridership. Should the fare be reduced, increased or left the same?

The bus fare should remain the same until we explore other options to improve ridership such as increasing frequency of bus routes in high foot traffic areas, park and rides, collaborating with industries (i.e. hotel and merchants) to ensure bus routes are consistent with work schedules.

The gasoline tax in Hawaii County is now 8.8 cents per gallon, about half that of Kauai, Maui and Oahu. Do you support increasing the county gas tax to provide more funding for maintenance of county roads and the Hele-On bus system?

Perhaps in the future increasing the gasoline tax may be an option to explore however at this time there are alternative resources that the county can explore such as seeking out grants for renewable energy to improve the Hele-On bus fleet, and public and private partnerships to assist with funding.