Name on ballot:

Cross Makani Crabbe

Running for:

State House – District 45

Political party:

Democratic

Campaign website:

CrossMakaniCrabbe.com

Current occupation:

Office Manager

Age:

25

Previous job history:

Office Manager, Office of Housing C&C of Honolulu; Case Manager/Facility Monitor, Kealahou West Oahu

Previous elected office, if any:

N/A

Please describe your qualifications to represent the people in your district.

I have worked for multiple nonprofits along the coast of my district, as well as serving the area on the federal, state, and city levels. Thus, I believe that I would be able to serve as a bridge between our community and government. My family is deeply rooted along the entire Wai’anae Coast, so I am familiar with the issues and community members. My education has also been focused around government and advocacy, with one of my Bachelors being in Social Justice and Cultural Studies and my Masters being in Public Administration. I have an extensive background in volunteering for many organizations and causes within the district, assisting to address issues by being a part of the solution.

What is the most-pressing issue facing residents in your district and how would you address the problem?

Currently, the biggest issue our district is facing is a lack of resources dedicated to public safety. We are continuously seeing that our current systems in place are not able to effectively prevent and enforce against crime. We are also not addressing where the crime is coming from.

We need to invest in crime prevention initiatives that are community based, especially a Neighborhood Safety Office.

Not all communities react to situations in the same way; by implementing crime intervention procedures or protocols, we can empower communities to address crime in areas where there is a lack of law enforcement resources.

What would you propose to be done at the state level to help residents cope with Hawaii’s high cost of living?

As someone who is born and raised in our state, I personally experience my peers leaving Hawaii in search for a better quality of life elsewhere. If we want to keep kamaaina here, we need to invest in reasons for them to stay. There are many initiatives that I feel could address the struggles of living within our state. Some of these solutions include:

Utility assistance — offer subsidies or rebates for families who are struggling to pay for everyday necessities such as electricity or water.

Economic diversity — promote and invest in new industries other than tourism which will create more jobs and opportunities.

Workforce development — expand job training programs, especially to our youth, to equip them with skills that make them competitive in the job market.

Childcare support — offer early childhood education and childcare subsidies to allow working families relief on financial burden and give children an early start to education.

What can the state Legislature do to help Hawaii home and condo owners with rising property insurance rates?

There are a few possibilities in which the State Legislature can address the rise property insurance rates, that include:

State Insurance Fund — Creating a state supported insurance fund that will provide more affordable coverage options for home and condo owners. This will increase insurance competition and potentially lower premiums.

Subsidies and Tax Credits — Provide subsidies or tax credits to home and condo owners for implementing disaster-resistant or mitigation measures, which can lead to lower insurance premiums. This will incentivize and reward home/condo owners who are proactive in keeping their residences safe.

Insurance Rates Regulation — Implement more stricter regulations on how much insurance companies can raise rates. They should be required to justify significant increases and obtain approval from the Hawaii State Insurance Commissioner.

Can Hawaii’s tourism-dependent economy be diversified, and, if so, what can state government do to support the effort?

As a state, we need to invest more in diversifying our economy. Researching what drives other economies around the world and replicating similar processes here in Hawaii. We have been stuck in old habits and systems that are not allowing us to maximize the resources we have in our own state.

In terms of tourism, we need to prioritize the well-being of our natural resources. The overcrowding of our natural resources are having detrimental impacts on the environment and our people.

By offering more experiences to be involved in our cultures and promoting business with locally owned and operated companies, we can assist in maintaining our beautiful aina, while mitigating overtourism related issues.

What would you propose to help increase affordable housing in Hawaii?

Constituents have expressed their concerns with the topic of affordable housing. As a state, we need to make sure that housing is truly affordable. This means finding a balance on housing reform and development.

Zoning and Permitting reform is an important factor in this. We cannot just depend on developers to come in and solve the problem. Residents are also willing to be empowered to develop their own housing. If we take a comprehensive look at what areas would benefit from up-zoning and streamline the permitting process, then interested residents can build their own homes, instead of wasting time and resources while waiting on delayed permitting approvals. If people are not able to afford building their own homes, then there should subsidies implemented to assist with receiving loans.

What can state government do to better support and improve public education in Hawaii?

Parents, teachers, and students have been advocating for more resources in our education system. It is time that we listen to them. Some of their suggestions include:

Increase Funding — Making sure that we are allocating funds equitably across the state. We need to ensure that our underserved and underfunded schools are being supported. This also includes investing in our facilities, technology, and resources to set up our keiki to be successful students.

Community and Parental Involvement — Create spaces where parents and families can develop strong partnerships with the school, offering support for teachers and students to create conducive learning environments. This includes collaborating with local businesses and community non-profits to provide additional resources for our students.

Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Support — Not all students thrive in traditional classroom settings. We need to develop more alternative learning opportunities for our students who struggle with “normal” teaching styles. This includes promoting aloha/malama ‘aina practices, workforce development, and more accessible individualized education programs (IEP’s) that support students on their educational journey. These programs will also assist teachers by alleviating the student-to-teacher ratio in our already overcrowded classrooms.

Should the state continue to pursue building a replacement for Aloha Stadium in Halawa? Please explain.

Yes, Aloha Stadium has served as a gathering place for our people, fostering memories of games, performances, celebrations, carnivals, markets, etc. If the infrastructure and space is already there, then we should take advantage of the opportunity to build upon this piece of history in order to create a central space that will continue to cultivate more memorable experiences.

Should members of the state Legislature have term limits like Honolulu’s mayor and City Council members?

I think term limits are a conversation that we as a state need to have as a whole. There are many kinks that would need to be ironed out before implementing such rules. For example, many much-needed changes would not have come to fruition without the chronicity of long-term elected officials spearheading and pioneering projects?

If incumbents are doing their job, the people deserve the right to re-elect those who they trust to represent them in their government. I propose limiting the amount one may be able hold or expend in their campaign account to address funding concerns.

What reforms, if any, would you propose to make local government more transparent to the public?

I think that the Legislature should also keep a record of activity for each elected official. For example, if they express how hard they are working, then we should see how many bills they are introducing, how many bills they have passed, how much funding they were able to secure for the district, how many town halls or community meetings they have hosted, how many events they have attended, etc.

This record of activity will allow the public to see a snippet of their productivity without it being restricted to social media, which many people do not have access to.

What will be your top priority if elected?

My top priority will be to advocate for the lack of resources within my community. There is still a lot of work to be done. We need to focus on developing our social infrastructure, which encompasses larger issues such as housing, education, and public safety. By investing in long term solutions while also working on short term pilot programs, we can find adaptable best practices that will support us until we get the resources we deserve.

Is there anything more that you would like voters to know about you?

My family has resided in the district for over 6 generations. I am not afraid to address the challenging issues and ask the difficult questions along the way. I will be able to most effectively represent the people of District 45 because I have seen the issues firsthand and continue to walk alongside constituents as they overcome their obstacles to a favorable quality of life.