District 01 – Tom Berg

Full Name: Thomas Berg

Name on Ballot: Tom Berg

Age: 52

District: Honolulu City Council District I

Email Address: tomberg00@yahoo.com

Current Job:

Volunteer- dedicating and sacrificing everything of my time and resources to save the pueo right now.

Place of birth: Chicago

Campaign website: www.councilmanberg.com

Job history past 10 years:

Honolulu City Councilman District I 2011-2013; state House of Representatives minority caucus administrator (full time /includes 2 legislative sessions) 2008-2009; office manager, state Rep. Rida Cabanilla ( full time /includes three legislative sessions); office manager, state Sen. Will Espero (full time /includes six legislative sessions) 2000-2005.

Ever run for public office? If so, when? Outcome?

2008 state House, vs. Rep. Cabanilla — lost.

2010 state House, vs. Rep. Cabanilla — lost.

2010 Honolulu special election City Council District I — won.

2012 Honolulu City Council — won primary seat second slot, lost in general.

2014 state House- Libertarian Party, lost.

Other civic experience or community service?

Ten years as volunteer Ewa Regional Director for Oahu Resource Development and Conservation District Council — 2000-2011.

Olelo TV volunteer – series producer of the show, “For Ewa Today” 2000-present;

Past Lions Club Member 2000-2005.

Six years as a Ewa Neighborhood Board member- 2004-2010; Legislative Committee chairman.

Volunteer of the Year Award 2005 — VP Ewa by Gentry Community Association — board of directors 2002-2005.

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

The state expends less than $700,000 a year with 20 employees to collect the rail surcharge and deposit it into the city’s coffers. The current City Council brokered another bad deal approving the state’s 10-percent administrative fee charging us $20 million for the job. Got graft?

What makes you qualified to be a Council member?

I bring justice, good government practices and adherence to the rule of law to the table. City lied to FTA rail won’t displace farmland. It breached the public trust when it liquidated Ho‘opili in violation of the Oahu General Plan per Act 183 (HSL2005). Don’t get fooled again.

What is your one big idea?

Remove 17-22 percent of the uninsured vehicles from operating on our public roads. My resolution, 11-308, passed the City Council unanimously in 2012 allowing law enforcement to confiscate license plates from vehicles in noncompliance. The state Legislature responded Honolulu has the authority to implement. Elect me for instant relief.

What steps should elected city officials take next regarding the rail project?

Convert guideway to Urban Maglev. We can complete the full 20-mile system with the 21-stations for the $5.2 billion that was originally brokered if I am elected. Maglev is more efficient and less expensive than steel wheel rail and FTA approved. Our Council is hiding this solution.

Why has the city not been able to take more homeless off the street and what would you do to improve the situation?

Get government out of housing business. My legislation passed the Council unanimously in 2012 to expand workforce housing to private agricultural property owners. Retrofitted shipping containers, yurts, modular homes under $10,000 are available. Many can toil in the soil for work but government is blocking the way.

What steps can elected officials take to ensure city employees behave ethically?

I introduced legislation to expand the investigations team to expedite the complaint process — Councilwoman Pine defunded it. My complaint EC 15-118 proves the Council disenfranchised voters on Resolution 11-328. We had the right to put rail back on the ballot for relief without FTA penalty. Council misrepresented FFGA terms.

As an elected city official, what would you do to improve the city’s affordable housing supply?

The development belongs in Kapolei to Ko Olina, not EWA Honouliuli. There is adequate acreage to build at the Kalaeloa Harbor to absorb all growth, expand job market, and use the ocean as a super highway. In return, we will have protected pueo habitat and the magical farmland in Ewa.