Hawaii
Hawaii island mayoral candidates tackle many issues at forum | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hawaii County’s two remaining mayoral candidates took potshots at each other in between setting out their own policy plans at a forum on Saturday.
The event, hosted by the Big Island Press Club at the Hilo Yacht Club, saw Mayor Mitch Roth and challenger Kimo Alameda respond to an array of questions covering subjects ranging from the Hawaii County budget to the Thirty Meter Telescope.
The questions below were posed by a panel of three, including the Hawaii Tribune- Herald’s John Burnett. Save for a “lightning round” of short, one-sentence answers, the candidates were given three minutes to answer each question.
Question: Will you commit to a similar forum with news media within nine months of taking office? What other steps will you take to improve transparency?
Answers: Roth quickly said “absolutely yes” to a future forum and added that his administration has been hiring more public information officers for different county agencies, including Civil Defense and Parks and Recreation. Meanwhile, he said the county’s websites are gradually being updated to include more pertinent information, while the county has contracts with the apps Everbridge and Kahea to improve communications with the public.
Alameda, meanwhile, specifically said he wants to make the county budget open to the public for review, saying that “there’s no hide-and-seek in government.” He said Kauai has a similar setup, and lamented that certain government expenses are left for the media to uncover, rather than being open and transparent.
This led to a prolonged back-and-forth throughout much of the forum. Roth took time during an answer to another question to respond to Alameda, saying the county’s budget is already available to the public online and remarking that it’s “kind of scary that it’s almost less than a month and a half (until the election) and you haven’t looked at the budget.”
Alameda, in turn, responded later, saying the county’s available fund balance is not visible online.
Q: The Big Island is losing residents, particularly Native Hawaiian residents. How will you take steps to reverse this trend?
A: Alameda said Hawaiians have increasingly felt unwelcome in their own home, experiencing discrimination and disparities in available services compared with residents who moved here from out of state.
“We still have a racial divide, and I believe I can bring people together, because I’ve lived on both sides,” Alameda said. “So if you want to bring Hawaiians back, you’ve got to bring them back to a place they remember — not this animosity between cultures, between districts.”
On the other hand, Roth said he believes the most important way to bring people back and keep them on the Big Island is the development of more housing. He said his administration has been hard at work developing an affordable housing development pipeline, which has more than 8,100 housing units in development.
Once again this statement led to a sniping match during future questions. Alameda later said he does not believe that 8,100 units are truly being developed, saying his family in the construction industry is only scraping by with insufficient work to sustain them.
Roth countered later by stating that those 8,100 projects do exist, with information about each one publicly available on county websites.
Q: Many Big Island small businesses have had to wait six months to a year for permits that allow them to open. What will you do to fix this?
A: “The permitting system isn’t perfect right now, I’ll be the first one to admit it,” Roth said. “But we are getting better at making sure that people can get permits.”
Roth said that some reports of the permitting system’s deficiencies have been overstated: Specifically, he said Alameda has previously claimed that there are 3,000 permit applications that haven’t even left the county’s intake process. That number, Roth said, is actually 280, and he added that the county has continued to improve its efficiency.
But Alameda said he did not believe several of Roth’s claims, explaining that he has permit applications that have been stuck for months. He said his family members in construction are unable to do their jobs because they are “held hostage” by the overbearing permit system.
Alameda proposed a provisional approval for all pending permit applications with minimal need for review, saying a simple checklist confirming basic information like the site address and tax map key should be sufficient.
“The county does not take liability for any of the permits; the architect does,” Alameda said. “So why are we slowing it up?”
Q: Do you believe in diversifying the island’s economy beyond tourism and, if so, how?
A: While Alameda said the county cannot rely on tourism alone, he acknowledged that the industry contributes about one-fifth of the island’s economy. Therefore, he said he would focus on regenerative tourism in an effort to bring in a less exploitative type of tourist.
“I think we could be the sports capital of the United States. This is where sports teams would like to come. We should be able to have the World Series here,” Alameda said. “We’re also the health capital. People should come here for health tourism. … This is the place for healing — just look outside, that’s healing right there,” he went on, pointing out the Yacht Club windows at the Honohononui Bay.
Roth agreed about the need for a different type of tourist and suggested a brand of tourism more respectful of Hawaiian culture.
“Japan has over 3 million hula dancers,” Roth said. “And those hula dancers don’t only study hula, they study Hawaiian culture, and when the Japanese tourists come here, they focus a lot on playing by the rules.”
The mayor also touted the county’s Destination Management Action Plan, which he said focuses on building tourism around the island’s communities, rather than vice versa.
Meanwhile, Roth said, the county could look to energy to wean itself off of tourism, noting the Big Island’s partnership with Namie, Japan, and Lancaster, Calif., to develop hydrogen infrastructure. He added that the county will soon issue a request for proposals from energy agencies for ways the county can generate its own energy rather than importing it.
Q: Was federal money earmarked for COVID-19 hazard pay? If so, where did it go? If not, why not? And what would Alameda have done differently?
A: Roth denied that there were any federal funds earmarked for hazard pay for county workers during the pandemic. He went on to say that county workers remained healthy throughout the pandemic — “We had nobody that died who was working at the county and got COVID on the job,” he said.
The mayor continued, saying that the county prioritized spending federal funds offering financial relief for other Big Island residents who were more severely affected by COVID-19, such as rent assistance programs and small-business grants.
Roth also took a wild potshot at Alameda, claiming that the Bay Clinic Health Center — of which Alameda was CEO at the start of the pandemic — had financial problems around 2020, which necessitated its eventual merger with the West Hawaii Community Health Center and Alameda’s departure from the executive position in 2022.
Alameda said Roth’s claim was “so far from the truth,” saying he initiated the merger and that Bay Clinic’s finances were healthier right before the merger than they had been when he began working there.
As for the hazard pay issue, Alameda said the county has a contractual agreement with the Hawaii Government Employees Association to provide hazard pay, which his administration would honor if elected.
“Mitch, you had the healthiest island because your county workers made it healthy,” Alameda said. “You made them essential, forced them to go to work; they were the ones marking the tape for 6 feet apart; they were the ones giving everybody masks; they were the ones making sure everything was sanitized. And then you come back and say, ‘You wasn’t at risk’? No way.”
Q: Does the pandemic continue to affect the island?
A: Both candidates agreed that the county continues to feel reverberations from COVID-19, both positive and negative. Alameda said keiki who spent years isolated during the pandemic are having lingering mental health effects but also that it forced people to improve their technological literacy and online connectivity.
Q: What influence does the mayor have on decisions regarding land leases for the Thirty Meter Telescope and Pohakuloa Training Area?
A: Roth said his office can advocate for certain courses of action but cannot make decisions regarding those issues. However, he said his office advocated for greater communication between TMT and the Native Hawaiian community, which has led to improved dialogue between both parties.
Regarding PTA, Roth said the county can and should ask for more than a $1 lease, but made an ominous addendum.
“We are closer to World War III right now than anytime in our past,” Roth said. “And when you talk to the military about this, their big fear is the Pacific.”
Alameda challenged Roth’s position, saying the mayor was pro-TMT in 2019 and that any improved bargaining position the county has regarding TMT or PTA is the result of pressure caused by opponents of those projects. He added that the mayor should sit on the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority himself, rather than delegating the role as is currently the case, with County Managing Director Doug Adams on the authority board.
Q: What can be done to reduce the island’s homelessness problem?
A: Alameda began by downplaying the state’s 2024 Homeless Point in Time Count, a favored statistic of Roth’s that shows a 28% decrease in homelessness from the previous year. That report, Alameda said, has a large margin of error that doesn’t reflect the reality of the situation.
Instead, he said the county should conduct outreach and pay attention to mental health issues among the homeless and almost homeless, adding that as a licensed psychologist, he is ideally suited to do so.
Roth said the county is, in fact, conducting homeless outreach, having awarded more than $10 million to various groups that are meeting with and providing treatment to homeless people. He touted recent and upcoming county homeless shelters including the overnight shelter at the Hilo Salvation Army, and added that, regardless of the usefulness of the Point in Time Count, it is “not debatable” that Hawaii County saw the state’s biggest decrease in homelessness in the past year.
Questions from the candidates
The final questions were posed from one candidate to the other. Roth asked Alameda what county spending decisions he would have made differently and how he would pay for them.
Alameda said the county could be bolder in seeking additional revenue, suggesting that short-term vacation rentals could be taxed at resort rates or that the county’s fees for rezoning applications be scaled based on the appraised value of the property in question.
Alameda asked Roth about the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant, challenging him about when the aging facility will be rehabilitated and whether there is a plan for if the plant fails before it is fixed.
Roth affirmed that county Civil Defense and the Department of Environmental Management have plans for if the treatment plant should fail.
He went on to say that the county has restructured its plan to refurbish the facility and has received three bid proposals in the past month — the lowest of those was about $337 million.
The mayor added the county is about to apply for a bond to help pay for the project, and touted the county’s high bond rating.
Lightning round
Midway through the forum was a “lightning round,” where candidates were given simpler questions to answer in just a few words. The most significant of those questions were as follows, with answers paraphrased for readability.
Q: What potential natural disaster worries you the most?
Roth: Now that Mauna Loa has already erupted, tsunami.
Alameda: Fire, because we’re not prepared for one.
Q: Do you believe there is corruption in the county government?
Roth: Not at the top, no.
Alameda: Yes (Alameda referred to an incident where a county housing official embezzled millions from the county, likely a reference to Alan Scott Rudo, who took nearly $2 million in bribes and kickbacks in a housing credit scheme that fraudulently awarded more than $10 million in housing credits between 2014 and 2021; Roth quipped that this did not happen under his administration).
Q: Should Hawaii County be split into two counties?
Roth: No.
Alameda: Maybe, if we can’t guarantee equitable treatment for all parts of the county.
Hawaiian Airlines’ passengers are back in federal court trying to stop something most people assumed was already finished. They are no longer arguing about whether they are allowed to sue. They are now asking a judge to intervene and preserve Hawaiian as a standalone airline before integration advances to a point this spring where it cannot realistically be reversed.
That approach is far more aggressive than what we covered in Can Travelers Really Undo Alaska’s Hawaiian Airlines Takeover?. The earlier round focused on whether passengers had standing and could amend their complaint. This court round focuses on whether harm is already occurring and whether the court should act immediately rather than later. The shift is moving from procedural survival to emergency relief, which makes this filing different for Hawaii travelers.
The post-merger record is now the focus.
When the $1.9 billion acquisition closed in September 2024, the narrative was straightforward. Hawaiian would gain financial stability. Alaska would impose what it described early as “discipline” across routes and costs. Travelers were told they would benefit from broader connectivity, stronger loyalty alignment, and long-term fleet investments that Hawaiian could no longer fund independently.
Eighteen months later, the plaintiffs argue that the outcome has not matched the pitch. They cite reduced nonstop options on some Hawaii mainland routes, redeye-heavy return schedules that many readers openly dislike, and loyalty program changes that longtime Hawaiian flyers say diminished redemption value. They frame these not as routine airline integration but as signs that competitive pressure has weakened in our island state, where airlift determines price and critical access for both visitors and residents.
What is different about this filing compared with earlier debates is that it relies on developments that have already occurred rather than on predictions about what might happen later.
The HA call sign has already been retired. Boston to Honolulu was cut before competitors signaled renewed service. Austin’s nonstop service ended. Multiple mainland departures shifted into overnight red-eyes. And next, the single reservation system transition is targeted for April 2026, a process already well underway.
Atmos replaced both Hawaiian Miles and Alaska’s legacy loyalty programs, and readers immediately reported higher award pricing, fewer cheap seats, no mileage upgrades, and confusion around status alignment and family accounts. Each of those events can be described as aspects of integration mechanics, but together they form the factual record that the plaintiffs are now asking a judge to examine in Yoshimoto v. Alaska Airlines.
The 40% capacity argument.
One of the more interesting claims tied to the court filing is that Alaska now controls more than 40% of Hawaii mainland U.S. capacity. That figure strikes at the core of the entire issue. That percentage does not automatically mean monopoly under antitrust law, but it does raise questions about concentration in a state that depends exclusively on air access for its only industry and its residents.
Hawaii is not a region where travelers have options. Every visitor, every neighbor island resident, and every business traveler depends on our limited air transportation. The plaintiffs contend that consolidation at that scale reduces competitive pressure and gives the dominant carrier far more leverage over pricing and scheduling decisions. Alaska says that competition remains robust from Delta, United, Southwest, and others, and that share shifts seasonally and by route.
Competitors reacted quickly.
While Alaska integrated Hawaiian’s network under its publicly stated discipline strategy, Delta announced its largest Hawaii winter schedule ever, beginning in December 2026. Delta’s Boston to Honolulu is slated to return, Minneapolis to Maui launches, and Detroit and JFK to Honolulu move to daily service. Atlanta also gains additional frequency. Widebodies are appearing where narrowbodies once operated, signaling Delta’s push into higher capacity and premium cabin layouts.
Those moves complicate the monopoly narrative. If Delta is expanding aggressively, one argument is that competition remains active and responsive. At the same time, Delta filling routes Alaska trimmed may reinforce the idea that structural changes created openings competitors believe are profitable, and that markets respond when gaps appear.
What changed since October.
In October, we examined whether the case would survive dismissal and whether passengers could refile. That moment felt more procedural than what’s afoot now. It did not alter flights, fares, or loyalty programs.
This filing is different because it is tied to post-merger developments and seeks emergency relief. The plaintiffs are asking the court to prevent further integration while the merits are evaluated, arguing that each added step toward full consolidation this spring makes reversal less feasible as systems merge, crew scheduling aligns, fleet plans shift, and branding converges.
Airline mergers are designed to become embedded quickly, and once those pieces are fully intertwined, unwinding them becomes exponentially more difficult, which is why the plaintiffs are pressing forward now rather than waiting any longer.
The DOT conditions and the defense.
When the purchase of Hawaiian closed, the Department of Transportation imposed conditions that run for six years. Those conditions addressed maintaining capacity on overlapping routes, preserving certain interline agreements, protecting aspects of loyalty commitments, and safeguarding interisland service levels.
Alaska will point to those commitments as evidence that consumer protections were built into the core approval. The plaintiffs, however, are essentially claiming that those conditions are either insufficient or that subsequent real-world changes undermine the spirit of what travelers were told would remain. That tension between formal commitments and actual experience is at the core of this dispute.
Hawaiian had not produced consistent profits for years.
That is the actual financial situation, without sentiment. Alaska did not spend $1.9 billion to preserve Hawaii nostalgia. It purchased aircraft, an international and trans-Pacific network reach, and a platform it thinks can return to profitability under tighter cost control.
What this means for travelers today.
Nothing about your Hawaiian Airlines ticket changes because of this filing. Flights remain scheduled. Atmos remains the reward program. Integration continues unless a judge intervenes.
However, Alaska now faces a renewed court challenge that points to concrete post-merger developments rather than speculative harm. That scrutiny alone can bring things to light and influence how aggressively future route decisions and loyalty adjustments occur.
Hawaiian Airlines’ travelers have been vocal since the start about pricing, redeyes, lost nonstops, and loyalty devaluation. Others have said very clearly that without Alaska, Hawaiian might not exist in any form at all. Both perspectives exist as background while a federal judge evaluates whether the integration should be impacted.
You tell us: Eighteen months after Alaska took over Hawaiian, are your Hawaii flights better or worse than before, and what changed first for you: price, schedule, routes, interisland flights, or loyalty programs?
Lead Photo Credit: © Beat of Hawaii at SALT At Our Kaka’ako in Honolulu.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – An effort to break up the Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines merger is heading back to court.
Passengers have filed an appeal seeking a restraining order that would preserve Hawaiian as a standalone airline.
The federal government approved the deal in 2024 as long as Alaska maintained certain routes and improved customer service.
However, plaintiffs say the merger is monopolizing the market, and cite a drop in flight options and a rise in prices.
According to court documents filed this week, Alaska now operates more than 40% of Hawaii’s continental U.S. routes.
Hawaii News Now has reached out to Alaska Airlines and is awaiting a response.
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Column by Pele Harman: Celebrating Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, bringing Hawaiian language to life at UH Hilo – UH Hilo Stories
At UH Hilo, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is not simply a subject taught in classrooms, it is a living language that connects us to this place, to one another, and to the generations who came before us.
This column is by Pelehonuamea Harman, director of Native Hawaiian engagement at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. In her columns, Pele shares Native Hawaiian protocols on the use of ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), cultural traditions, traditional ways of Indigenous learning, and more. This column is on Mahina ʻOlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month), celebrated every February to honor the Hawaiian language.
Each year, the month of Pepeluali marks Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, a time dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the Hawaiian language. At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is not simply a subject taught in classrooms, it is a living language that connects us to this place, to one another, and to the generations who came before us.
While Pepeluali gives us a focused moment of celebration, the Hawaiian language should not live only within a single month. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi thrives when it is used every day.
One of the simplest and most meaningful ways to begin is by pronouncing the words we already encounter daily with accuracy and care. Hawaiian is an oral language carried through voice and relationship. When we take the time to say words correctly, we demonstrate respect for the language and for the poʻe (people) who have worked tirelessly to ensure its survival.
Across our own campus, we have opportunities to do this every day.
Let us honor the names of our places by using them fully:
Kanakaʻole Hall, not “K-Hall.” (Formally Edith Kanakaʻole Hall, named after our beloved kumu.)
Waiʻōlino, not “CoBE,” for our College of Business and Economics. (Formally Hānau ʻO Waiʻōlino; waiʻōlino literally means sparkling waters, alluding here to bringing forth waters of wellbeing and prosperity.)
These names are not merely labels for buildings. They carry ʻike (knowledge), history, and meaning. Speaking them in their entirety acknowledges the stories and values embedded within them.
Using ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi does not require fluency. It simply requires willingness. Each of us already knows words we can begin using more intentionally.
Greet one another with aloha.
Express gratitude with mahalo whenever possible.
Small choices like these help normalize Hawaiian language in our daily interactions and strengthen UH Hilo’s identity as a place grounded in Hawaiʻi.
One of the most common questions I am asked is: How do you respond in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi when someone says “mahalo” to you?
Here are three simple and appropriate responses:
ʻAʻole pilikia — It’s no problem.
He mea iki — It is just a little thing.
Noʻu ka hauʻoli — The pleasure is mine.
There is no single correct answer. What matters most is participating in the exchange and allowing the language to live through conversation.
UH Hilo holds a unique and important role as Hawaiʻi Island’s university. Our commitment to Native Hawaiian success and place-based education calls on all of us to help create an environment where ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is visible, audible, and welcomed.
You do not need to wait until you feel ready. You do not need to know many words. The language grows stronger each time it is spoken.
So during Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and throughout the entire year I encourage the UH Hilo ʻohana to:
- Use the Hawaiian words you already know.
- Pronounce names and places with intention and care.
- Greet others with aloha.
- Share mahalo often.
Because when we use ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, we are doing more than speaking words, we are helping to perpetuate and uplift the native language of our home.
E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.
Let the Hawaiian language live.
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