Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 9, 1 September 2010 — NEIL ABERCROMBIE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NEIL ABERCROMBIE

1. In my education plan to decentralize decision making to the school level, we will encourage innovation in all puhlie schools so that those innovations ean work to the benefit of ehikken throughout the state. Charter schools have an important role in this mix, so the eap will be lifted on their numbers, funding will be realistic and fair and they will be treated like all other public schools - held accountable for results and expected to share and replicate successes. 2. We must provide funds and essential support for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to conduct its reviews in a timely and competent manner. A prime example of

this need is the impoverished and demoralized State Historic Preservation Division and how it has failed to adequately protect our eultural resources. Onee these offices are staffed and federal requirements are met, then we ean begin to look for unnecessary duplications and ways to streamline the process. This ean only occur through an open and respectful discussion and decision-making process. 3. The Department of Interior has made it clear that in order to fix the Historic Preservation Division, the state must provide more trained staff and increased funding. This needs to happen or the division will lose its annual federal grant. We must also look to the federal Departments of Transportation, Defense and Interior to provide expertise, funding or staff to ensure timely processing of all projects. This work is critical to preserving our cultural and historical heritage and assuring developers of a reliable, timely decision-making process; it should not be contracted out to private companies. 4. One of the first and most important changes that need to take plaee is full utilization of federal funding. The State of Hawai'i has forgone desperately needed resources, whether outright fundXI ABERGROMBIE ON PAGE 24

ABERCROMBIE

Continued from page 4 ing or matching funds, because h does not have the capability or inclination to meet the federal requirements. This has to stop. Secondly, we need to collaboratively develop a blueprint for serving all the people of Hawai'i under a universal healthcare system and social safety net. The community has an important role in identifying what parts of the population are not being adequately served and what needs are going umnet.

5. As a fonner probation officer and educator, I understand public safety and the importance of being firm, consistent and clear regarding crhninaljustice. We will stop the practice of sending prisoners out of the state, whieh sends public dollars out of Hawai 'i instead of creating jobs and community-service opportunities here at home. It also separates prisoners from their families and communities and makes rehabilitation mueh more difficult. We will build secure prison facilities in Hawai'i on the basis of cost-effectiveness, safety and benefit to the connnunity, and we will maintain the highest standards for corrections staff as represented in current collective-bargaining agreements. ■