2024 Election: Lauren Cheape Matsumoto

Name on ballot:

Lauren Cheape Matsumoto

Running for:

State House – District 38

Political party:

Republican

Campaign website:

www.laurenforhawaii.com

Current occupation:

State House Representative

Age:

37

Previous job history:

State House Representative 2012-present; Customer Service Associate, Publicis Touchpoint Solutions; Academic Mentor and Tutor, University of Hawai‘i; Farmer, Petersons’ Upland Farm; Lifeguard and Swim Instructor, Mililani Town Association

Previous elected office, if any:

State House Representative, 2012- present

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

I have had the honor and privilege of serving our community of Mililani in the Hawai’i State House of Representatives for the past 12 years. I’m the sixth generation of my family to be born and raised in Hawai‘i and my roots run deep here. I went to Mililani Waena Elementary School, Mililani Middle School, and graduated from Mililani High School.

I continued my education culminating with my doctorate in Organizational Leadership which has uniquely prepared me for my current leadership roles. I serve as the Hawai‘i House minority leader, co-convener of the Women’s Legislative Caucus and the national chair of Women In Government, a non-partisan organization of women state legislators across the country.

These leadership positions and bipartisan work have all contributed to my being an effective legislator in Hawai‘i. Listening to everyone’s point of view is an important aspect of leadership and connecting with my community has always been my top priority. I regularly send out updates requesting feedback and have learned from them that the top issues for Mililani include: cost of living, housing, support for businesses and jobs, reducing crime, education, and government transparency. As a wife and mother raising my children in this community, I personally experience and understand these issues and have been a tireless advocate for solutions at the legislature.

In addition to my work at the Capitol, I am deeply involved at every level of this community from coaching Central Oahu youth soccer to neighborhood security watch to teaching our keiki jump rope tricks at school assemblies to town hall meetings. I am invested in Mililani because this is not only where I was born and raised but where my husband Scott and I are raising our two children, Noah and Noelle.

While my education and legislative experience add to my ability to serve as a representative, it is my love for my hometown and long-term investment in my community that qualify me for this role. This community means everything to me, and I would be honored to continue to serve as its state house representative.

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

Cost of living continues to be of the utmost concern. To address this issue, I have introduced legislation to eliminate the General Excise Tax on food and medicine as well as lower income taxes. Removing the GET would immediately lower daily living costs and help local families. I’ve consistently advocated to lower the income tax which the legislature finally passed this past session. This gives families additional funds to save, invest, or spend in the local economy. According to the Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i’s cost of living is the highest in the nation. The National Tax Foundation found that the real value of $100 in Hawai‘i is worth less than $85, meaning residents get less value for each dollar spent. It is so expensive to live in Hawai‘i that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers a family of four in Hawai‘i making under $93,000 a year to be low income.

Additionally, the price of housing in Hawai‘i is one of the biggest contributors to our cost of living and needs long-term, dedicated solutions to ensure our future generations can afford to stay in Hawai‘i. This past session my bill supporting the Hula Mae First Time Home Buyer Program passed providing a path toward homeownership for our local families. We also need to look at our education system pipeline, to ensure our students are being prepared for future careers that will provide high-paying jobs and help diversify Hawai‘i’s economy. I’ve spent the last 12 years dedicated to reducing our high cost of living and would be honored to continue working toward making Hawai‘i more affordable.

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

Much can be done in the short term to address this issue. In addition to what I addressed in the previous question, we also can help families with early childhood education costs. This is important for many families because childcare is one of the biggest expenses after rent or mortgage. According to a 2023 study, the average cost of childcare per child in Hawai‘i is $19,200 a year. As the mother of two children under the age of 7, I know firsthand how expensive childcare is and how necessary it is in order for my husband and I to both support our family and dedicate adequate time to our careers.

We can increase access to and reduce the cost of early childhood education through initiatives such as more teacher certification opportunities to address the teacher shortage within early learning, out-of-the-box solutions like tax-credits for businesses that provide on-site preschool for their employees, and allowing taxpayers to spend pre-tax dollars on child care expenses including daycare, after school programs, and in-home care, thus reducing total taxable income. Early childhood care and education is an area that desperately needs to be addressed to help our local families with monthly expenses.

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

Since the close of the session in May, my office has taken numerous calls on this critical issue. We have worked with all levels of government and stakeholders and held town halls to educate and answer questions for those in our district and we have a link on our capitol website www.RepMatsumoto.com with resources that we update as we get more information.

Condos are a large part of Hawai‘i’s housing stock with roughly 1,826 condo associations representing 173,036 units in Hawai‘i. Alarmingly, approximately, 400+ of these condos are underinsured. Insurance rates in Hawai‘i and nationwide have been increasing since 2021 with many premiums doubling and tripling in the State creating a huge burden on homeowners, particularly condo owners. There are many in Mililani who are affected that live in townhomes, apartments, and even those in single-family homes that are built on CPR property. This issue will begin to trickle down and affect everyone.
Adding to this, most condos and townhomes in Hawai‘i are more than 30 years old. These buildings’ aging infrastructures combined with any amount of deferred maintenance ultimately results in rendering many of these homes uninsurable. Condo owners who find themselves in this situation end up shopping for piecemeal coverage on the secondary market which is substantially more expensive than standard carriers. It’s a truly vicious cycle.

The legislature needs to look at solutions that have worked across the country and make this a top priority for early in the next session.
A few things my office is considering:
– Reactivate the Hawai‘i Hurricane Relief Fund to underwrite hurricane coverage if insurance companies start to leave the state.
– Create tax credits for insurers providing full property coverage for homeowners. In Alabama, for example, insurance carriers providing 100 percent wind coverage could receive a tax credit in the amount equal to 20 to 30 percent of the insurance premium tax up to $50,000.
– Create a state reserve fund to provide financial assistance for repairs in order to bring poorly maintained buildings up to insurance standards.
– Expand the capacity of the Hawai‘i Property Insurance Association.

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

I fully believe that our economy can be diversified. Three sectors we should invest in are the film industry, technology, and agriculture/agricultural tourism.

Film is an existing yet underutilized industry we could leverage to stimulate our economy. It could quickly create jobs and add much needed dollars to help our state. As a member of the Legislature’s Economic Development committee, I have advocated to remove the current cap on the Hawai‘i Film Tax Credit. This would give us a competitive advantage over other locations and push the film industry in our state forward.

We occupy a unique geographic position halfway between Asia and the continental U.S. I believe we can use this to our advantage and develop a strong local tech industry. I have championed several STEM bills that would strengthen the pipeline for technological jobs in our state. As an island state, we have limited land, and tech will provide high-paying jobs with a small footprint.

Lastly, the state needs to provide the infrastructure to help our local farmers. Hawai’i has the potential to be successful in agricultural tourism. As the fourth generation from Petersons’ Upland Farm that unfortunately had to close our doors this year after 114 years of serving our community, I know how difficult it is for our local farmers. We need to create a more business friendly environment in our state and encourage our local farmers to begin to invest in value-added products to help them raise their bottom line.

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

As I survey my district, going door to door and talking with those in my community, one of the top issues is housing. Therefore I have been working diligently the last few years to address housing and creating an affordable path towards home ownership. As of August 2024, the median sale price of a single-family home in Hawai‘i is $1,123,500 and the median price for a condo on Oahu is $500,000. These prices make homeownership unattainable for the average family in our state. I am pleased to report that there has been a lot of progress made this last session in regards to housing.

This year, one of the housing bills I passed was to reinstate the Hula Mae first-time homebuyer program in our state. Hula Mae was a program that helped families lock in at a low interest rate of 2.95% and only require a 5% down payment. The program provided classes and guidance on buying a home for participants with a requirement to live in your home for a minimum of 10 years. I have been passionate about reinstating this program because my husband and I used this program in 2013 in order to afford our home. I know firsthand what a big difference this program has been for our local families. Unfortunately, 2013 was the last year the program was funded. Now, with the passage of this bill, by January of next year local families will again be able to utilize the Hula Mae program and have another path toward home ownership.

Additionally, I am advocating for updating the Individual Housing Account Program. This program allows residents to use pre-tax dollars to save for a down payment. By saving pre-tax dollars residents will be able to save up for a down payment much quicker. The problem with the current program is it has not been updated in 20 years and only allows people to save a maximum of $5,000 a year which is not sufficient for a downpayment in today’s market. Because of this very few utilize this program. I am proposing to change that amount to $20,000 per year for individuals and $40,000 a year for those who file taxes jointly. With the down payment being one of the biggest hurdles to purchasing a home, this bill will go a long way to helping our local families.

Lastly, a limited housing supply is an issue in our state adding to the high costs. Hawai‘i has a severe shortfall of affordable housing and 15 studies commissioned by the state and counties recommended streamlining the many regulation hurdles. One bill worth noting from this past session was HB1630, which would have allowed for more residential density in urban areas allowing up to two Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) per lot. Proponents of the bill say this could help decrease Hawai‘i’s high housing costs by providing additional inventory. We need to both increase the supply of housing and look creatively at our residential footprint allowing for easier access to ADU’s and multi-family housing.

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

I have taken actions both in my legislative capacity as a State House Representative and by a personal presence in the schools themselves. In the legislature, I have introduced several bills over the years to encourage opportunities for a well-rounded education. I’ve introduced legislation regarding physical education, computer science, vocational classes, and extracurricular support for programs like Future Farmers of America. I have advocated for having funding brought down to the school level to give principals and teachers more flexibility in how funds are allocated.

While I know the DOE has been working towards creating more comprehensive disaster plans for our schools there is so much more that can be done. Every year I meet with the principals and teachers in the schools that I represent to see what the needs of the schools are. This year in Mililani several schools shared with me that they have multiple safety issues including fire alarms that don’t work, inadequate PA systems or no system at all, and a lack of certain safety infrastructures such as fencing. This is why in this session, I introduced HB 942 which would require each department of education school and public charter school to establish a critical emergency response team. Much more needs to be done to keep our schools – and the staff and students in them – safe.

Additionally, maintenance and repairs are an issue for many of the schools. The DOE needs to improve its processes. In November 2023 over $450 million intended to improve facilities at schools statewide were projected to lapse. DOE has roughly $880 million obligated in contracts for ongoing projects and another $1.2 billion that will lapse by 2026, according to the department’s website. To help with this issue, I introduced a bill that would create discretionary sub accounts for schools to fund minor repair and maintenance projects themselves. This is beneficial because those who work at the schools are the most familiar with the needs of their schools and can fix issues quicker. It would help restore faith in government if families could see necessary repairs being done in a timely manner at our schools. The money is already in the Special Fund for repairs and maintenance but is not being allocated quickly enough to make a noticeable effect on Hawai‘i’s schools. Giving individual schools the ability to determine their own spending priorities will expedite the most important projects. I have also advocated for a statewide database system so we can track where all of the funds are going. This would be especially important in the Department of Education since a majority of our state funding goes towards education.

In addition, I have been involved personally with the teachers and students in my district. I frequently visit classrooms to talk and answer questions about civics, governmental processes and to read to students. I conduct legislative tours for classes as well as host special tours during fall break so teachers, parents and their children can learn about the legislative process. I have also created a resource for students to learn how to have their voices heard. I designed an activity book to provide a fun way to learn about our government. I also do jump rope performances at schools across the state to encourage students to live healthy lifestyles. Finally, I know how important hands-on experience is for our students, so for the past 12 years I have had a high school internship program in my office for students who are interested in getting involved in our government.

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

Aloha Stadium has always relied heavily on taxpayer subsidies. Most recently it had a total operating loss of $13.6 million. That being said, I think there is an opportunity here to put UH football back on the map, bring big-time concerts back and have a logical spot for the rail to go. The proposed Aloha Stadium Development plan is expected to generate $2 billion and an estimated 12,000 construction jobs. What I think is an important discussion is to make it a priority to have public private partnerships to offset costs as well as ensure that there are also commercial and housing in the surrounding area as this is along the rail route. Additionally, we need to learn from the mistakes of other large scale projects and ensure there are not enormous cost overruns and that the project is handled with proper transparency and ethics.

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

I am a strong supporter of term limits for the State Legislature. According to a Civil Beat Poll “A solid 70 percent of likely Hawai‘i voters statewide would like to limit the number of terms senators and representatives serving in the Legislature. Only 14 percent oppose the idea.” We have limits in most every other level of elected office and it would make sense to implement it in the State House and Senate as well. Done properly, I think term limits can help change the political climate because term limits can promote fresh ideas, reduce opportunities for corruption and dilute the concentration of power. However, I also understand that legislators need enough time in their elected office to fully utilize their position in order to increase effectiveness and accomplish their goals for their time in office.

Last year, I introduced several bills to support term limits and government transparency. I proposed bills to limit the terms of members to a maximum of 12 years and another bill for a 16-year term limit in the House of Representatives or Senate, or both. Unfortunately, the measures did not receive an initial hearing in the legislature. Change takes time, but it should not take an entire lifetime.

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

For years I introduced legislation for a remote testimony program. In early 2023, the Hawai‘i State House finally moved to a hybrid program allowing the public to submit testimony in writing, in person or via video conference. I also support increasing this access even further by introducing legislation that would allow pre-recorded testimony videos submitted before the convening of the committee hearing.

I support stronger disclosure requirements for lobbyists and lobbying organizations. We currently have registration requirements for lobbyists, and thanks to a bill I supported – HB137 – lobbyists will now be required to also disclose which bills they are addressing and what their positions are on those measures beginning 1/1/2025.

One of the best ways to ensure our legislative process is transparent is to educate the public on how to get involved. There are a number of tools available to the public through the state Capitol, like the Public Access Room and legislative website. Additionally, my office has continued to work diligently to create instructional guides on how to get involved in the legislative process which are available. In 2019, I created a Legislative Activity book to teach children about the legislative process.

What will be your top priority if elected?

As the State House representative for Mililani, I regularly send out surveys to know what the top issues for our community are and I shape my bill package to reflect these responses. Every year the issues change slightly, with the exception of their concern for the high cost of living in our state being the top issue year after year.

Our state income tax rates were some of the highest in the nation with working residents having to pay nearly 7% marginal rates even when working a minimum wage job. I have introduced several bills over the last 12 years to lower our income tax rate to immediately help our local families, and after persistently advocating for a change I’m proud to say the legislature passed the largest tax cut in our state’s history this last session. This income tax cut was long overdue and it aligns with my ongoing efforts to reduce the cost of living in Hawai‘i, especially for middle- and low-income families. Our residents deserve to keep more of their hard earned income in their pockets.

However there is still so much work to be done on this issue. I will continue to advocate for priorities to lower our cost of living from all angles. For example something we can do to immediately make a difference is eliminate tax on necessities such as food and medical services. Hawai‘i is one of only two states in the nation that tax medical services. When people need medical care it is a necessary cost.

Eliminating this tax will also aid in solving the physician and nursing shortage we currently face in our state. According to a report by the Grassroot Institute, “If all for-profit medical providers were exempted from the general excise tax, it would result in a savings of $200.3 million. That’s about $5,275 per medical worker in the state, or roughly 6.7% of the average medical worker’s wage. In a state where the cost of living is a major factor in attracting and retaining healthcare personnel, even that small amount could make a difference.” Hawai‘i has a shortage of nearly 800 full-time physicians and an estimated 1,000 nurses. According to a report by the Grassroot Institute, “If all for-profit medical providers were exempted from the general excise tax, it would result in a savings of $200.3 million. That’s about $5,275 per medical worker in the state, or roughly 6.7% of the average medical worker’s wage. In a state where the cost of living is a major factor in attracting and retaining healthcare personnel, even that small amount could make a difference.”

We need to make significant headway on the cost of living in Hawai‘i in order to provide opportunities and keep our local families here in the islands.

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

As your Representative, I have learned that one of the most important aspects of my job is an open communication line with those in my district to intimately understand their needs. The top priority in my office is being available, providing regular legislative updates, sending out surveys to hear your thoughts, and ensuring that you are heard, respected and included in the legislative process.
In addition to my legislative work at the Capitol, I have made it my priority to focus on work in my community. I have tirelessly served our community throughout my life from elementary school when I was an American Heart Association Ambassador doing jump rope performances at schools across the islands, to serving our state during my year as Miss Hawai‘i in 2011. Since becoming a legislator in 2012 my capitol office has focused on our community through activities and programs such as our high school and college internship program, continuing to perform jump rope tours at schools, dressing up as the Cat in the Hat or Elsa from Disney’s Frozen to read to children at schools, and hosting annual capitol talks and tours for members of the community to learn about the legislative process. I also finished a project I have been working on for several years, a children’s activity book to educate keiki on the Hawai’i State Legislature, which I distributed to all the elementary schools in the district. I am passionate about making a difference in our state.
Finally, as someone whose family has lived in this community for four generations, you can trust that I have our community’s best interest at heart. This district is where I was raised, and where my husband and I have chosen to raise our children. I know that the decisions we make today will impact our children, and their children after them. I am invested here and have been honored to serve you in the State House of Representatives for the past twelve years. I humbly ask for your continued support. Mahalo!