Councilman Elefante Outlines Agenda For 2015

Elefante’s Connections…City Councilman Brandon Elefante

Aloha! I am honored to have this opportunity to share with you a little bit about myself and my personal perspective regarding the Honolulu City Council and ongoing issues at Honolulu Hale.

It was more than 55 years ago that my grandparents immigrated from the Ilocos Sur region of the Philippines to Hawaii in pursuit of a better life. My grandparents, who have been happily married for more than 56 years, are now enjoying what life in retirement has to offer.

I admire them for having the courage to venture into a foreign country to pursue their dreams, and credit both of them and my mother for instilling in me the important values of respect, hard work and love.

With their support, I was fortunate to attend good public schools, have had the opportunity to attend Saint Mary’s College of California, and then return back home to work full-time and obtain an MBA degree from Chaminade University. I am sure many of you have similar stories about how living in Hawaii has enabled you and your family to grow.

The primary purpose of the City Council is to set policies and laws, and collectively we are charged with the duty to “serve and advance the general welfare, health, happiness, safety and aspirations of the city’s inhabitants, present and future, and to encourage their full participation in the process of governance.”

This includes the provision and maintenance of the basic infrastructure in our neighborhoods, including transportation and traffic, police and fire protection, parks maintenance, and water, sewer and refuse service.

As councilman for District 8, I have the responsibility to not only serve the people of Aiea, Pearl City and Waipahu, whom I personally represent, but residents of the entire county. With Oahu’s population approaching 1 million, there are both opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of us. Issues such as transportation, affordable housing, upgrading our infrastructure, improving our parks and public spaces and making Honolulu a healthier city are foremost on my agenda. I hope to connect with you on these issues in my future columns.

I am excited to work with my colleagues on the Council, as well as the many constituents I serve, to make Honolulu an even greater city than it is today.

I am hopeful that we can work together to improve the lives of our citizens and keep our city’s economy vibrant and thriving. Wishing you and your loved ones health, happiness, and peace in 2015!

City Councilman Elefante can be reached at 768-5008 or by email at belefante@honolulu.gov.