Dylan Hooser files for state House candidacy

LIHUE — Dylan Hooser filed nomination papers Monday to become a candidate for the State House of Representatives District 15 seat for the 2014 elections.

Hooser is a small business owner who resides in Wailua Homesteads and is the current chair of the Kauai Young Democrats.

“Being born on Kauai and raised in a politically active family, I’ve grown a great interest in ensuring that the people of Kauai are represented at the state level,” Hooser said in a press release. “We need to protect what makes Kauai so special, and to do that, our residents’ voices have to be heard. Sometimes it takes a fresh perspective to get beyond the politics and campaign money to truly represent the interests of local residents.”

Hooser said his platforms include making sure education is one of the highest priorities, ensuring that teachers and students come first.

He said making classroom sizes smaller for keiki is also crucial and the state should concentrate on building a healthy, local economy that can grow and maintain high-quality employment and business opportunities that pay a living wage, not just a minimum wage, for residents. Creating sustainable balances between economic, environmental, and cultural needs must be achieved, he added.

Along with finding sustainable solutions, the community should be teaching and promoting stewardship of the islands’ natural resources, he said.

“We need to address this on a local level, and not allow our state officials to strip our counties’ powers that enable us to protect our fragile ecosystems,” he said. “By doing this, we as a community can heal and grow with the positive solutions needed to bring our island back together.

“Although I have my interests, the most important thing a political representative can do is put the needs of the people first, and act as a voice for their constituents. I hope that the residents will tell me about what’s important to them,” Hooser said.

Hooser’s father is Kauai County Councilman Gary Hooser.