Below is our “next step” plan and strategy to win. I think you will like it and am hoping you can help.

Following up on our successes in the Primary Election , Pono Hawaii Initiative (PHI) is doubling down and pushing even harder – focusing on the Kauai/Maui Council Races in the General Election, and on the upcoming 2019 legislative session.

We are currently building the mother of all constituent contact systems (MOACCS). This will be a statewide contact management database of Hawaii residents/voters who self-identify as progressives and who support environmental, economic and social justice.  The “issue affinity” of Hawaii residents will be identified state-wide by District via multiple strategies.

These efforts will be conducted over the next 3 months via email, social media, direct mail and door-to-door canvassing in targeted districts. The initial fruits of this effort will be directed toward driving quality, informed testimony in support of landmark progressive legislation that will be proposed during the 2019 legislative session.

The effort of building and expanding the statewide base of qualified constituent contacts will continue aggressively through 2019 in anticipation of putting into place a massive GOTV effort in support of progressive candidates in the 2020 elections.

Our goal is to identify voters by District in sufficient numbers necessary to win a House seat.  These same individuals/voters will also be encouraged to actively participate in the legislative process by submitting testimony on issues pending before the state legislature and/or county councils.

Game on.

We have high quality experienced candidates on every island. Now, working together with friends and allies around the state and across issue focuses, we will build the support structure necessary to help push them over the top.

Please help. The system we are building will be a potent and powerful tool, but it also requires a significant investment to design, build, populate and maintain.

Though we run very lean, PHI does have continuing administrative operating costs and following the heavy push during the recent Primary Election our reserves are at minimal levels. In the interest of full disclosure, as the PHI Executive Director I earn a whopping $1,000 per month.  And as most of you are aware, I work on this stuff 24/7.  I love the work and will continue doing my job, full steam ahead – but need your help to sustain the effort.

We need to raise at least $20,000 by the end of October in order to design, build and begin a robust effort to populate the MOACCS, and to support the basic operations of PHI.  At least 50% of this must be raised by October 5th if we are to maintain our momentum.

Contributions of any amount are welcome and may be made via our new Act Blue portal or checks may be mailed to: Pono Hawaii Initiative, P.O. Box 871, Honolulu HI 96808

Note: Contributions to PHI are not tax deductible.

As always, I welcome your input and am available to meet in person or speak on the telephone, at your convenience – anywhere on any island.

Mahalo to all for your ongoing help and support.

Sincerely,

Gary Hooser

Pono Hawaii Initiative (PHI)