Almost three weeks after state Sen. Gil Kahele’s death, friends, family and colleagues have been busy — carrying out what they say was the Hilo Democrat’s political vision.
Almost three weeks after state Sen. Gil Kahele’s death, friends, family and colleagues have been busy — carrying out what they say was the Hilo Democrat’s political vision.
On Friday, two of Kahele’s former colleagues, Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz and Sen. Brickwood Galuteria, both Oahu Democrats, introduced two identical measures — a senate resolution and a senate concurrent resolution — to establish the “Gil Kahele Aero Technology campus.”
The measure calls for the Office of Aerospace Development to develop a plan for the proposed campus, which, Dela Cruz told the Tribune-Herald, would mimic an industrial park and serve as a statewide hub of all things aerospace, aeronautics and aviation.
One of Kahele’s final proposals, Senate Bill 3073, aims to establish an aviation school at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, which would be included as part of the Aero Technology Campus. The aviation bill cleared its second reading last week.
The resolution calls for partnership with several agencies in addition to the UH-Hilo campus, which include the High Technology Development Corporation, the Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation, the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Waiakea High School, the County of Hawaii and the Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center.
Relevant aerospace and aviation programs, such as those, within the state agencies would be moved to Hilo, Dela Cruz said.
Other programs, such as those at Waiakea High School, would probably stay nearby at the school — but students would have a “pathway” to additional aero technology options, he said.
The campus location hasn’t been set yet, but it would be in Hilo. The resolutions each garnered 21 senator signatures.
“If all (the aviation, aerospace and other relevant programs programs) are in the same area, hopefully they can create synergy,” Dela Cruz said, adding he and Kahele discussed the consolidation idea multiple times before his death. “They’d support each other, and by having it all together, it ensures long-term stability for these programs.”
Senate Bill 3071, another final measure of Kahele’s, calls for the state to purchase land at Kapua Bay, just south of Milolii where Kahele was born, and include it as part of the South Kona Wilderness Area. That measure cleared the senate on Tuesday and on Thursday and passed its first reading in the house. The measure has been amended to use general obligation funds, rather than Transient Accommodations Tax money, to purchase the land.
“This is something my dad was fighting for, for well over 40 years — over half his life — so it’s significant for us as a family to see his bill (move forward),” said Kahele’s son, Kai Kahele. “I think my dad is looking down and beaming from ear to ear.”
“There’s a lot of history that goes with that property,” added Sen. Lorraine Inouye, a Hilo Democrat. “We need to keep it free from development so future generations can come, and there will be no development in that particular area.”
Kahele’s third proposal, Senate Bill 3072, which would establish an airport authority, also cleared two hearings last week and is referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
Meanwhile, Kai Kahele threw his hat in the ring of hopefuls vying to fill the late senator’s shoes for the remainder of his term. The Hawaii County Democratic Party selected three nominees on Saturday, including Kai Kahele. Gov. David Ige will appoint one to succeed Gil Kahele.
Last Monday, the Kahele family held a celebration of life for the senator. Kai Kahele said about 2,700 people from around the state attended the event.
“Everyone came together for my dad,” Kai Kahele said. “He is still bringing people together in death as he did in life. As people have left, family have gone home and the house is quiet again, that’s when it sinks in that dad is not coming home. We really miss him, but his legacy will live on.”