Originally Posted by Ron Menor

Dear Mr. D*******,



Please find attached a reply to your email to Senator Menor. And feel free to contact the senator at his capitol office if you wish to discuss any legislation relating to a proposed race track.



Sincerely,



John Williamson

Communications Director

Menor for Congress



P.S. I’m glad to see an email from someone else who appreciates Austin Powers.



Aloha Mr. D*******,

I am happy to let you know that I agree wholeheartedly with the point of view expressed
in your email. I have met with racing enthusiasts around the state and recently had a
conversation with the president of a racing club on the Big Island. I have consistently
expressed my commitment to the sport.

It is important that racers have a safe place to pursue their passion. Not only does it
provide a legal alternative for putting their cars to the test, it is also an exciting
entertainment option for spectators. Hawaii has a long tradition of legal racing and the
absence of a track has created many problems, like those you describe in your email.
Along with my friend Representative Jerry Chang, whose initiatives for a race track I
support, I believe government has a role in ensuring that Hawaii racers have a quality
track where they can demonstrate the capabilities of their cars, along with their driving
skills.

Please count on me to support the creation of a race track.

Best regards,
Ron Menor

Candidate U.S. House, District 2

Originally Posted by Colleen Hanabusa

Dear Mr. D*******:



Thank you for your question and for taking the time to find out a little more about me and what I stand for. Please excuse the lateness of this response, the pace of this campaign has made it difficult for me to keep up with my e-mails.



In any event, personally, I'm sorry that Hawaii Raceway Park had to close. It's been a landmark institution on the west side for generations. Unfortunately, when racing proponents came to the Legislature seeking a tax credit to build a new one, we were caught in the middle of a fight between various factions of racers who had different ideas on the new racetrack would be. Because the racers themselves couldn't decide on what they wanted, the Legislature couldn't go forward with establishing the tax credit. Trust me, discussions on this issue got very heated, I was there for some of them. Of course, this only my opinion on what happened and other legislators may have differing views on this issue, but I support the building of a new racetrack in Hawaii, wherever it may be, especially if it prevents streetracing.



Also, I would just like to point out as clarification on the Ko Olina Tax Credit (which, by the way, I introduced as a means of growing the economy on the west side so that west coast residents would have more job opportunities), that absolutely no tax credits will be given out on this tax credit until an aquarium is actually built. Also, the Ko Olina tax credit was enacted back in 2003, well before any proposal was made to the Legislature by racing enthusiasts to establish a racetrack tax credit.



I hope that racers will not take to the streets to try out their racing skills, inevitably, it will result in more deaths. I know that there are companies trying to fill the void right now who are putting on racing events at the Aloha Stadium. But until the racing community can get together, gain consensus, and present a unified vison of what they want, the Legislature will be hard pressed to find a solution for them. I would even be willing to host some of these discussions here at the Capitol to help the various groups come to some sort of an agreement. Let me know if this is something the racing community wants, and we can work on it together.



Aloha,



Colleen Hanabusa