As your Senator I am always working to improve the lives of my constituents.  As the Senate Vice-President and Senate Chair of the Education Committee I know that education is a critical piece for Hawaii’s future.  I believe that we need to ensure that we have good paying jobs for today and tomorrow, fully certified and qualified teachers in our classrooms for our keiki, and creating a sustainable future.  These three areas are intimately connected:  Without good paying jobs we will continue to lose our current and future workforce to better job markets.  Without certified teachers in our classroom we will not have a workforce prepared for the jobs our businesses need.  Without a sustainable future our businesses will not have an environment they can thrive in.