Issues

What Cyd Will Fight For in District 4

District 4 is home to some of the most hardworking, resilient, and community-minded people on this island. These communities deserve a County Council member who shows up — not just at election time, but every day. 

Here is where Cyd stands.

Roads and Infrastructure

Puna has waited long enough.

Every morning, District 4 residents sit in traffic that has gotten worse year after year. Every evening, they navigate the same roads — some unpaved, some crumbling, many simply inadequate for the community they serve. This is not just an inconvenience. It is a public safety issue. It is an economic issue. And it is a quality of life issue for every family in this district.

Cyd knows these roads because she drives them. She knows the Highway 130 commute, the internal neighborhood roads that flood in heavy rain, and the infrastructure gaps that emergency services have to navigate when disaster strikes.

As County Council member, Cyd will:

• Prioritize road maintenance and improvement funding for District 4

• Push for real solutions to commuter congestion on Highway 130 and surrounding corridors

• Advocate for emergency access infrastructure throughout the district

• Work toward expanded broadband connectivity for rural Puna communities that have been promised it and denied it for too long

Health Access and Services

Every family in Puna deserves care they can reach.

Cyd has spent 26 years working in community health on this island. She has sat with families who couldn't get a doctor's appointment, navigated insurance barriers with people in crisis, and built programs to bring health education directly into schools and neighborhoods. She knows where the system works — and where it fails.

She also knows what it takes to fix it. Not just more funding, but smarter outreach, culturally responsive care, and services that meet people where they actually are — not where the system finds it convenient to serve them.

As County Council member, Cyd will:

• Advocate for expanded community health services and mobile health access in rural District 4

• Support funding for community health workers who serve as the critical link between families and care

• Push for mental health and substance use services that are accessible, culturally grounded, and not stigmatized

• Champion reentry health services that connect people returning from incarceration to care, medication, and housing before their release — breaking the cycle before it restarts

• Ensure health equity remains a priority in every county budget conversation

Safe, Stable Neighborhoods

Local families deserve to stay, thrive, and belong.

Cyd has watched the fabric of District 4 change over 40 years. She has seen the growth of unsheltered individuals and families — many arriving from the continental U.S. without local roots or support systems. She has watched local families get priced out of land ownership by outside buyers. She has worked alongside the organizations trying to hold communities together when the pressure becomes too great.

She believes in community safety that goes deeper than enforcement — safety that comes from stable housing, healthy families, connected youth, and a community where people know and look out for each other.

As County Council member, Cyd will:

• Work with county and state partners to address the root causes of houselessness — including housing affordability and the displacement of local families

• Support youth programs that give Puna's young people real pathways and real futures

• Advocate for domestic violence services and family support programs that protect the most vulnerable members of our community

• Engage community voices on geothermal energy and Mauna Kea — because decisions of this magnitude must be made with the community, not for them

• Champion Native Hawaiian rights, cultural preservation, and the protection of ʻāina for future generations

A Note on How Cyd Approaches Issues

Cyd does not believe in having all the answers before she listens. On complex issues — including geothermal energy, land use, and long-term environmental planning — she is committed to holding genuine community listening sessions, learning from all perspectives, and making decisions that reflect the values and needs of District 4 residents. Good governance starts with good listening.