Differing opinions on the city's proposed $3.7 billion commuter rail project and concerns about public safety are fueling the debate in the City Council District 7 race, in which two challengers are vying to unseat incumbent Romy M. Cachola.

Lynn Vasquez-Dela Cerna, a Kalihi/Palama neighborhood board member, and Lillian Lai-Lam Wang Hong, a jewelry store owner, are running against Cachola, 70, who has represented the district for eight years after 16 years in the state House of Representatives.

"This is part of a democracy; anyone has the right to run if they want to. I'm not going to take anyone for granted. I am a very hard campaigner, and I do my homework. I'm not here just for the sake of being present," said Cachola. "I am still very healthy and I can still make a difference in people's lives. I don't play games, that's why I can sleep at night."

If any candidate captures 50 percent of the ballots plus one additional vote in the Sept. 20 primary, he or she will win the seat outright. If no candidate achieves that vote total, the two top finishers will face off in the Nov. 4 general election.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The top three issues, according to the candidates, are public safety, the Salt Lake spur of the proposed $3.7 billion commuter rail project and affordable housing.

A shooting Aug. 11 that left a 19-year-old Aliamanu man paralyzed and several drug busts in the Kalihi section of the district have focused discussion on public safety.

Crime overall is down in all areas except burglary, according to police.

"Public safety is a big one. The shooting, we had a stabbing, and there are certain drug houses (in the district)," said Cachola. "That's why we came up with neighborhood patrols. We already have two to three ongoing and we are looking at some more places. I've been working with HPD to accomplish that and I believe that we should have our fair share of police officers and other support services."

Vasquez-Dela Cerna said the Aug. 11 shooting is indicative of a sustained level of violence that seems to simmer out of sight but occasionally breaks out.

"Public safety is important," said Vasquez-Dela Cerna, the mother of a Honolulu police officer. "We need to keep our constituents safe."

Hong said she wants to create "neighborhood rescue units" that will patrol neighborhoods and clean up debris and paint over graffiti. She said that youth gangs in Aliamanu, Salt Lake, and Kalihi are responsible for a lot of the problems.

"We need more police officers," said Hong. "The police officers have all the answers already. They know who the gang members are. It's up to them to enforce the law."

On the issue of the city's proposed transit spur through Salt Lake, Cachola fought for the route, while Vasquez-Dela Cerna said if elected, she will work to reverse it.

"They (district residents) are angry about the Salt Lake spur," said Vasquez-Dela Cerna. "If I get elected I want to undo that."

Hong said she is not for or against the rail transit project.

"I am for TheBus," said Hong. "I believe in TheBus system (to relieve traffic)."

The availability of affordable and low-income housing for residents in the district was mentioned by all three candidates. Each acknowledged the need to better maintain the more than a dozen public housing projects in the district while also providing incentives to developers to build affordable units at a time when residential and other construction in the area continues.

HOMELESS EXPERIENCE

Tax credits and federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development were mentioned as subsidies needed too spur affordable residential growth.

"I am a homeless advocate and I feed the homeless every Saturday. I have a compassion for the people," said Vasquez-Dela Cerna. "I was homeless myself with my children; we lived in the homeless shelter in Kokea after my first husband died."

Cachola said he often hears of families looking for places to live but unable to afford rentals or property purchases.

"Some of the residents are priced out of the market and they can see that in practically a whole section of my district, Kalihi and others, it is not uncommon to have three to four families in one house," said Cachola.

Hong said the $300,000 and $400,000 affordable units are not affordable by the standards.

"Unless the City Council does something (about affordable housing) this is not what regular people find affordable," said Hong.

The city is in the process of selling all of its affordable housing portfolio due to an inability to manage and adequately maintain the projects.

In a written statement, Hong explained her position on various municipal issues, from education to abandoned cars in vacant lots.

"Many people said that I don't have any experience in government. They are so truthfully correct. I have no experience in corruption," said Hong in the statement. "What they don't know is, I have plenty experiences involving problems happening in the community where I spend my daily life. Can you please vote for me?"