Disclosures filed by candidates for Honolulu mayor late yesterday provide the first full look at relative strengths of the top candidates in raising money to fuel their campaigns, and three candidates were very closely matched in contributions received during the first six months of the year.

Keith Amemiya, who touts the fact that he has never held an elected office, raised more money in the first six months of 2020 than his opponents in the race for Honolulu mayor, but led broadcast executive Rick Blangiardi and former mayor Mufi Hannemann by only small margins.

Amemiya raised $468,769.37 in contributions during the six-month period, on top of $723,722.95 the campaign drew in during the second half of 2019. Although Amemiya’s campaign reported spending considerably more than any of his rivals, he ended the period with $379,986.70 in the bank.

Blangiardi was a close second, reporting total contributiosn of $453,609.35.

Hannemann, who was a last minute entrant in the large field of candidates, made a very strong showing by nearly matching the frontrunners, reporting contributions of $438,574.41. The former mayor’s fundraising surge is remarkable, as the entire amount was raised during the single month of June. And Hannemann almost matched Amemiya in the amount still on hand, with $379,986.70 in the bank at the end of the reporting period.

Former Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, who also was the first woman to preside over the State Senate, trailed the three leaders with $278,048.59 in contributions. She ended the period with $194,844.93 in her campaign account, the smallest war chest among the candidates going into the crucial last weeks of the campaign.

City Councilmember Kymberly Pine trailed the other candidates in fundraising during the period, reporting contributions of $114,525.56 during the first six months of 2020. But Pine goes final weeks of the primary campaign with more cash on hand than any of her rivals. Pine reported $391,048.32 still in the bank, which was $11,000 more than Amemiya, and more than twice the amount Hanabusa had on hand.

Former Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa announced her intention to run for Honolulu Mayor last year, and held a series of four fundraisers before the end of the year.

By the end of 2019, Hanabusa’s campaign reported raising $258,977, placing her second among the mayoral candidates last year, according to an end of the year report filed with the Campaign Spending Commission. Of the total, $4,872.81 (1.8%) came in amounts of less than $100.

Hanabusa’s campaign reported raising $104,000 from 26 individuals who each contributed the maximum $4,000 permitted by law. Seven employees of the engineering firm R.M. Towill each gave the maximum. Six execs from the same company also were among the top donors to Keith Amemiya’s campaign during the same period. Also among Hanabusa’s top contributors were three top executives of Nan, Inc, which currently has a $267 million contract with the city for upgrades at the Honouliuli Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Below is a list of contributors of $2,000 or ore to the Hanabusa campaign during the period July 1-December 31, 2019. It is sorted by amount and date, so that those who gave on the same day appear near each other on the list.

So here goes another dive into the mayoral candidates “Disclosure of Financial Interest” forms filed with the City Clerk, this time attorney Colleen Hanabusa, who formerly served in the State Senate, including several years as Senate President, and was elected to three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

She has also run unsuccessfully for governor and for the U.S. Senate.

One thing I would say is, based on the financial disclosure, Hanabusa has not used her long political career to accumulate unusual personal wealth.

Colleen Wakako Hanabusa
Spouse: John F. Souza III

Income

Colleen Hanabusa, Attorney at Law, and Limited Liability Law Corp.
$50,000-$99,999

U.S. House of Representatives Salary (Jan 2019)
$10,000-$25,000

State of Hawaii Retirement
$10,000-$25,000

U.S. House of Representatives Retirement
$10,000-$25,000

Social Security
$10,000-$25,000

Rental Income/Washington D.C. Property
$10,000-$25,000

State of Hawaii Retirement/HPD (Spouse)
$50,000-$99,999

Social Security (Spouse)
$10,000-$25,000

Creditors

None.

Ownership or Interests in Businesses in Hawaii

Colleen Hanabusa Attorney at Law LLC
Nature of Business: Law
100% owned
Value: Unknown

Pueo Enterprises, LLC
Nature of Business: Truck, equipment, and real estate rentals
*Company description from Financial Disclosure, U.S. House
100% owned (Spouse)
Value: 0

Little’s Enterprises LLC
(Demolition)
100% owned (Spouse)
Value: $50,000-$99,000

Note: State Business Registration records list an additional company owned by Hanabusa’s husband, John Souza, registered at their residential address in Nuuanu.

Li’i Enterprises LLC
100% owned (Spouse)
Nature of Business: Not known
Registered August 19, 2012

State Professional and Vocational Licensing records show Souza holds a valid contractors license as an individual, and is also listed as the Responsible Managing Emloyee for Li’i Entprises, which is licensed separately.

No stock in businesses operating in the state worth $5,000 or more.
No other non-real estate investments listed.

Fiduciary Positions

Board of Councilors
US-Japan Counncil
Washington, DC
Term: Annual
Compensation: None

Unlike most other candidates, Hanabusa has not taken positions on the boards of local nonprofit community groups.

Real Property Owned

Personal Residence (Jointly owned)
Year obtained: 2011
Value: At least $1,000,000

94-414 Farrington Highway, Kapolei
Owner: Pueo Enterprises
Year obtained: 2008
Value: $400,000-$499,999

92-408 Farrington Highway, Kapolei
Owner: Pueo Enterprises
Year obtained: 2015
Value: $200,000-$299,999

See:

Disclosure form as filed with the city dated June 15, 2020.

Financial disclosure filed with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives on August 13, 2018.