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* This is the eighth in a series of stories on candidates who will be on the ballot for Maui County Council and state legislative seats in Maui County. In Wednesday's Maui News, the featured race will be on the contest for the 10th House District (West Maui).

WAILUKU - Rep. Bob Nakasone wasn't sure he would be running in his ninth consecutive race for his 9th District House of Representatives seat. He wasn't sure he'd even be here today.

Coming off of a successful battle with lung cancer, Nakasone, 68, said the disease weakened him but that he has unfinished business at the State Capitol, especially in these tough economic times.

The Democrat represents Kahului and Lower Paia and faces Republican Henry Kahula Jr., 66, in the Nov. 4 general election.

"I'm not being presumptuous, but I would like to get back to work, especially after being through this whole medical ordeal," Nakasone said. "Time is very important to me. I miss the Legislature. I like the challenge."

Kahula is a tour bus driver/guide, small-business owner and financial adviser with close ties to the Native Hawaiian community. He was born in Hana and lives in Paia.

Kahula ran against Nakasone two years ago, when Nakasone defeated Kahula with 77.9 percent to 16.7 percent of the vote. Kahula has never held an elected government office.

"To me, Bob's been in there for a while, but when we had issues come up in Paia, they've not done anything for Paia," Kahula said.

He said that the state Department of Transportation in particular shoved things at the people that they don't want, such as the Paia bypass.

"And it didn't work," Kahula said. "None of it worked."

Nakasone owns Ameritone-Maui, a paint and wall-covering store in Kahului. Before being elected to the Legislature in 1992, Nakasone had been on the Maui County Council since 1977.

The state is projected to be an estimated $900 million poorer in tax revenues in the next three fiscal years along with a more than $160 million deficit for this fiscal year.

Both Nakasone and Kahula said they believe that one of the ways that the state can help Hawaii and Maui fight their way out of the economic downturn is to put capital improvement projects on the upswing. But the men have different approaches.

"I don't think funding has to be increased," Kahula said. "They have a budget, but it seems they don't work according to the budget."

For instance, he said that the governor and the Legislature should be clearer about what priorities they have going into budget discussions. One of his suggestions was to reduce administrative positions and expenses.

Kahula said he wants to see the state improve Maui's roadways, particularly Honoapiilani Highway from the pali to Lahaina, and public schools as well as support the establishment of new industries and bolster tourism marketing.

Kahula suggested that the state consider holding off on Gov. Linda Lingle and local lawmakers' $118.3 million in planned improvements to Kahului Harbor. Lingle's administration already axed about $100 million in proposed dredging and the construction of piers and slips on the harbor's west side that would have housed the Norwegian Cruise Line ships and Hawaii Superferry.

Kahula said the harbor construction could be postponed or shaved off a bit until the long-term situation is worked out with the cruise lines - which dramatically reduced visits to the harbor - and Superferry - which nearly doubled its schedule.

Kahula said that, unlike Nakasone, he believed that the harbor should be preserved for paddlers and surfers while commerce expands.

While he was ill, Nakasone had to miss two-thirds of the recent legislative session. Democratic leaders said Nakasone's knowledge of state capital improvement funding formulas and taxes is almost unequaled.

Nakasone said last week that the governor should give the go-ahead to sell general obligation bonds and dedicate special spending for more than $2 billion in projects already approved by lawmakers.

He said the $450 million in funding released by Lingle last year was not enough to deal with the state's ongoing problem with deferred maintenance to existing infrastructure; meet residents' new needs; or stimulate the economy. He also criticized Lingle for trying to acquire land, like her bid for Turtle Bay resort on Oahu, because it doesn't generate tax revenue.

"When you devote money to capital improvement projects not only do you create jobs and tax revenue from the construction, but you are also creating tax revenues from the new businesses that benefit," Nakasone said.

Nakasone has some very big ideas, including the state providing universal health care and eliminating personal income tax. Both need greater research, but he said that the state should take a closer look at increasing the general excise tax to make up the lost revenue.

"That would give the workers additional disposable income immediately," Nakasone said. "It's not an idea that's going to happen overnight, but I believe it is a good idea to work with the state Department of Taxation. Lots of other states do it. We should find out what the (alternative) revenue base would be and how much disposable income it would give us."

The finance and transportation committees member said he also wants to see early-childhood education, for kids 3 years old and younger, become part of the state education system. In addition, he will make long-term-care insurance a priority for all people who are elderly or disabled.

"For a lot of patients who don't have insurance (for assisted living and nursing homes), the burden falls on the children to care for their parents and grandparents," Nakasone said. "That often means they have to quit their jobs."

When it comes to cuts to education, Nakasone said, he believes that while the state Board of Education will lose operating expenses, that doesn't mean that capital improvements can't be done with bonding.

Kahula blamed lawmakers for not protecting Aloha Airlines, which went bankrupt this year, from predatory practices by its competitors. He also endorses tort reform to make medical malpractice insurance more affordable to attract more doctors to Hawaii.

He said he would also work to influence locals to buy from Maui farmers, saying the island's dependence on imports has created too great a dependency on outside markets. Kahula said Keanae would be an excellent place for the state to provide incentives to grow and process taro on site.

When asked about his opponent, Nakasone said: "Personally, I don't know him. He ran two years ago (against me). That's all I know."

According to the state Campaign Spending Commission Web site, Kahula has filed the mandatory campaign spending and fundraising reports.

Campaigning has been difficult for Nakasone, who has still managed to raise at least $14,000 for his campaign. His medications don't allow him to be in the sunlight, so door-knocking is out.

"Physically, I feel all right," he said. "Hopefully, I can be productive before January when the session starts."

Kahula said he decided to first run in 2006 because of the Legislature's decision to restrict gill nets. He said he also felt the decision to require safer net floats instead of the traditional glass was made to accommodate windsurfers, who are often foreigners. Kahula also opposes other restrictions on native hunting and fishing rights.

"We cannot change our whole lifestyle for a few," Kahula said. "I do not think it's fair. We have to do whatever we can to protect the culture."

* Chris Hamilton can be reached at chamilton@mauinews.com.