Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 1987 — City Council Neophyte Exudes Confidence [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

City Council Neophyte Exudes Confidence

Freshman Status No Handicap

By Kenny Haina, Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA "The key to my tenure in city government is eommunity involvement and this is what I hope to generate. I'm a good listener and I consider myself very fair." These are remarks made by first time City and County of Honolulu Councilman John DeSoto Jr. as the newest Hawaiian and vice chairman at Honolulu Hale. Arnold Morgado, another part Hawaiian, heads the Council as its new chairman whieh was announced Dec. 22. Both are Democrats. Republican David Kahanu completes the Council's Hawaiian triumvirate. As the Council's freshman lawmaker, Ka Wai Ola O OHA talked with DeSoto to get his views about his new role. He is one of four sons of John (Cobra) DeSoto and A. Frenchy DeSoto, who was also elected last Nov. 4as one of three At-Large Trustees for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. DeSoto's brothers are Bruce, MTL driver; Ronald, commercial fisherman; and Manny, corrections officer at Oahu Community Correctional Center. There are also two DeSoto sisters, Chiquita DeBoer of Washington state and Laura DeSoto of Waimea, Hawaii. The freshman eouneilman is widely known at home, on the mainland and throughout Europe as "The Flying Hawaiian" national motorcross ehampion, a sport he took up following in the footsteps of his father and mother. His parents are also well-known stock car drivers when they competed at the old Honolulu Stadium at the same time as two other brothers who went on to national fame — A1 and Jerry Unser. It was in June, 1986, that DeSotomade up his mind to throw his papale into the political arena. "I eame in cold with no experience in politics. But I wasn't that cold to the extent I didn't know what I wanted to do for my district," the newly-named Council vice chairman remarked. Since his return home in June 1975, after living in Southern California for nearly 10 years, DeSoto has been deeply involved with youth work in his home district along the Waianae coast. Technically, he represents District IX whieh includes the Waianae coast, Kunia, portions of Waipahu, Ewa, Ewa Beach, Makakilo and Honokai Hale. DeSoto felt his earlier priorities were with the kids and he involved himself with them and personnel from the City Department of Parks and Recreation. Ironically, he now heads the Council's Parks and Recreation Committee.

He admitted that in the last three months he found out there were mueh more broader areas of eoneem. "Instead of working with 30 kids, I find myself working with 75,000 people," DeSoto observed. Confident, articulate and frank, DeSoto said that "being a freshman on the Council is no handicap. I ean be a guide and tool looking out for the concerns and interests of my communities." He predicted that with good staffing, new ideas and new faces, the Council will be moving differently. DeSoto said dedication, discipline and patience are traits he learned while participating in football, track and wrestling at Waianae High School from where he graduated in 1965. He also attended Snow College in Utah on a football scholarship. "Hopefully," he pointed out, "I am able to follow these traits in my work with the Council." Mueh has been written and said about DeSoto's prowess as a motorcross ehampion but little is known about the person himself, henee Ka Wai Ola O OHA sought this interview. DeSoto comes across as a man with a definite mission — doing the best he ean for his

constituents and all others in his district, listeningattentively to their concerns and working hard. DeSoto is the first to admit this is no small feat but he is committed to doing it. "Of course I can't do it alone and I don't have all the answers and ideas. This is why I'll be seeking the community's participation and support," he declared. A little known fact perhaps about the new Councilman is that he is the founder and instructor of an anti substance abuse program in his community where he programs his participants through athletics, eanoe racing, aerobics, hiking and weightlifting. "I was heavily involved with athletics in school and eame home so tired I didn't feel likedoinganythingelse. I try to do the same thing for other kids through this program," DeSoto explained. He said other teachers and professionals give him assistance. DeSoto, who acquired a business aeumen while owning and operating two motorcycle shops in San Diego and Huntington Beach where he and his wife and two children lived, has been on a bike 34 of his 39 years. In that time, he has suffered a dislocated shoulder, broken back, broken legs, torn Achilles tendon, 14 head concussions and-two knee surgeries. The freshman Councilman, who doesn't smoke or drink, is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), having appeared in six motorcycle movies. His racing appearances in Europe included 13 in Iron Curtain countries and one year on the Grand Prix circuit. DeSoto is married to the former Pati Crandall, a Punahou graduate currently teaching at Makaha Elementary School. They are the parents of daughter, Maile, 15, and son, John III, 14, who also is into the sport. DeSoto is still active on the loeal racing scene having appeared in the last two super cross competitions. However, his new Councilman duties are sure to alter his priorities somewhat. He emphasized in conclusion that community involvement is the key to his work. "While I ean be a good listener and very fair, I feel we should all work together. Let's all work for it."

Councilman John DeSoto