Benjamin Jerome Cayetano was the first Filipino American and second Asian American elected state governor in the United States.

Cayetano addresses the Hawaii State Legislature.

Benjamin Jerome Cayetano, popularly known as Ben Cayetano, (born November 14, 1939) served as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a state governor in the United States. Benjamin J. Cayetano File links The following pages link to this file: Hawaii Benjamin J. Cayetano ... Benjamin J. Cayetano File links The following pages link to this file: Hawaii Benjamin J. Cayetano ... Image property of Ben Asato of the Honolulu Advertiser newspaper, available for private noncommercial, educational use with credit. ... Image property of Ben Asato of the Honolulu Advertiser newspaper, available for private noncommercial, educational use with credit. ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining. ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... This is a list of governors of Hawaii. ... For the 1959 novel and 1966 movie, see Hawaii (novel). ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In 1998, Benjamin J. Cayetano became the first Filipino American (and second Asian American after Governor George R. Ariyoshi) to be elected state Governor of the United States. ...

Early Years

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Cayetano was estranged from his mother at a young age. Cayetano was raised by his father in Kalihi, an ethnic Filipino neighborhood west of Downtown Honolulu. He would grow up as a latchkey child. In Kalihi, he attended Wallace Rider Farrington High School, a public school aptly known locally as "Home of the Governors" as its buildings were named after several early Hawaii statesmen. The school was only a few blocks from his home. Cayetano received poor grades throughout his years at Farrington and was often disciplined by his teachers and counselors. He barely made marks qualifying him to graduate. Location in Hawaii Founded  -Incorporated   County City & County of Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann Area  - Total  - Water   Population  - City (2000)  - Density  - Metropolitan 371,657 1,674. ... Kalihi is a neighborhood community of Honolulu on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. ... Latchkey child is a term used to describe children left at home with little or no parental supervision, referring to the latch key to the door strung around their necks. ... Name Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School Address 1564 North King Street Town Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 Established 1936 Community Urban Type Public secondary Religion Secular Students Coeducational Grades 9 to 12 Accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges District Hawaii State Department of Education Subdistrict Honolulu district Nickname Governors Mascot...

Upon graduation Cayetano married Lorraine Gueco, his high school sweetheart. After the birth of his son Brandon in 1959, he worked a variety of menial jobs, such as a metal-packer in a junkyard, truck driver, apprentice electrician, and finally as a draftsman. Frustrated by what he felt were racially motivated and politically unfair hiring practices, he and his family moved to Los Angeles, California in 1963 in pursuit of an education in law. Junkyard may refer to: Junkyard - a motorvehicle wrecking yard Junkyard (band) - a hard rock band This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... If youre looking for the TV show, see The Apprentice. ... An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings and related equipment. ... This is about drafting, the art and science of technical drawing. ... The City of Los Angeles (from Spanish Los Ángeles , meaning the angels), also known as L.A., is the second-largest city in the United States in terms of population, as well as one of the worlds most important economic, cultural, and entertainment centers. ...

Cayetano attended Los Angeles Harbor College and eventually transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles in 1966. In 1968, he graduated from UCLA with a major in political science and minor in American history. In 1971, he earned his law degree from Loyola Law School. General Information Los Angeles Harbor College is one of two community colleges serving the South Bay region of Los Angeles. ... The University of California, Los Angeles, popularly known as UCLA, is a public, coeducational university situated in the neighborhood of Westwood within the city of Los Angeles. ... The Elections and Parties Series Democracy Representative democracy History of democracy Referenda Liberal democracy Representation Voting Voting systems Ideology Elections Elections by country Elections by calender Electoral systems Politics Politics by country Political campaigns Political science Political philosophy Related topics Political parties Parties by country Parties by name Parties by... Pre-Colonial America For details, see the main Pre-Colonial America article. ... Several historic and current educational institutions are named in honor of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. ...

Legislative Career

Immediately after graduating law school, Cayetano returned to Hawaii alone with his son. As his mother had done earlier, Cayetano's wife had left his family. In 1972, Governor John A. Burns appointed him to the Hawaii Housing Authority. Seeing great promise in Cayetano's leadership skills, Burns tried to convince Cayetano of a run for the Hawaii State House of Representatives. Cayetano doubted his ability to win his home district, dominated by whites and Japanese Americans. In 1974, he won the Pearl City house seat as a Democrat. In 1978, Cayetano was elected to the Hawaii State Senate. During his twelve years in the state legislature, he was appointed chairman of important spending committees. John A. Burns is often called the Father of the State of Hawaii having overseen its modern development and setting precedents honored today. ... Serving from 1999 to 2003, Army General Eric Shinseki of Hawaii became the first Asian American military chief of staff. ... Pearl City is town and a census-designated place (CDP) located in the ‘Ewa District and City & County of Honolulu on the Island of Oahu. ...

Lieutenant Governor

Cayetano joined the John D. Waihee III gubernatorial ticket in 1986 and became the first Filipino American Lieutenant Governor in the United States. Both statesmen were re-elected to a second term in 1990. In his capacity as Lieutenant Governor, Cayetano established the A+ Program. It was an ambitious state-funded universal after-school care program with chartered organizations at each public elementary school in Hawaii. In creating the program, Cayetano was mindful of his own latchkey child background growing up in Kalihi. The A+ Program became a model for other school boards across the country to create similar projects. John David Waihee III was the first American of Native Hawaiian descent to be elected governor in the United States. ...

Cayetano Administration

Term limits forced Waihee into retirement and the Democratic Party nominated Cayetano to run for Governor of Hawaii in 1994. With attorney Mazie K. Hirono as his running mate, Cayetano was swept into office having defeated Congresswoman Patricia Saiki and former Mayor of Honolulu Frank F. Fasi. Mazie Keiko Hirono became the first Asian immigrant to be elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States in 1994. ... Mayor of Honolulu Jeremy Harris gives the annual State of the City address from Honolulu Hale on January 25, 2001. ... Frank Fasi was the longest serving Mayor of Honolulu. ...

In 1998, Cayetano would face one of the toughest challenges to the Democratic Party's stronghold over the Office of the Governor. Popular Mayor of Maui Linda Lingle was nominated by the Republican Party to run against Cayetano on an agenda of government reform. For months leading into election day, Cayetano trailed Lingle in the major media polls. In the closest election in Hawaii history, Cayetano won a second term by a single percentage point validated by an official recount of ballots. The Mayor of Maui is the chief executive officer of the County of Maui in the state of Hawaii. ... In 2002, Linda Lingle became the first Republican elected Governor of Hawaii in forty years. ...

Cayetano left office in December 2002 barred by law from seeking a third term. He was succeeded by former Republican challenger Lingle who beat Hirono in another tight race.

Throughout his tenure in office, Cayetano had to contend with economic uncertainty and serious fiscal problems. Declining tax revenues led to budget shortfalls that had to be addressed, and the fiscally conservative governor often found himself at odds with his fellow Democrats in the state legislature as he attempted to implement budget cuts to balance the state budget. Cayetano gets most of the credit, however, for passing large cuts in the state income tax to stimulate the state's economy.

On education, the Cayetano administration built thirteen new schools, and he was able to persuade the teacher's union to extend the school year by seven days. Also under his administration, the University of Hawaii system gained autonomy over internal affairs. On the other hand, labor disputes with UH professors and public school teachers in April 2001 led to simultaneous strikes by both unions that crippled the state's entire educational system for three weeks. Jean Charlots mural called Commencement is featured at Bachman Hall, the administrative center of the University of Hawai`i System. ...

Although his policy decisions may not have made him the most popular governor in Hawaii, most observers credit the governor with having the courage to make tough decisions in difficult times.

Miscellaneous

Cayetano is currently married to the former Vicky Tiu Liu, whom he married on May 5, 1997, over thirty years after she had played a major supporting role opposite Elvis Presley in the musical film It Happened at the World's Fair. May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Elvis Presley Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known as The King of Rock and Roll or The King, was an American singer and actor. ... A musical film belongs to a film genre that features songs, sung by the actors, interwoven into the narrative. ... It Happened at the Worlds Fair is a 1963 musical film starring Elvis Presley as a cropdusting pilot. ...

He has three children from his first marriage: Brandon, Janeen, and Samantha.

Sources

• Feature story on Ben Cayetano on the UCLA website

John David Waihee III was the first American of Native Hawaiian descent to be elected governor in the United States. ... Governors of Hawaii have been administering their duties from the Hawaii State Capitol since 1969. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In 2002, Linda Lingle became the first Republican elected Governor of Hawaii in forty years. ...