I have been blessed and honored to have served Kauai for 14 years. The absence of the general public and business adding dimension to policy considerations can easily result in reckless policy development. I will be a proponent of green energy and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Updating our Ag Dedication criteria will before council this week. He also served on the Kauai County Council for four years before becoming a Senator.. Coco Palms is an extreme example of a small resort being too expensive to condemn and throw away, even after thirty years. One of the greatest things that has to happen for our island is to have our own recyclery. He oversees the company's four business units, as well as its functions for technology . I believe we have to make sure we take care of our pensioners, first responders and County employees first. If elected I hope to spend the time as a council member moving the island toward economic sustainability, revitalizing the county parks and the county sponsored sport leagues and work on solutions that will help local people find housing. Keeping all taxpayers in mind when making decisions that uses everyones tax dollar. I would continue to work with the State and Federal representatives to support options that will mitigate the impacts of climate change on Kauai. I would help with any kind of communication that I can do as a county council member. And a primary barrier for many businesses right now is attracting and retaining employees which stems at least partially from the high cost of housing. Continue to work on our checks and balances system of government is working and not rubber stamping budget requests by the administration. My varied background includes being a small business owner of Hanalei Surf Company for 18 years, been on numerous boards, have had experience in the fields of education and engineering, as well. While I respect all of the work that went into the DMAP, I dont see that same clarity or bold language in terms of the island being over-capacity and the need to reduce visitor numbers to a more sustainable level. they have 20 times more people on Oahu. While I think that the State and Federal governments can play an important role in helping support both agriculture and domestic manufacturing for the County, I see our primary role in stimulating the economy as reducing the cost of housing, investing in vibrant and walkable town cores, and ensuring that real farmers are paying very minimal property taxes. We need to also continue to reform our zoning codes to reduce the amount that people have to drive. I have the time to attend boards and commission meetings, community events, and have on-site visits with constituents, neighborhoods and businesses for stronger understanding of their specific needs. Partnership with organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kauai Board of Realtors, Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, Carpenters Union, Lihue Business Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau and so forth is invaluable. I hope we can invent a noiseless hybrid type of airplane in the future. The development of a landfill will likely take longer than we currently have, before Kekaha expires in five years, and we will be shipping our waste off island at a huge cost to taxpayers. Somehow, somewhere one or some of these regulations is going to have to relax. Regardless of short term or long term, as with any finances, I will not overspend. While we have to blaze forward on solutions to our pressing problems, I remain committed to working with stakeholders to the greatest extent possible before introducing legislation that could impact them. The plan contains the following six objectives: 1. I also want to dive into the things holding approved projects up and work with County departments to understand and address the ways things can be improved and streamlined. I have tried to raise the vacation rental rate to equal the resort rate twice at budget (2019 and 2022). Enough tourists as is. He also previously served for 8 years on the Kauai County Council and was Director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control for the State of Hawaii (2011/2012). The sites in dryer areas are ideal, but the Koloa location is too close to Waita Reservoir. I would continue to support the Aloha Plus Challenge program which focuses on six areas, Clean Energy; Local Food Production; Natural Resource Management; Waste Reduction; Smart Sustainable Communities: Green Workforce and Education. Thank you. Nelson Mukai Rachel Secretario Ross Kagawa Governor Candidates Duke Aiona David (Duke) Bourgoin Kai Kahele Lynn Barry Mariano Caleb K. Nazara Lieutenant Governor Candidates Keith Amemiya Ikaika Anderson Tae Kim Sylvia Luke Sherry Menor-McNamara US Rep Candidates Joe Akana Patrick Pihana Branco Nicole Gi Brendan Schultz Steven B. Sparks If re-elected, I will continue to work on policies like those outlined above to help reduce the cost of housing for Kauai residents. We need to consider rent-to-own affordable housing options and offer a credit to responsible individuals who pay rent on time who can then apply this credit to a first time home loan application. I support the development of a dirty MRF that will help us divert waste from the landfill. But, rather than trying to micromanage the Administration, I spend the bulk of my time thinking about and working on policy that I do have discretion over. Supporting efforts to expand local food production agriculture can reverse our 90% importation of food, but it must be a collaborative effort between all levels of government, community members, educators, nonprofits, farmers and consumers. We can do this by continuing to support our government institutions, schools, hospitals, catering companies, and hotels to use more local ingredients. And so the plan states clearly that dealing with excessive tourism also means dealing with the supply of visitor units. And it cites the General Plan for ways to reduce the number of transient vacation rentals. If elected I will dive into the research that has been done on things that have worked in other areas and connect with the groups working on this issue to address the gaps. Any additional density on agricultural land (like the constant push to allow ADUs on ag land) increases the value of agricultural land, increases the likelihood of non-farm development of that ag land, and makes it less likely that a farmer can pay off a loan or mortgage on the property. I have been working closely with our State and Federal counter parts. Hawai`is native ancestors revered and lived fully the values of Aloha `Aina & Malama Aina. The entire budget process needs to be as transparent as possible and communicated in a simple and up to date way to the public. Vacation rentals were grandfather in long before I became a council member and will be part of our taxable economy. Giving friendly reminders that this is what these people are being paid to do. In the next two years, Im looking to implement all of the actions that were identified in the DMAP by the steering committee. I will be proactive with efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce our contribution to it. February 27, 2023 equitable estoppel california No Comments . During my terms in office, I have introduced numerous resolutions for performance audits but could never get the required votes to get it passed. We have had four years of additional emergency funding for either our 2018 flood event or the COVID pandemic. To ensure short and long term fiscal health, we need to: 1) Reinvest in our existing towns. Waste to energy is a clean and safe way to get rid of our trash and create energy. I appreciate the goal to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of tourism over a three-year period. I would revitalize buildings that could be used as shelters and homes for the low income and homeless. One of the many lessons that Ive learned in my four years on the County Council is the value of listening before making a decision. QUESTION #1What is your vision for a thriving agricultural sector on Kauai and how can the County Council support that vision?. Explore FeliciaCowden.com for more info! Reducing imports and expanding the agriculture sector, if done correctly can be a major step in addressing climate change. Reach out to connect with her on Kaua'i issues you care about to discuss and identify actionable solutions together. Expanding our local products and supporting their local consumption, as well as export markets, is key to growth for the agricultural sector. I believe that our Lihue Airport is at capacity for our visitors, and we do not need any expansion of our airport facility and land area to accommodate more visitors. I understand the major issues our community deals with related to drug abuse and addiction on Kauai. The larger property of pools, fountains, lobbies, landscaped grounds, restaurants, etc. In college I also received a Fulbright scholarship to live abroad in south Africa. This is one idea that could create more jobs and solve one of our biggest problems here on Kauai. We have so much to be thankful for and it is our responsibility as leaders in our island community to take care of our people, and our natural resources and to provide every opportunity for our families to live, work and to enjoy life. Mayor, County of Kauai 4444 Rice St., Suite 235 Lihue, HI 96766 FAX: 808-241-6877 Sent by Mail and Facsimile Dear Mayor Carvalho, Now that Bill 2491, as amended, has been passed by the Kaua'i County Council, Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety would like to reiterate our commitment to More County Funding In order to build our Housing Development Fund, Councilmembers Chock, Evslin & I recently voted to increase the Vacation Rental tax rate to the same level as Resort. In addition to working with the administration and the department of finance on budget options to build towards a structured balanced budget, as part of the Countys Long Term Financial plan, I would continue to support our countys reserve fund policy that was guided through the assistance of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and continue to seek similar opportunities for financial sustainability is all areas. I was a business computer programmer for the last 27 years and I had to work more efficiently all the time. QUESTION #4How would you effectively manage the County Budget and operations for the short term and long-term sustainability? We have an opportunity to diversify into growing more of our own food within the farming and ranching Department. I believe we must find ways to discourage off shore vacation rental home buying, which is playing a part in pushing local families out of the market. I am committed to doing everything I can to fight for local families. For the 14 years that I have served on the Kauai County Council, I have always had an open door policy for the business community. These properties are not easily transformed into living units without kitchens, particularly with air conditioning failure. Training our existing residents and youth to also remote work has value such that they may also experience a healthy middle-income. Reduce, reuse, recycle is a key component. In the summer of 2010, Hooser resigned his Senate seat to run for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. I support economic diversification and access to locally produced food by increasing the productivity and profitability of all forms of agriculture. We need a greater general parking area and to expand the TSA and ticketing areas. These are the only non-subsidized units that can be built within a truly affordable range for many young families. We must support our County properly maintaining our four wastewater treatment plants which were built before 1980 and fund the necessary upgrades to our current systems; even if that means increasing sewer fees. I was unable to access the Airport Development Plan Chapter of the Lihue Airport Master Plan and the Implementation Plan Chapter, both I feel I need to better understand areas I may oppose. They are not the same. . Aside from the simple math of an aging demographic, we also are facing an infrastructure crisis. Ensure the authentic Hawaiian culture is perpetuated and accurately presented in experiences for residents and visitors, materials and marketing efforts. We are currently doing some of this work through Tasting Kauai, a food tour company. In a memo to the Hawaii Tax Review Commission, the Commission Chair Beth Giesting writes that: Hawaiis low RPT rates result in low annual expenses, and that also makes local real estate a relative bargain for investors and affluent second home purchasersto the extent that units are purchased for vacation rentals or second homes, there is less housing available for people who live here., #3 If youre taking a home off the housing market, then you should help with the construction of an affordable home. In 2002/2010 he represented Kauai and Niihau in the Hawaii State Senate (2002/2010) where he served as Majority Leader. Increase communication and understanding between residents and the visitor industry. For example, the State DOT received in the range of $16M for electric vehicle charging infrastructure statewide from the bipartisan infrastructure bill. I would use my management skills from working for Central Parking in Managing parking for Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Halekulani Hotel, and Hawaii Prince Hotel managing 19 employees and a 2.5 million dollar budget. Preserving our open space, Forest areas to create a carbon to oxygen footprint. Again, whats most important to me here as well, is to learn from our partners like the Chamber, Kaua`i Visitors Bureau, the Hawai`i Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) and all the many stakeholders in our tourism economy who are working on diversifying our economy and rebuilding a new Regenerative Tourism industry, taking the best ideas from the collective and doing what I can to support moving them forward. I believe there are ways a Council Member can find pathways to those solutions that will support increasing local production, sourcing, processing, and distribution. We need to site a new landfill and move on it as soon as possible. EVSLIN, Luke A. If elected it would be important to make sure that there is ample opportunity for the business community to give their input and by providing early evenings and Saturday meeting times. I feel the following actions are very important and I would move to implement them right away: A.2, A.6, B.4, C.5, all action items outlined in Action D Community, E.1, E.4, F.1, G.2, G.4, H.1 and I.1. And lastly, I dont take any donations from anyone, so I can assure all of my voters, no one business, special interest group and or individuals control my decisions, Billy DeCosta, works for the people and all you need to donate to his campaign is your VOTE ! In looking at other counties, Maui tax rate for TVRs is actually higher than that of hotels. Although many, including myself, had hoped for a Curbside Recycling Program by now, our Mayor and Administration has determined it isnt economically feasible because of the extreme cost and because it would only increase our diversion rate by 5%. With my past and current experience with-in government and working closely with my fellow council members. We need to cut out the vacation rental rate and just make it clear that your property is strictly residential or if any part of it is used as a vacation rental then you pay the hotel and resort tax rate. While I support Policy D.4, in recognizing that zoning is a critical aspect of regulating vacation rentals, admittedly I wish there was a stronger policy on vacation rentals. I need the assessments, ground water mapping, and rainfall data for these areas for the Puhi, Kalaheo/Eleele and Kaumakani/Pakalas locations. In order for us to move forward, we have to do a combination of three things: 1) restore pre-existing agricultural systems 2) utilize innovative agricultural practices 3) help our community of consumers choose local produce first First, we must restore pre-existing agricultural systems by empowering local businesses and community organizations. I do not support any tax rate increases or changes at this time as I do not believe increases are necessary to balance the countys budget. I see this as a way the wealthiest residents can give back and help assist those that are struggling with housing and being displaced. Another important goal is to develop plans and continue to build capacity for economic development of the six target industry clusters with strategies of 1) increase collaboration, 2) support economic innovation and digitization for all businesses, 3) develop infrastructure; and, 4) support the development of new businesses and markets for a diversity of products derived from agricultural and technological activity. My ideas are focused around establishing a stronger circular local economy that empowers our small businesses and entrepreneurs. We are maxed out with tourists and vehicles as it is, what we do need is a safe, fluid and comfortable airport. Kaumakani was officially known as Makaweli meaning "fearful features". Anything we can do to incentivize home construction within and directly adjacent to our existing towns will help alleviate this pressure on our agricultural land. We absolutely need to do more to support agriculture not only for food and sustenance; for export of Kaua`i Grown products or Kaua`i made products with Kaua`i Grown ingredients; but, also to make use of, protect & preserve acres of idle lands that are becoming overgrown with invasive species and becoming more and more arid and depleted. We are out of time. Lastly, we must increase local demand for local ingredients so local production can be scaled. 2) We need to put more money toward affordable housing to leverage private, state, and federal funds. Point-source reduction is an area where the Chamber of Commerce could be a valuable partner in challenging their membership to reduce waste creation as each business best sees fit. A thriving agriculture sector includes small diversified farms, neighborhood food production, livestock, loi kalo, and export crops in which Kauai continues to be the Garden Island. QUESTION #5Do you support efforts to ensure that all vacation rentals, home stay units, bed and breakfast, and all transient vacation units are charged resort property tax rates? TVRs on Kauai are taxed at $9.85. If elected, as the legislative body for our county, our impact on infrastructure projects is to make sure they are funded to be able to accomplish the job. More County Housing Projects- We must push for more housing for local residents by supporting replicating successful projects like our 30-unit Kealaula transitional housing, our 53-unit Pua Loke affordable rentals and our multi-phase, multi-unit Lima Ola project in Ele`ele that includes senior, single family and affordable housing. 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