I will continue this practice if elected. As a Council Member I would be committed to addressing these things. My vision includes a mix of diversified agriculture along with indigenous foods and agriculture practices. I would support the addition of one gate, but not three. This sets up a more regenerative visitor economy. There is little environmental impact or infrastructure burden. We then support our local vendors with our nonprofit retail store, Alakoko Shop. This problem needed to be addressed a decade ago. We can not keep asking our environment to give to us sustenance and for us not to give back. By increasing rates closer to US continental rates, we make it less attractive for offshore buyers to buy property in Hawaii and run TVRs. My preference is for our county to focus on the solid infrastructure grants rather than soft infrastructure such as pre-school funding. Evolving environmental regulations have eliminated any new location to be an appropriate site for our next landfill. Increasing taxes on vacant homes and TVRs can both discourage that practice (and get more homes on the market) and help ensure that we have a revenue base to get through the fiscal ice age. Routinely, I phone or drop by for a visit to businesses that may be adversely affected by policy that appears on our council agenda when introduced by colleagues. If elected, Ill work with community organizations and our county administration to get this process started. The other area would be to secure a solid river and stream maintenance program. Chapter 8.2 of the General Plan states that All TVRs should pay. Ive also demonstrated my dedication to public service, my legislative policy experience, my strength with budgeting, my understanding of the issues and my commitment to always doing my homework, listening carefully and working collaboratively. I support upgrades, maintenance and necessary safety changes. We need to ask how we can resolve parking issues, especially on the North Shore. I am great with budgeting in my personal life and household and know how to live within our means. 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. Currently Councilmember Evslin & I are working with you and other stakeholders on a bill to support EV-ready charging stations in parking lots. I want to continue to serve and ask for your support. The County needs to streamline the permitting for affordable housing. I want to thank all of our leaders in our community for the work you have done and keep doing. Thats a 38% increase in nightly rates since before the pandemic. I would love to partner with the Kauai Chamber for a point-source reduction challenge among businesses to reduce pressure on our landfill. These food experiences highlight local ingredients and empower these local restaurants to continue to source local. To create programs that serve our children also develop new food security industries within our private sector to ensure a more sustainable lifestyle here on Kauai. At the moment, that is the only element of the proposed Master Plan that I support. And I believe that that is one of the best tools that we have to increase the cost of traveling to Hawaii, reduce numbers at some of our overcrowded sites, and raise money for our infrastructure and natural resources preservation. To be clear, I am absolutely a strong supporter of recycling, the critical siting of our next landfill, source reduction and taking advantage of any innovations or new technologies that can help us find a sustainable and resilient way to address our solid waste challenges. Providing land and sharing the cost of infrastructure is one way to lower costs. We have successfully reduced all our major events from delivering hundreds of pounds of waste to our landfill. We are out of time. I hope to bring the consideration of our children back to the table when making decisions and provide a way where the voice of the people is heard by the council and mayor. In fact, Councilmember Cowden and I have been in the process of drafting a resolution in support of those very sentiments that we have been hearing from many of our constituents. The following came from KipuKai Kualii, candidate for Kauai County Council. We are currently doing some of this work through Tasting Kauai, a food tour company. I see myself as the bridge that can connect all areas and work towards finding solutions to move issues forward. While I have an educational background in engineering, I strengthen my support and preparedness by listening to our site experts, visiting our facilities, requesting progress or status briefings and reviewing process materials. I do not agree with discussions that occur off-line. Somehow, somewhere one or some of these regulations is going to have to relax. 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. Most of our primary facilities were built in a different era, with different regulations with many too close to the shoreline. While the FAQ of the Airport Master Plan says that airport expansions do not induce demand, in Barnes v. Dot, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the FAA has knowledge that there is at least a reasonable possibility that increasing airport capacity would lead to increased demand, but that they chose to gloss over it. The consultants seem to be doing the same thing for the Lihue Airport Master Plan. I am blessed with the ability to be your full-time council member without the competition of an outside job or a personal business to run. Keiko Bonk, county council member Robert Bunda, senate president John A. Burns, US Congress delegate, governor C [ edit] Romeo Munoz Cachola, city council member George R. Carter, governor Edward Espenett Case, US Congress Campbell Cavasso, legislator Benjamin J. Cayetano, governor, lt. governor Charles Spencer Crane, mayor of Honolulu During my terms in office, I have introduced numerous resolutions for performance audits but could never get the required votes to get it passed. I value the main premise of the Kauai Destination Management Action Plan guiding the aim to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of tourism over a three-year period. Having good common sense in our decision-making process that not all council members have. We need to address overcrowding and transportation options to our visitor destinations like the current Northshore shuttle program that is currently being discussed with the hope of implementation soon. Whereas a resort that falls into becoming a distressed property presents significant, even overwhelming, responsibility for the county and community. We live on an island. I believe this would be a similar process that can be accomplished! Im committed to having an open- door policy and look forward to working with our businesses. One of the greatest things that has to happen for our island is to have our own recyclery. My sons are now young men able to help me, rather than needing my attention. 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. What accelerates this challenge is that we continue to increase our trash output by not practicing more waste diversion systems and at the same time were not enabling our community to be part of the solution. We need to redefine the term affordable housing and focus on removing cost barriers for developers to be able to provide housing units that is truly affordable. I know they paid their shade of taxes during COVID when none of them had any revenue coming in, but I would like to ensure those local families who had their family vacation rentals not get priced out. 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. Addison Bulosan Luke Evslin Lila Balmores Metzger Bernard Carvalho Fern Anuenue Holland Nelson Mukai Felicia Cowden Ross Kagawa Mel Rapozo Billy DeCosta Kipukai L.P. Kualii Rachel Secretario Search by Questions Search by Candidate Traffic, poor maintenance of public infrastructure, and abuse of natural resources are just a few consequences of overtourism. 5) We need to continue raising property taxes on vacant second homes and vacation rentals, which make up one in five homes on Kauai. If were serious about preserving our Kaua`i quality of life, we have to be willing to do our part as responsible stewards of our island home. Both our traditional Hawaiian people and later the plantations had strong, holistic (ahupua`a) land management practices that have been abandoned over the past 30-60 years. We can move unspent CIP funds to other projects during the budget process and we can ask for status updates at any time and I have done both. During the pandemic we saw planes, cars, and foot traffic come to a halt and with that pause, our environment took a huge breath of fresh air. We must allocate a location and move into planning and development of the new landfill. Improving our Airport in order to make it more efficient and safe is important. Establishing a carrying capacity and limiting arrivals for Kauai is critical to retaining our quality of life, environment and extending the operation of our infrastructure. Harris debated alongside John D. Waihee III, future governor of Hawaii, as well as future legislative leaders Carol Fukunaga, Helene Hale, Les Ihara, Jr., Barbara Marumoto and Joseph M. Souki . Batteries and hydraulic fluid will be removed next and work will continue today, according to the Save Honolua Coalition, which is operated by John Carty and Maui County Council Member Tamara Paltin, whose residency seat covers West Maui. In the next two years, Im looking to implement all of the actions that were identified in the DMAP by the steering committee. If elected, my first priority is to help our council be part of the solution. In looking at other counties, Maui tax rate for TVRs is actually higher than that of hotels. And then when theres areas that have incompetence, see how were going to fix the problem.. not just property tax breaks, but significant state tax breaks. We could design and implement a MURF but securing that funding will take creativity and collaboration with other funding sources. Kauai. Councilmember Addison Bulosan cast the sole no vote in a move he said demonstrated his wish to see more women represented in government. E-mail sent to all Councilmembers only: These tiny worker homes can have revocable permits but are a necessity for effective food production, harvesting and distribution. Our County should also work in partnership with private entities wherever possible to create additional wastewater treatment facilities. I also helped spearhead sending a Council charter amendment proposal to the voters to approve dedicating 2% (est. Regardless of what happens with the Master Plan, its vital for us to work to reduce the number of visitor accommodations on Kauai as that is still the Countys best tool for managing the industry. Council can best help by approving funding, encouraging action through paying attention and supporting progress. #2 Vacation rentals take away resident occupied housing and increase the cost of housing island wide. Yes, absolutely! I will continue working closely with our Mayor and our Administrations budget team to address any challenges with our budgeting and operations always with our sites on both short-term and long-term sustainability. As Chair Kaneshiro & I did with our extensive Housing Policy update bill and Councilmember Evslin & I are now doing with our EV-ready charging stations in parking lots bill, I will make sure we conduct early outreach to engage with the business community including with the Kaua`i Chamber of Commerce, the Kaua`i Board of Realtors, the Kaua`i Contractors Association, any other potentially affected business organizations and entities; and, any and all self-identified stakeholders. We need to hear from our farmers and ranchers to develop best policies. Regular updates from the Administration at Council meetings is one way to provide the public with an opportunity to be engaged in government operations. I humbly ask for your vote, as an opportunity to give back to what has been given to me. We are only a few years away from our landfill life cycle. The more we legitimately recycle the less will go into the landfill. I would continue to support the completion of existing housing projects such as Lima Ola where the land is available but the need for additional financial support is limited. I will focus on issues such as land use, housing, and financial barriers that make local food production cost prohibitive. 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. This helps increase the efficiency of government and provides stable sources of property tax revenue. In that same Tax Review commission memo, the chair of the commission writes that Adjusting RPT rates to capture more revenue from high-value houses and non-resident owners can produce tens of millions more dollars per year that counties can use for growing needs. Raising the vacation rental rate by $1 to equal the resort rate will raise $4.5M which can be used for much needed affordable housing projects in Waimea, Lima Ola, Kilauea, and elsewhere. Kauai's newest County Council member is Ross Kagawa, a former councilman who was the first runner-up for a seat on the seven-member legislative body in the November election. Regenerative tourism management enables our island to be left better than it was found. With my experience as a small business owner and experience in managing budgets with several local nonprofits, my focus will be ensuring our taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently. I believe that our Office of Economic Development does a great job and I am committed to supporting their efforts as best as I can. My upbringing in a local family of fishermen, gardeners, gatherers, & hunters taught me the value of our `aina for our survival; for food sustainability & security. Kauai County Council can support this vision with adapting zoning ordinances to allow for the needed small, potentially moveable farm worker living units coupled with appropriate wastewater technology. Lihue, HI 96766 . I will work with our community organizations such as Kumano I Ke Ala, Waip Foundation, Mlama Hulia, Kauai Farm Bureau, Kekaha Agricultural Association, Kauai Cattlemens Association, Mlama Kauai and all other organizations to work on legislation that enables our farmers to meet the demand for local ingredients. With permitted worker housing on farms, the likelihood of economic productivity is strengthened. All members of the County Council are elected on a nonpartisan, at-large basis to two-year terms. The. The need to be prepared for this stream of funding for our overall infrastructure needs is very important. We also made significant cuts to our travel and training budgets. Early engagement with stakeholder groups is step one of effective policy development, in my view. A retail shop designed as a membership where were able to provide support systems through workshops and collaboration. We are on a journey nothing is cyclical. Private partnerships may be required, such as small scale anaerobic digesters under consideration. The nurturing of small-scale farms, promoting crop diversity, and encouraging stronger public/private partnerships is very important for agriculture. Promoting local production for local consumption. Although such projects alone will never fill the housing gap, they are essential to providing a safety net and serving those most at need. The next highest tax class which is the Commercial and Industrial class with the rate of $8.10 per thousand. Creating a limit on the number of TVRs may be more effective in retaining houses for homes. 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. In the DMAP vision of tourism in 2040, Kauai is a global leader in the reinvention of the visitor industry. We need to improve our port security and get drugs off our streets while we work to address the issue holistically with counseling programs, on island detox and treatment centers and housing first solutions. I currently serve as one of three (3) Councilmembers from the State of Hawai`i on the National Association of Counties (NACo) board. And every new road is saddling the next generation with ever increasing amounts of infrastructure debt. Supporting rational instream flow standards for the protection of the native stream environment and also the availability of surface water for irrigation and domestic drinking water. Mayor of Kauai In office July 17, 2008 - December 1, 2008 Preceded by Bryan Baptiste Gary Heu(acting) Succeeded by Bernard Carvalho Personal details Born 1930 or 1931 H'ena, Hawaii Spouse Patsy Asing Children 5 Residence Lihue Bill "Kaipo" Asing(born 1930 or 1931) is an American politicianin the US state of Hawaii. I hear theres a big surplus. I believe as a County Council Member I would be able to pull together those that know the most about this topic in an effort to better understand the immediate farmer needs and blockages that are stifling progress. I would prioritize projects and tackle projects one at a time. I hope we can invent a noiseless hybrid type of airplane in the future. The County General Plan recognizes that agriculture is an important element in Kauais identity as a rural place, and it represents our greatest opportunity for economic diversification and food self-sufficiency. A thriving agricultural sector is critical for our food security, for our economy and ultimately for our survival. The DMAP is a positive forward step in creating a better relationship with tourism that feels less extractive to local residents. The following candidates ran in the primary for Kauai County Council on August 13, 2022. So I know that this is a hard decision for all of us. I would suggest imposing a tax automatically on anyone purchasing homes and property from out of state. Kauai County Council. We must ensure it meets the highest and best environmental standards and we do everything we can to mitigate impact to surrounding communities and the environment. 6. 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. From a zoning perspective, we need to ensure that were doing all we can to ensure that agricultural land is growing crops, not houses. Continue to support the Mayor in this area. Our landfill is almost full and recycling needs to be made a number one priority. Its important to note that this will require coordination with our state and federal representatives, and Im happy to work with our legislative team and do the work necessary to secure these funds for Kauai. Transient Vacation Units have more acute impacts on the neighborhoods in the surrounding areas on the quality of life and potential availability of housing. We need more charging stations. In addition, I support the continuation of the current Kilauea Agricultural Park program throughout our island. County vehicles should all be battery operated or hybrids by 2035. My government experience is based on making sure that any infrastructure projects will need to be to be well planned out and supported at all levels of government with strong input from our community. Please check out my website at www.lukeevslin.com to see a full list of policies that Ive worked on and a list of proposed policies for the future. I continue to support reduce, reuse, and recycling programs and the need for a Resource Recovery Park where we can create a solid recycling program for our island. First, I would aim to pick an agriculture item that we on Kauai want and need and do market research to see what other state or country has the same demand for. Our departments are underfunded and staffed and I believe we can use the resources this would generate to address important things our community needs. 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. 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). I will continue to be supportive of the valuable efforts made by our Mayors administration and the housing department. Administration and Council will then need to secure funding through the budgeting process to qualify for additional funding to start and complete the proposed infrastructure projects. Our food tours increase the demand for local ingredients in these restaurants, help maintain their commitment towards supporting local farmers, and raises awareness of fresh ingredients from the island. Sweden came up with a way to turn their trash into power by burning it. Growing more food locally and less reliance on ag imports. Reaching out to both the interest groups who would either benefit by an ordinance change, as well as those who may be negatively impacted is essential to successful implementation well before introduction of a bill at council. More effort needs to be done to include various professionals and stakeholders to explore more solutions solve this very complex issue that our whole state is failing at. It may be appropriate to have some sort of sliding scale or tiered criteria for this. And, of course, I really appreciate all of you being willing to engage with us when we reach out to you! You cant take a risk on starting a business if you cant afford rent. As a Financial Advisor it is important to work as a team, and we need to work as a team to find the best plan and be prepared for profit and loss both in short term and long term goals that everyone agrees on. I do support expanding our TSA lines and hope that in the plan TSA will also be provided with more up to date equipment so that everyone can get to their next destination. 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