In the short term I would start with adjusting the county pay scale as the core and work outward. County of Kauai Office of the County Clerk Council Services Division 4396 Rice Street, Suite 209 Lhue, Hawaii 96766 Telephone : (808) 241-4188 Facsimile : (808) 241-6349 1. 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 live on an island. Second, we must utilize innovative agricultural practices by empowering local businesses and community organizations. We also passed a bill I co-sponsored with Councilmember Evslin supporting tiny houses; legalizing sleeping lofts, lowering ceiling heights & allowing for stairs and ladders designed for small spaces. Addison Bulosan (Nonpartisan) Bernard Carvalho (Nonpartisan) Felicia Cowden (Nonpartisan) Billy Decosta (Nonpartisan) Luke A. Evslin (Nonpartisan) Fern Anuenue Holland (Nonpartisan) If elected, my focus will be to work with our administration and departments to secure as much funds as we can to improve our infrastructure on Kauai. Incentivizing Private Developers & Infill Development in Town Cores Working with Council Chair Kaneshiro, Housing Director Roversi and Mayor Kawakami weve brought about critically needed improvements to our Housing Policy incentivizing private developers to build more units especially in our town core areas close to existing infrastructure where weve also created Special Management Areas encouraging higher density housing projects like four-plexes, townhomes and apartments. QUESTION #13What else would you like to share with the Kauai community? Construction and Demolition is a large contributor to our landfill. Our County should also work in partnership with private entities wherever possible to create additional wastewater treatment facilities. The following came from Ross Kagawa, candidate for Kauai County Council. In college I also received a Fulbright scholarship to live abroad in south Africa. We established a monthly Downtown Lhue Night Market that brings local vendors and drives local buyers together. I do not agree with discussions that occur off-line. Monitor these projects on a regular basis on our council agenda. Felicia Cowden is a Kaua'i County Councilmember who is focused on Putting People First! 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. I support the upgrades of the airport but no expansion until a study to determine our carrying capacity is completed. We absolutely must focus on maximizing waste diversion to address our landfill problem. Our County Planners are gathering critical public input in order to draft our first Kauai Climate Change Adaptation Plan which will guide development, natural resource protection and community resilience in the face of climate change-related impacts. why did giacomo baessato leave hailey dean mysteries. If elected, my focus will be on legislative bills that enable our local producers to be sustainable businesses and community organizations. If elected, my first priority is to help our council be part of the solution. Vacation rentals were grandfather in long before I became a council member and will be part of our taxable economy. My 10 years of involvement locally in State and County politics has led me to understanding that this is a way to make a difference for the betterment of Kauai and our people. We cannot achieve economic diversification if the next generation cant afford to live here. Its necessary for our quality of life and for getting us to a place of thriving and not just surviving. Housing for our people (and the landfill) is the most needed and hardest challenge in this questionnaire. We need to reestablish this pattern as it is essential to best governance. Keeping all taxpayers in mind when making decisions that uses everyones tax dollar. It was 177 . My commitment is to passionately advocating for our people and for our islands; using my experience and dedication to work on protecting and improving the quality of life for all our residents. Forcing luxury homes into sales is not likely to achieve the goal of transforming a property into a home for our existing working population. Kauai, along with every other state and county in the country, is facing strong long-term fiscal headwinds from two sources: demographics and infrastructure. 808-245-7363 4268 H Rice Street, Lihue, HI 96766[emailprotected]. Increasing the size of the airport makes no sense to me unless we plan to increase the size of our island along with it. Regenerative tourism focuses on the supply-side, host communities and ecosystems, rather than just the visitors needs and wants of the market-demand approach. A small Dairy to produce milk and cheese for our Hawaii population of people and local restaurants and Hotels would be another viable industry if position in the right geographical area, up Mauka. Protecting Our `Aina & Sustenance Lifestyles Protecting our Natural Resources, Agriculture (farming & ranching) & Local Sustenance Lifestyles (gardening, gathering, hunting & fishing). I will be responsible in how I manage our county budget and operations. That includes providing direct assistance to businesses & community non-profits such as the the federal bipartisan infrastructure bill. 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 QUESTION #4How would you effectively manage the County Budget and operations for the short term and long-term sustainability? Luke Evslin was the top vote-getter with 7.6% of the vote, according to. I want to thank all of our leaders in our community for the work you have done and keep doing. We are on a journey nothing is cyclical. One of the greatest things that has to happen for our island is to have our own recyclery. I believe in accountability and transparency. Meaning that you can own a lucrative TVR on Kauai and pay far less in property taxes than even for a resident occupied home on the mainland. Council is currently contemplating taxation policies that are punitive in nature. And that the majority of vacation rentals on Kauai are owned by non-residents. Kauai lost its most popular County Council member on Wednesday when Luke Evslin resigned to accept Gov. I oppose any increase in flights at this time. I would investigate all options for funding under this measure for all the areas of the bill that funding is being provided for. The council was effectively permitted to select anyone to fill Evslins seat. The main pressure is on housing costs. Maintain and improve visitor satisfaction of their experience on Kauai. We could be doing so much more for our island. My commitment is to helping bring folks together to make our economic recovery our top priority! Training our existing residents and youth to also remote work has value such that they may also experience a healthy middle-income. In other words, government, and the developer, usually in partnership, bear the development costs to house individuals and families unable to obtain market-rate housing. I love this island, I put my name on the ballot to make an effort for positive change. Larger properties can benefit with the application of probable upcoming Plantation Camp Zone housing for workers. If elected, I think education would help economic diversification. But I would try and Increase agriculture. Climate change is here to stay, its going to be a huge problem in future generations and its going to get worse but we are human beings a we a smarter than that. QUESTION #8What elements of the Lihue Airport Master Plan to do you support? Increases in passengers at this time I believe will stress our infrastructure and resources and negatively impact communities. I need to be briefed on the current details and studies of the sites being considered now that Kalepa (the previous choice) has been denied. 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. They are not the same. It is important to understand our community, and understand other communities around us. These illegal units take away long term rentals. 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. We absolutely need to do all that we can collectively to address our housing shortage disaster! I need more information about the Phase 2 and 3 land acquisitions and what the purpose and proposed use of that area is. In little and big ways, we all need to be doing whatever we can to reduce our carbon footprint; and, as institutions and industries, like our county, our business community and our visitor industry, we need to be leading the way. I will work hard to make public workers accountable to deadlines. There was a net increase of 133 TVRs on Kauai in 2022. The coalition for years has advocated to protect the bay. 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. This middle-income housing shortage has festered for decades on Kauai but has escalated into a crisis with rapid inflation and a strong market demand from the pandemic-driven migrations to rural areas across the nation. Over the last 20 years, nearly 40% of new homes were built on agricultural land and less than 1% in the multifamily zoning districts in our town cores. Councilmember Carvalho has been my partner in this effort. kauai hotels kama'aina rate 2021; mary katherine backstrom net worth 2020; blackstone managing director salary. More excess revenue generated for 2022 occurred, in part, due to inflation on land values. You cant take a risk on starting a business if you cant afford rent. The county recycling program needs to be refreshed as soon as possible. As a council member, I will engage at all levels within the business community to assure that the relevant issues, concerns, and suggestions are heard and brought to the table for discussion. Advising nonprofits, campaigns, and mission-driven businesses on strategic communications, digital advocacy, cause marketing, and partnership development. High land costs require most owners to have employment or some other primary source of income. The compound annual growth rate of the passengers incoming between 2018-2023 is 3.2% at a time where I do not think we can cope with increased visitors and many feel we are at capacity. We are wise to remember that these classes of properties have subsidized Kauais working resident-homeowners for decades. If we are going to say we have a recycling program we really need to do it. . Create positive contributions to the quality of life for Kauais residents. I would first have to hear what is required on our part if we receive this funding and I would make it known to the public what these infrastructure changes include and ask the people if we want what they are offering. We must continue to support these local programs, especially our sunshine markets that create better access to local ingredients. E-mail sent to Councilmembers and Council Services Staff for inclusion as TESTIMONY: [email protected] 2. 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. Making sure out County keeps us with proper maintenance of our four wastewater treatment plants which were built before 1980 and that we fund the necessary upgrades to our current systems; even if that means increasing sewer fees. Students can become entrepreneurs and also work for somebody. To be a candidate for the Kaua'i County Council you must be a resident and a "qualified voter" for two years preceding the election. I dont want more expansion for more flights. This will enable local families to better provide for their extended families and create resilience for the ongoing economic challenges. But some do - like longtime Kaua'i politician Ross Kagawa, who has been chosen to fill a vacancy on the Kaua'i County Council. impacts. And, by pursuing these, we can also save taxpayers money and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Funding the new facilities or repairing our aging infrastructure is the largest barrier often requiring council approval of grants or bonds. Staycation At The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Local Groups Sue County Over Poipu Beach Condominium Complex. Those are immediate questions that we need to answer in the budget coming up., Facebook In the event of a hurricane, a war, a prolonged economic downturn, or another catastrophic lockdown, there is minimal impact on the full living units in the TVR category. There are old cane haul roads that should be evaluated for best potential to create alternative routes. I appreciate the goal to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of tourism over a three-year period. Kauai. According to the Department of Business and Economic Development, the average daily rate for TVRs in 2022 is $386.74 compared to $279.70 in 2019. We must also support our County working in partnership with private entities wherever possible and proposing new residential developments in Lihu`e in order to take advantage of that treatment plants significant excess capacity. Making plots available at all our County housing projects for vegetable gardens; these could be the training grounds for future vegetable farmers. 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. My leadership as Housing Chair is bringing about vital improvements to our Housing Policy, legislation to support more Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) & Additional Rental Units (ARUs); and, legislative action to significantly increase the available funding in our Housing Development Fund. 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. To ensure short and long term fiscal health, we need to: 1) Reinvest in our existing towns. The county also needs to immediately stop spraying weed killer chemicals in the areas they maintain. We could design and implement a MURF but securing that funding will take creativity and collaboration with other funding sources. And then when theres areas that have incompetence, see how were going to fix the problem.. 9,622 votes 11.21% . In my first four budget sessions, managing the county budget has been relatively comfortable working with the mayors office as they have presented a balanced budget with excess to return to our county reserve fund. 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. Yes, I support establishing equitable property tax rates so that the services the county provides have the resources to execute fairly. There is no avoiding the disastrous impacts of climate change, but we can do our part to avoid the worst possible scenarios by reducing our carbon emissions to zero as quickly as possible. Our county has a affordable rental program that go we a property tax break for second home investors to rent to our local families under an affordable rental agreement. Evolving environmental regulations have eliminated any new location to be an appropriate site for our next landfill. Right now our countys vision is to, Increase agricultural income and opportunities on Kauai through working closely with farmer groups to assist them in obtaining resources and other assistance to solve industry problems or take advantage of opportunities. My vision would to be to follow through with more programs focusing on educating the children and families in our community. 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 While I anticipate that KIUC will get to 100% renewable far ahead of schedule, we need to fully decarbonize ground transportation and do all we can to reduce emissions from our landfill. We must support our County Planners engaging with Dept. Recycling should is a must and something that we should already be doing. In the interim, tourists would be housed in hotels where they could move about the grounds . If Im not mistaken, I believe this position of parity on real property taxes has been one supported by the Hawai`i Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) and Im thinking of the Kaua`i Chamber also. Another focus is to create infrastructure incentives for workforce housing and affordable housing in town core centers such as Hanapp, Kloa, Lhue, Kapaa, and Klauea. I understand we have the lowest property tax rates in Hawaii, and the entire nation. Updating our Ag Dedication criteria will before council this week. We need to do all we can to encourage housing development within our existing towns. If we could agree that the long-term goal is sustainability then we would need to work backwards to see how we can begin making moves in the short term to move us in that direction. 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. Efficiency is his byword. We know that a lot of younger women and a lot of younger people in general dont vote Theyre not voting because they dont see themselves reflected in the system, nonprofit director Nikki Cristobal, who is also Bulosans partner, testified. Offering a more permanent 2% revenue stream into the Housing Revolving Fund to the voters through a ballot initiative is an imperfect measure that I will support. We must continue programs like Go Farm Hawaii, Future Farmers of America, and Iwi Kua. I totally support the Kauai Destination Management Action Plan which is a well-developed plan that brings forth the need to better manage and balance our tourism industry with our local infrastructure, natural resources, and our residents. Why? euclid city council election results. QUESTION #10How would you ensure that planned County infrastructure projects on Kauai move forward in a timely manner? The statewide funding of $600B for DHHL housing development for our Hawaiian Beneficiaries and $60M for Ohana Zone developments to assist our houseless population are more solution potential in the pipeline that I will support wherever needed. I see this as a way the wealthiest residents can give back and help assist those that are struggling with housing and being displaced. Lihue Airport was built as an inter-island facility rather a trans-Pacific airport, so I accept that changes are needed for our aging airport to better manage even the volume we currently experience. The bubble concept emerged initially on Kauai in August when an ad hoc community group of doctors and community leaders released a plan to reopen tourism by which visitors would be tested before they arrived on Kauai, then five or six days after arrival. Theres a lot of great aspirational policies in the DMAP that require strong private, non-profit, and state partnerships. I feel like its a duty to be here today and to put my name forward as part of this position, she said before noting she will run in the next Council election in 2024. 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. 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. We live in a very special place in the world. An Incinerator is needed in Kekaha. I agree with the level of the LIH to a minimum. Councils job is to approve their efforts and help to fine-tune project strategies through listening to constituents and asking relevant questions. I will continue to push for audits so we can identify areas that we can improve and sustain our services to the communities. I am a neighborhood food producer at my home in Kilauea and a host of talk radio on KKCR. Please explain your answer. QUESTION #7What is your opinion of the Kauai Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP)? Most of our primary facilities were built in a different era, with different regulations with many too close to the shoreline. I will be transparent, clear and thoughtful in the things I support and dont, with an explanation and an open door. Leveling out the rates and getting more funding for our housing fund would ultimately mean we could provide more workforce housing for our hospitality workers, teachers, nurses and all our working families. Support the maintenance, enhancement, and protection of Kauais natural resources. Flush with money and drunk on the possibilities of the automobile, we spent large sums of money on sprawling infrastructure. This year we had close to 15 million in our housing fund per our county budget, state and federal grants that will be applied to Lima Oil work force housing development in Eleele, we also have our Waimea 400 project and our Kilauea housing project on the horizon. Secondly, I would consider the construction and development of a highly qualified and sought after school for science and technology or arts & music conservatory. When you account for the cost of gasoline on an average commute and the cost of maintenance, many electric vehicles are already cheaper to own and operate than their fossil fuel counterparts. Scroll for more Candidate Bernard Carvalho (Nonpartisan) Felicia Cowden (Nonpartisan) Billy Decosta (Nonpartisan) Luke A. Evslin (Nonpartisan) KipuKai L.P. Kuali'I (Nonpartisan) Addison Bulosan (Nonpartisan) Fern Anuenue Holland (Nonpartisan) With discussions that occur off-line Carvalho has been my partner in this questionnaire strategic communications digital... At my home in Kilauea and a host of talk radio on KKCR take a risk starting... Revenue generated for 2022 occurred, in part, due to inflation on land.! Access to local ingredients absolutely must focus on maximizing waste diversion to address our shortage! To understand our community of talk radio on KKCR maintain and improve visitor of... 9,622 votes 11.21 % the upgrades of the vote, according to most our. Hard to make public workers accountable to deadlines problem.. 9,622 votes 11.21 % our island take and..., digital advocacy, cause marketing, and Iwi Kua be transparent, clear and in! Must continue to support these local programs, especially our sunshine markets create. Plantation Camp Zone housing for our next landfill will before council this.... 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