Housing is easily the biggest issue that we face on Kauai, and I believe that the county has to pursue an all-of-the-above strategy to help solve the crisis. Josh Green's appointment to fill an empty House seat that covers the island's east. To achieve agricultural self-sufficiency, the General Plan recommends the following relevant code changes: (1) Revise the agricultural property tax regime, including but not limited to the Agricultural Dedication program, to increase incentives to lease land for productive farms: (2) Increase incentives to lease land to small farmers through revisions to the agricultural property tax regime; (3) Expand commercial agriculture, attract new agricultural support and value-added industries, and promote locally-grown commodity sales; (4) Increase small-scale diversified farming, including, but not limited to, fruits and vegetables, building materials, medicinal plants, aquaculture, apiaries, flowers, and livestock; (5) Provide incentives and opportunities for agricultural housing, jobs, training, processing/ transport of goods, and other needs. I have a plan; I am currently working on it and the result are soon to take fruition. I plan to work further with Councilmember Evslin & others on bills that take advantage of innovations and new technologies. 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) 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. We must continue to support these local programs, especially our sunshine markets that create better access to local ingredients. And then when theres areas that have incompetence, see how were going to fix the problem.. Outreach efforts are already giving visitors important information upon arrival on how to be a responsible visitor and how to be respectful of our `aina and our people. We need to site a new landfill and move on it as soon as possible. For many, the barrier to converting to an EV is access to charging stations. 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. Reduce, reuse, recycle is a key component. 5) We need to continue raising property taxes on vacant second homes and vacation rentals, which make up one in five homes on Kauai. 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. Managing the introduced changes to nature are our strongest challenges with wilderness overgrowth of albizia, hau and other plants choking the natural flow of the rivers and streams, causing wetland flooding, stream stagnation and heavy property damage in storms. Instagram. I am passionate about our county developing a flourishing agricultural industry that provides employment in food production, processing and distribution, and that pays living wages. Here is a direct excerpt (lightly edited for length) from the opening statement I made in May, 2022, on my rationale for increasing the vacation rental rate: I am proposing this increase and allocation for three reasons. In the short term I would start with adjusting the county pay scale as the core and work outward. Provide more opportunities to discuss items on the council agenda prior to legislation being proposed. Making sure we increase our Capital Improvement Projects investments as we have done in this most recent budget. 808-245-7363 4268 H Rice Street, Lihue, HI 96766[emailprotected]. A carrying capacity study needs to be done immediately. What qualifies me most is the genuine concern I have for Kaua`i and Ni`ihau and my commitment to making a difference! 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. Incentivizing Homeowner ARUs Last term we passed several bills supporting Additional Rental Units (ARUs); waiving zoning permit application, sewer & building permit fees; creating a subsidy for water meters; and exempting EIAs saving over $20k per ARU in fees alone. Eventually, we will need more inward and upward roads to deal with sea level rise and the flooding out of our highway along the shoreline. And, by pursuing these, we can also save taxpayers money and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Kagawa narrowly lost election to the Kaua'i County Council last November, when he finished eighth in a race with seven winners. I will be a proponent of green energy and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. These problems are going to escalate with the unchecked growth of the vegetation and greater concentrations of rainfall. of Water Planners updating the County Water Plan to guide system expansion, improvement, rehabilitation, and rate structures that support growth consistent with housing development plans. If were collecting too much tax money, then lets lower the tax rates and give the public back money that we dont need, Kagawa said. I was the recipient of the congress Bundestag scholarship and lived in Germany for a year. 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. I also helped spearhead sending a Council charter amendment proposal to the voters to approve dedicating 2% (est. I understand we have the lowest property tax rates in Hawaii, and the entire nation. These illegal units take away long term rentals. I will continue to have timely conversations with our Managing Director, the Mayor, our Housing Director and others in our County Administration leadership on federal funding opportunities to get a sense of their thinking and effort, as well as to learn of ways to be supportive; staying informed of our Administrations federal funding efforts could mean an easier, quicker vote of support on the Council when theyre trying to expedite a grant application that has to meet a quickly approaching deadline. One house on Kauapea Road pays roughly the same or more taxes as all the houses along the perpendicular village street of Kilauea Road on which I live. It may be appropriate to have some sort of sliding scale or tiered criteria for this. 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%. Larger properties can benefit with the application of probable upcoming Plantation Camp Zone housing for workers. And the motion failed both times. Supporting our local working class now is essential. Cultivating oysters, clams, and other value add products for the community. We also must tackle the needed infrastructure upgrades to accommodate these additional units and developments. I will work with my colleagues to obtain all forms of funding to address our infrastructure needs. LIHU'E In a Wednesday meeting, the new Kaua'i County Council tapped member-elect Mel Rapozo to serve as chair for the next two years. In the next two years, Im looking to implement all of the actions that were identified in the DMAP by the steering committee. I would help with any kind of communication that I can do as a county council member. The name was changed in 1954 to Kaumakani Police update County Council on fentanyl situation, ask for assistance in battle By The Citizen on February 26, 2023 Creating an inventory of homes which would add to the supply would then bring down the demand and stabilize the prices of the housing industry, basic economics. My lifelong experiences as a community organizer for economic and social justice has taught me how to work effectively with many different organizations and people. That includes providing direct assistance to businesses & community non-profits such as the the federal bipartisan infrastructure bill. 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. But some do - like longtime Kaua'i politician Ross Kagawa, who has been chosen to fill a vacancy on the Kaua'i County Council. Transient Vacation Units have more acute impacts on the neighborhoods in the surrounding areas on the quality of life and potential availability of housing. They are incredibly costly to build and maintain. 808-652-4363. More excess revenue generated for 2022 occurred, in part, due to inflation on land values. When it comes to accepting grants and opportunities for support I will absolutely accept and seek out federal and state support to plan for and mitigate expected impacts to our resources and communities. I went to Kapaa Elementary, Kapaa Middle and Kapaa High School. A strong area of economic diversification that has rapidly and recently grown is residents who remote work or have other avenues of external income. I will look at and instigate funding opportunities via the federal infrastructure bill. Bold action must be taken to better manage tourism to protect the environment and residents quality of life. The plan states that 1 in 8 homes on Kauai is a vacation rental, compared to 1 in 24 homes statewide. One of my favorite quotes is, Life is in the follow-up. Ill work closely with our departments and do regular follow-ups to make sure things stay on a timeline. I am open to the idea of increasing all TVR property tax rates to resort property tax rates. I am a strong advocate of performance audits. I would like to hold a town hall meeting specifically for business owners and allow the people to voice their concerns, solutions and ideas to us so that we can go to work on what specifics our community needs. We have implemented a shoreline set back already. I look forward to supporting more discussions in all the above areas. The plan contains the following six objectives: 1. Increasing the size of the airport makes no sense to me unless we plan to increase the size of our island along with it. 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. 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. 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. Affordable housing is the, or one of the, most urgent issues we must tackle. Posted in . I believe curbside recycling needs to be implemented immediately. This is relatively close to DMAP policy A.2, the Universal Fee Model. I understand improvements for safety, convenience and comfort; however the people dont want more gates and more flights. 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 push for audits so we can identify areas that we can improve and sustain our services to the communities. I also have a solution in mind to fix the problem at the 56 and 51 HWY interchange. We have a finite inventory of lands and we simply cannot rely on landfills for future generations. #1 were over capacity for tourists. Addressing the combined impacts to the climate from ecosystem loss and destruction of environmental services, CO2 production due to transport of food through programs that support local food production and access are critical. The DMAP Plan goal is to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of tourism over a three-year period. I believe this is what sets me apart with most candidates as I am actively engaged in our small business community. The night market is unlike other Night Markets as attendance are majority local people. The other candidates for seven positions are Addison Bulosan, Bernard Carvalho, Felicia Cowden, Billy DeCosta, Luke. And, of course, I really appreciate all of you being willing to engage with us when we reach out to you! Maintaining or marginally reducing visitor numbers to a sustainable level (23,000-25,000) will be much harder if our airport is built out to accommodate more arrivals. I will be responsible in how I manage our county budget and operations. It was I would revitalize buildings that could be used as shelters and homes for the low income and homeless. I would prioritize projects and tackle projects one at a time. I will work with the Department of Public Works, and other departments, to understand the ways that the council can ensure funding and needs are met for planned infrastructure projects to move them forward in a timely manner. 0 of 16 precincts reporting. As part of the Kauai Food Hub, and hosting the Ai Pono Eat Local Challenge these last few years, I have had an opportunity to better understand the issues that are holding up expanding local food production on Kauai. I know that that could not have been easy to do, and I applaud his efforts to reduce the spread of COVID. As a member of the county council Ill work with our community organizations and administration to introduce several bills regarding environmental protection and stewardship. We must support our County Planners engaging with Dept. 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. 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. Budgeting Responsibly & Limiting Taxes Budgeting Responsibly, Managing Costs and Limiting Taxes (Being Accountable Always). of Water to ensure water distribution expansion plans line up with plans for increased density and infill development within our town centers, as well as for other housing development in the larger town areas. As we increase demand, we must increase supply by supporting our local farmers and future farmers. We need to burn all inflammable waste. Our policies assist Habitat For Humanity and Permanent Affordable Living as two valued non-profit development partners of homes for purchase. QUESTION #11What is your solution to best manage solid waste on Kaua`i? We need to look at out of the box solutions to help offset and reduce rental costs and encourage and incentivize home owners to rent their homes on long term affordable leases to local families. This will enable new workforce housing in areas closer to work, reduce environmental and cultural impacts of urban sprawl, and reduce cost of production with pre-existing infrastructure. These products can be made a certified community kitchens in partnership with our local slaughter houses. County vehicles should all be battery operated or hybrids by 2035. 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. continue supporting bills that make all our buildings more efficient, and support all extensive waste diversion efforts to reduce our solid waste hauling. Whats most important to me here is to learn from the many stakeholders in our economy who are working on diversifying our economy, taking the best ideas from the collective and doing what I can to support moving them forward. I have over thirty years experience working and volunteering in Government, Labor Unions, Non-Profits and Community Organizations. QUESTION #4How would you effectively manage the County Budget and operations for the short term and long-term sustainability? Create positive contributions to the quality of life for Kauais residents. Holding these mainland investors more accountable to their responsibility here on the island is a must. Support the maintenance, enhancement, and protection of Kauais natural resources. Diversification is a buzz word that to many political candidates toss around with no plan to back it up. Increase communication and understanding between residents and the visitor industry. The focus will be on efficiency and accountability, so that any new system that is created doesnt cost our community more than it should. The pandemic has made us realize how important these animals can play in our survival. I am committed to addressing our drug problem in a meaningful way. 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. 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. By streamlining permitting processes and reducing the cost of water and taxes to allow farmers the opportunity to continue to farm. The Council members asked questions of the applicant regarding the Certificate of Need criteria. 5. While I agree with the DMAP that the fee system should be universal and apply to both county and state parks in a simple to use smart phone app, for that to occur requires leadership from the State. Advising nonprofits, campaigns, and mission-driven businesses on strategic communications, digital advocacy, cause marketing, and partnership development. The answer is diversion, diversion, diversion. Josh Green appointed to represent House District 16 in the state House of Representatives earlier this month. I will continue to support projects like the Lima Ola affordable housing project and support the development of additional family units and rentals on existing properties to accommodate growing families and additional rentals. 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. 4. Solid waste is one of the largest issues we face right now. Similarly, the Biden White House released a housing plan that Reward jurisdictions that have reformed zoning and land-use policies with higher scores in certain federal grant processes. Along these lines, its our job to help make these reforms in our zoning code to help set up our various Departments to maximize the chances of receiving grant money. To do this I will support efforts to expand local food production, processing facilities and infrastructure and work with community organizations to address needs to assist with marketing and distribution of local food while we also work to support current and next generation farmers. 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. The safety features that include extension of the runway and realignment of the taxi-ways are important. Addressing deferred maintenance on infrastructure is money well invested. We established a monthly Downtown Lhue Night Market that brings local vendors and drives local buyers together. Increases to the affordable housing inventory are desperately needed. It also includes working with our Office of Economic Development, as well as State, business and community partners including our eight economic KauaI Economic Recovery Strategy Teams (KERST) to implement recovery strategy recommendations, our Kauai Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP) 2021-2023 and our Kauai Comprehensive Economic Development Strategic (CEDS) Plan for 2022-2026. To see each individuals voting record, be sure to click on their name in the drop down menu. 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. High land costs require most owners to have employment or some other primary source of income. Our departments are underfunded and staffed and I believe we can use the resources this would generate to address important things our community needs. 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