I have worked on landfill monitoring projects before moving home and understand landfills and alternative waste treatment methods. 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. We need policies that limit these large developments until there is a solution planned for our 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. As your Council member I have been fiscally responsible with ensuring that balancing the budget, keeping our county services operating and all of our employees working and thriving. While Kauai County doesnt have an inventory of available lands, we must work with the State to allow the use of state lands for the purpose of developing truly affordable housing. In addition, we must look at our housing policies and modify those that are prohibiting workforce housing. Our State and Federal partners need to recognize that the Hawaiian islands have unique characteristics different than a continent. In order to empower our community to practice waste diversion practices we must establish a recycling program and a Materials Recovery Facility. I support the development of a dirty MRF that will help us divert waste from the landfill. This could begin immediately with all the green waste sitting in dumps, food waste from stores and restaurants and left over fishing and hunting remains. 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. If elected, my first priority is to help our council be part of the solution. Im thrilled that we have the Kauai Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP) to help implement by working with our Mayor, our Office of Economic Development and Business, Community & Tourism Industry leaders. 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. Click here. The Council members asked questions of the applicant regarding the Certificate of Need criteria. They are incredibly costly to build and maintain. I support the improvements to terminal holdroom, public and employee parking expansion and the ticket lobby improvement project if they are to accommodate existing passenger numbers and not increase them. At the moment, that is the only element of the proposed Master Plan that I support. Provide more opportunities to discuss items on the council agenda prior to legislation being proposed. 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. Making sure we increase our Capital Improvement Projects investments as we have done in this most recent budget. I support curbside recycling and efforts to make recycling easier and more convenient for residents. Growing more food locally and less reliance on ag imports. 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. 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. We need to continue to better manage and balance the number of visitors that come to our island. I have a degree in political science from the University of Hawaii. Photo Courtesy: Ross Kagawa. I believe its critical to have early engagement so that we can draft the best bills possible. But, for the reasons stated I think its the right decision. 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. Kauai lost its most popular County Council member on Wednesday when Luke Evslin resigned to accept Gov. I was born and raised on Kauai. Visitors learn about the inequities of our food systems and are encouraged to support local restaurants that use local ingredients. Also working with DHHL to revitalize their Ag lands in Anahola is on my agenda. I look forward to supporting more discussions in all the above areas. We have a large population of people and businesses on Oahu that could be our exporting market. 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. 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. I would refer to and continue to support the Kauai Comprehensive Economic Development Plan which provides a variety of strategies including affordable housing, providing better broadband access and the possibility of Kauai Innovation Center. This is one idea that could create more jobs and solve one of our biggest problems here on Kauai. If the Master Plan does not contain an option for no-growth in arriving flights, I think its important for our State Legislators to commit to not fund improvements meant to expand capacity. The focus is on stabilization, recovery, and rebuilding to the desired visitor industry for each island. From A to I, there are many quality and similar action steps. 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. Unfortunately, the plan does not consider the unintended consequences of increasing flight capacity. I also have a solution in mind to fix the problem at the 56 and 51 HWY interchange. Although such projects alone will never fill the housing gap, they are essential to providing a safety net and serving those most at need. 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. If we are going to say we have a recycling program we really need to do it. 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. L EGISLATIVE B RANCH 4396 Rice Street, Suite 209 . 2022 - 2024 Kauai County Councilmembers Kauai County Council 4396 Rice Street, Suite 209 Lihue, Hawaii 96766 Telephone: (808) 241-4188 Fax: (808) 241-6349 E-mail sent to all Councilmembers only: Councilmembers@kauai.gov E-mail sent directly to individual Councilmembers: Mel Rapozo, Council Chair KipuKai Kuali'i, Council Vice Chair In the short term I would start with adjusting the county pay scale as the core and work outward. Having spoken with Hawaii DOT Airports division, my understanding is there has been a change of understanding regarding the sentiment of the community and they are willing to propose far more modest improvements and am waiting for such confirmation in a press release. I have been blessed and honored to have served Kauai for 14 years. FILE - Ross Kagawa to return to Kauai County Council after Gov. To ensure short and long term fiscal health, we need to: 1) Reinvest in our existing towns. Ensure the authentic Hawaiian culture is perpetuated and accurately presented in experiences for residents and visitors, materials and marketing efforts. Larger properties can benefit with the application of probable upcoming Plantation Camp Zone housing for workers. The plan contains the following six objectives: 1. I have a plan for this, and I dont want to reveal at this time because of known objections. 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. She had 1,176 votes less than Kagawa. 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. Strengthen the economic contribution of Kauais visitor industry. Make the rentals of bikes affordable to our visitors weekly rates. 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. Applying most of this additional $49 M was expressed in the Capital Improvement Projects area of the budget to resist raising the yearly operating expenses. 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. But I would try and Increase agriculture. Ive been a school teacher and I can teach students in all kind of subjects in school which they can use to go to college or find a job right out of high school. broward health medical center human resources phone number; . I recognize that the Mayor took a number of hard steps through the pandemic to keep Kauai safe some of which included essentially shutting down the TVR industry. 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. We would need to work together to look at giving incentives to property owners who rent out their home for a reasonable rate i.e. Heres some of the specific tools and policies we are using, as well as what we need to use and will likely use. Government services and infrastructure are much cheaper to provide within our existing town cores than spread across our agricultural lands. For the decades after World War II, both the US and Hawaiis population were exploding and along with it, so were our economies. 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. Off the top of my head, I see the Council as able to potentially assist through incentives for farmers, working with partners to fill gaps in infrastructure needs, assisting with education around local sourcing, and access to local options for restaurants, while working to support and partner with those that are developing the next generation of farmers. In the time of the thirsty sugar crops, towns were built in the wetlands which are now returning to having routine flooding areas such as Kapaa and Waimea, as examples. 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. The absence of the general public and business adding dimension to policy considerations can easily result in reckless policy development. 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. If elected, I would be proactive in working with our business organizations by having monthly meetings with government action committees. 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. Industrial food systems are energy-intensive and fossil-fuel based. 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. 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. This posting is for the County of Kaua'i, Office of the County Clerk Recruitment #: EXEMPT-2223-021 If you have any questions regarding this non-civil service exempt position, please contact the County of Kaua'i, Office of the County Clerk at (808)-241-4188 (Monday - Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. HST). It is important to understand our community, and understand other communities around us. My ideas are focused around establishing a stronger circular local economy that empowers our small businesses and entrepreneurs. Several examples are Aloha Aina Poi Company and Kumano I Ke Ala, Iwi Kua, and the work they are doing on the west side to restore existing agricultural systems and providing that local ingredients to local businesses and people in that ahupuaa. Supporting and growing our Kaua`i Made and Kaua`i Grown programs. And by doing so, we can also keep money in our local economy and save residents money. 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. The safety features that include extension of the runway and realignment of the taxi-ways are important. If elected, I think education would help economic diversification. While there is talk about airport expansions, tourism management and focusing on the right visitors, we fail to acknowledge the horrific impacts that tourism is having on our local residents. Efficiency is his byword. 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. 6. Transient Vacation Units have more acute impacts on the neighborhoods in the surrounding areas on the quality of life and potential availability of housing. So we really need to analyze, Well what do we do? We must continue programs like Go Farm Hawaii, Future Farmers of America, and Iwi Kua. I am great with budgeting in my personal life and household and know how to live within our means. Putting this price tag of a MURF on our residence of Kauai will cripple their monthly budget. Waimea Huakai and Habitat for Humanity Affordable Housing, Waimea, Kauai. If we run out of room at the Kekaha landfill without a new landfill ready to go, we may be forced to temporarily ship our waste off island at incredible cost to taxpayers. Create positive contributions to the quality of life for Kauais residents. I do not agree with discussions that occur off-line. I will look at and instigate funding opportunities via the federal infrastructure bill. If we are both re-elected, I believe its very likely that Councilmember Evslin & I will bring the matter up for a vote again; especially if we the voters endorse dedicating 2% of our real property taxes each year to our Housing Development Fund by charter vote this fall. It was We absolutely must focus on maximizing waste diversion to address our landfill problem. I currently serve as one of three (3) Councilmembers from the State of Hawai`i on the National Association of Counties (NACo) board. Preserving our open space, Forest areas to create a carbon to oxygen footprint. For example, the State DOT received in the range of $16M for electric vehicle charging infrastructure statewide from the bipartisan infrastructure bill. I was the recipient of the congress Bundestag scholarship and lived in Germany for a year. I would oppose increasing the rental car stacked garage facility. My vision includes a mix of diversified agriculture along with indigenous foods and agriculture practices. From the 2008 report available online there are a handful of other suggestions and I need access to the assessments done to make a final decision. 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. 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. I want to continue to serve and ask for your support. One part of the plan calls for us to transition to a new regenerative tourism; one that gives back more than it takes. We are absolutely called to action because of the science and data that tells us that extreme weather events will only get stronger and more frequent. The nurturing of small-scale farms, promoting crop diversity, and encouraging stronger public/private partnerships is very important for agriculture. 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. Regenerative tourism management enables our island to be left better than it was found. High land costs require most owners to have employment or some other primary source of income. Our County received a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant for $13.8 million to transform and construct our roadways, walking and biking paths in our downtown core of Lihue. 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. Felicia Cowden is a Kaua'i County Councilmember who is focused on Putting People First! A policy I wish to develop is the ability of a tax class to change in the middle of a budget year. The County is currently pursuing three large housing projects in Kilauea, Waimea and Eleele. I support the intent of the plan which is focusing on short, intermediate, and long-term development needs of the Airport that meet aviation demands for potential environmental and socio-economic. 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. The seller gets his price, the buyer pays the discounted price and the county pays the difference out of the pool of taxes collected from out of state purchases. These products can be made a certified community kitchens in partnership with our local slaughter houses. Giving friendly reminders that this is what these people are being paid to do. It will show a land swap option to move our most vulnerable coastal homes in West Kauai onto the Countys Waimea 400 lands more mauka; allowing new County beaches to form. Theres a lot of great aspirational policies in the DMAP that require strong private, non-profit, and state partnerships. I understand improvements for safety, convenience and comfort; however the people dont want more gates and more flights. 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. The chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party is a felon convicted of grand theft in the 1990s and who was once ordered not to handle money at work without a probation officer's approval. There is no need to have a residential rate, then a vacation rental rate and then a hotel and resort rate. 177 . I was the spokes person for Honolulu Recovery systems/ Honolulu Disposals Recycling program, and have lived in a country where relying is something you just do everyday. I would revitalize buildings that could be used as shelters and homes for the low income and homeless. kauai hotels kama'aina rate 2021; mary katherine backstrom net worth 2020; blackstone managing director salary. Acompanhe-nos: bonsall oaks development Facebook. I meet organizations where they're at . 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. My goal is to be proactive with our administration and work with each department to understand how we can create more efficiency in our systems. . Our Kauai community has much to be proud of and continue to strive for. I will be proactive with efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce our contribution to it. We need to be better about promoting local famers and buying local to keep costs down. These food experiences highlight local ingredients and empower these local restaurants to continue to source local. Those are immediate questions that we need to answer in the budget coming up., Facebook A thriving agricultural sector is critical for our food security, for our economy and ultimately for our survival. To be fair to everyone and with the county I would support a Tax. 4. 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