Maui Time Weekly Questions

POSITIONS:

What uniquely qualifies you to serve your constituency?

I'm prepared: I have a well developed knowledge of many of the key issues facing the County Council. I have spent the last twenty years researching and advocating for the sustainable water policies and clean energy resources that will be needed to shape Maui's future economy. I have served on boards and commissions that considered development impacts, infrastructure capacities, alternative transportation systems and economic opportunities. I can join the council already well prepared to offer positive solutions.

I care: As a person of modest income, I have faced the same challenges the average Maui family does- low wages, high costs of living and health care and complicated government processes- I care about people's needs and want to help solve problems.

I'm a hands-on type of person who enjoys listening to and working with others: I have listened to the ideas and concerns of thousands of Maui residents as a volunteer member of various groups. I'm used to working together to get things done. I enjoy learning about people and places. I've walked over a great deal of the island of Maui. and have firsthand knowledge of the actual places and features that may be involved in planning decisions.

I'm experienced: I have served as Executive Assistant to Council member Michelle Anderson. I have served as an elected Planning Commissioner (2 years) in California as well as 2 1/2 years as a Maui Island GPAC member helping shape the Maui Island 2030 plan.

Name two key issues your district faces and briefly discuss how you would handle them:

East Maui Issues:

Affordable Housing: I would support expediting affordable housing projects in the east Maui region that have broad community support ; look at lowering property taxes for families still living on their traditional family lands granted during the Mahele (several islands already have caps on taxes for these kuleana properties when they remain in family ownership and use) and support making legitimate family subdivisions easier to process to allow families to create affordable housing opportunities for their children and grandchildren.

Increased Economic Opportunities : I would work to find a solution to conflicting demands on stream resources. More water in streams means more opportunity for agricultural communities to grow profitable kalo crops as well as other much needed crops. Restored streams also support East Maui families who depend upon hunting, fishing and gathering to feed their families. I would promote small business opportunities by allowing home based businesses in ag district that are compatible with neighborhoods and supported by communities; secure private-public funding for a certified kitchen in Hana town and other kitchen facilities as needed in other East Maui communities to allow more families to produce food products for sale. I would support community based education, agriculture and energy generation projects that create jobs and lower cost of living expenses for East Maui residents.

I would support improved health care services and expand workforce training opportunities that are compatible with the district such as removal of alien species, natural resources research and management, forestry programs and cultural education centers.

Name two key issues Maui as a whole faces and briefly discuss how you would handle them:

Issue: Energy supplies and prices

The County of Maui County is the biggest energy consumer in Maui County. The transition to a new energy future is part of Maui's much needed economic shift. We need the Council and Mayor to lead the way in converting all county facilities and systems to the cleanest, most energy efficient systems possible. This investment creates jobs, saves the taxpayer long-term costs and limits fee increases. By holding the County's energy bill down, we can free up future funds for social programs, police, fire and other vitally needed services . Oh yes, this also helps the environment, since our energy mix currently is big on burning diesel fuel.

We also need to ease energy costs for the average citizen by offering more transportation alternatives to individuals who commute to school, work, shopping etc. and work to run these vehicles on clean, locally produced energy sources. County and state governments also need to support clean, local energy generation systems and insist that they offer more affordable rates to the average customer. Programs to support more resorts, businesses and homeowners generating their own energy and selling the extra to a utility (net metering) also need more government muscle pushing them forward and increasing the consumer benefits

Issue: Sustainable Water supplies and the implications of climate change:

My goal as a council person would be to use my extensive knowledge of water resources to ensure that Maui residents, businesses and farmers are provided with a reliable supply of clean water that is wisely used. The Mayor and Council share responsibility for approving and investing in a plan to provide that water.

The challenges are great. Maui's current water supply is a patchwork of public, private and agricultural facilities that grew out of the plantation systems of the last century. Virtually every major stream on Maui is dammed and the water controlled by corporations, not public interests. Both Moloka'i and Lana'i islands have extremely limited underground water supplies. Our watersheds supplying our cleanest waters have been overrun by alien species and their ability to store and deliver the water we demand is compromised. On Maui island we irrigate deserts to look like tropical rainforests while agriculture has to endure yearly cutbacks. We also threaten the health of our reefs by dumping millions of gallons of nutrient rich reclaimed wastewater into our oceans when it is vitally needed on land. All of our water supplies depend upon the continuation of rainfall patterns that scientists warn are very likely to dramatically decline over the next 10 to 25 years.

The message is clear: If we want a reliable water supply we will need to change the way we do things.The first step is to acknowledge that all water is interconnected and needs to be efficiently used and reused. The second step is to get accurate data on how much water is available, where and at what cost. The third step is to live within our means and not over commit water resources that may not still be available 20 years from now.

Water Planning Actions:

I support adoption of a Maui County Water Use and Development Plan that respects traditional water rights for native Hawaiians and Hawaiian Homelands and is based upon solid data from current research. I support needed research being completed about the availability of water resources suitable to serve future populations in West Maui and Upcountry. I support restoration of natural stream flows wherever possible to recharge the aquifers we depend upon to serve West, South and central Maui and support diversified agriculture in East Maui. I support expansion of upcountry and central Maui reservoirs that capture water during storms and save it for drier times. I support a water system that helps farmers meet new food health requirements, but minimizes demands on potable water treatment plants.I support audits and incentives to promote efficient water consumption by the county's largest users. I support the prioritization of available water supplies for projects that are affordable and needed by local residents.

Water Sources:

I support the development of additional wells in the Central Maui area to better space pumping over Iao aquifer. I support expansion of publicly owned, operated and managed water sources, where economically and environmentally practical, and the transition from private to public management of our streams. I support the use of small number of higher elevation wells to serve local regions like upcountry, West Maui or Hana and the use of alternative energy sources for pumping. I support integration of our reclaimed water planning with our potable water planning and sufficient investment in reclaimed water distribution- this strategy has freed up millions of gallons of potable water in other parts of Hawaii and the mainland. I want to see the County avoid "sweetheart deals." These are the "partnerships" where private developers front the costs of a well, desal or treatment plant, turn over all the lifetime pumping and maintenance costs to the public water system and then automatically get the lion's share of the water while the ordinary taxpayers have to wait in line for a water meter.

If you are the incumbent, why should you retain your seat? If you are a challenger, why is it time for a change?

As a challenger to the East Maui seat, I believe that the changing times we see all around us require independent leaders with proven abilities, no ties to business-as-usual interests and plenty of practical ideas to help our local residents have a better life. I have worked for the public's benefit for many years helping establish parks, programs and policies. I care about Maui's people and want to hear their needs and stand up for their interests. I do my homework and come prepared to ask the tough questions. My work on the GPAC, actively working with 24 other community leaders to transform the public's ideas into a plan for Maui's future, has been a great training ground over the last two and a half years. We need to learn from the past to build a new future. I would be humbled to be trusted by my fellow citizens to help lead the way into a new era of self-reliance and economic transformation for Maui County.