Kaua‘i County Council Chairman Kaipo Asing has asked Mayor Bryan Baptiste to investigate an alleged sign violation against Ron Agor, a Republican candidate for House District 15, representing East and South Kaua‘i. But the contractor, Kaua‘i-based HD Construction, has already
Kaua‘i County Council Chairman Kaipo Asing has asked Mayor Bryan Baptiste to investigate an alleged sign violation against Ron Agor, a Republican candidate for House District 15, representing East and South Kaua‘i.
But the contractor, Kaua‘i-based HD Construction, has already removed the sign off a dust curtain at a 4-acre YMCA site by Chiefess Kamakahelei School in Puhi.
“This was an overly enthusiastic contractor,” Agor said. “He thought he was doing me a favor by putting up it up. The dust screen belongs to him. It’s down. What is there to check?”
The sign was up for only four hours, possibly last Thursday, before Agor personally told the contractor to take it down.
Agor may have run afoul of the county sign law because no permit was apparently issued for it.
The sign also was in violation of a state law that does not allow election banners on state or county properties.
In his letter to Baptiste, Asing acknowledged the sign — placed near Kaumuali‘i Highway and in full view of motorists — has been taken down, but said if it had not, the lease agreement between the county and the YMCA for the lot could have been canceled.
“It would be unfortunate that the entire YMCA organization and the community this facility will eventually serve could be affected by the unthinking actions of a few individuals connected with the licensee,” Asing wrote.
Asing asked Baptiste sent a written notice to the YMCA, and warned any future violations would trigger consequences.
Office-seekers can’t knowingly campaign on government property, a county official said.
Political campaign signs generally don’t require a permit for posting, but signs like the Agor one are prohibited from being posted within the street “right-of-way boundary of any public road or highway,” according to the sign law.
Signs requiring permits are temporary project signs, subdivision construction signs, banners and permanent signs.
James Kunane Tokioka, Democratic candidate for the 15th House seat, declined comment on the matter.
The complaint marred what has been a clean campaign between Agor and Tokioka until now.
As part of campaign strategies, both have generally stayed away from negative campaigning.
Tokioka, who has sat on the Kaua‘i County Council for more than nine years, has been endorsed by Ezra Kanoho.
Kanoho has held the 15h District seat for 20 years but is stepping down to spend more time with grandchildren.
Tokioka also has been endorsed by Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawai‘i, who praised Tokioka for stepping forward on behalf of his hearing-impaired son and fighting for his son’s right to play baseball like any other youth in America.
“His determination to fight for what’s right changed the rules not only for Kaua‘i but for the entire nation,” Inouye stated in a campaign leaflet.
Tokioka is perhaps best remembered for joining other councilmembers in passing legislation offering significant property tax relief as assessments skyrocketed — most notably a 2-percent cap on yearly tax bills for Kauaians who own their homes and live in them.
Tokioka, a businessman, also spearheaded a campaign to pass anti-smoking legislation.
If elected, he said he would push through legislation to resolve some of the biggest problems in the 15th House District — namely traffic and affordable housing.
A Kaua‘i architect for some 20 years, Agor has equal name recognition because he is an ally of GOP Gov. Linda Lingle and is a leader with the Kaua‘i Republican Party.
Part of his platform calls for lower taxes, local control of schools, development of major infrastructure improvements for his district and strong support for government employees.
As the principal of Agor Architecture in Lihu‘e, Agor has provided free architectural services for such projects as the YMCA recreational complex, the county’s adolescent drug treatment facility in Hanapepe, the Calvary Church facility in Kapa‘a, the All Angels Church in Lihu‘e, other churches and the Kauai Discovery Museum.
Visit www.ronagor.com for more information on Agor’s candidacy.
• Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@kauaipubco.com.
