LIHU‘E — The state Legislature opens today, but law-makers have been busy for the last couple of months, preparing for the first session in eight years under a Democrat governor. In the past month Sen. Ron Kouchi, D-Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau, has met
LIHU‘E — The state Legislature opens today, but law-makers have been busy for the last couple of months, preparing for the first session in eight years under a Democrat governor.
In the past month Sen. Ron Kouchi, D-Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau, has met with many stakeholders in the agricultural community throughout the state. He said some of his main goals in this year’s Legislature include helping to improve food safety and security, plus providing agricultural jobs.
On the matter of food safety, Kouchi said the government needs to make sure that produce is safe for consumption.
Regarding food security, Kouchi said we need to move toward “greater sustainability,” to make sure we have enough food in case of a natural disaster. There has been “great concern” that we are largely dependent on imported food, he said.
Kouchi had a positive outlook in respect to energy sufficiency.
“I’ve seen some promising discussion about renewable energy in a much more aggressive way,” he said.
The state operational budget will represent a challenge for lawmakers, Kouchi said.
“I think the biggest thing will be dealing with the difficult economy and its effect on our state budget,” said Kouchi, noting that for the next two years there will be a shortfall of $300 million to $400 million each year in the budget.
Some of the ways in which the Legislature has been able in past years to offset the state budget shortfall were floating bonds, cuts and using specials funds. But most of those measures were “one-time shots,” Kouchi said.
Continuing to provide service to the community is going to be a challenge because of all the cuts that were made in the past few years, he said.
“We heard from testimony that the cuts were so deep that there have been some impacts on the services to the community,” Kouchi said.
Kouchi became the Kaua‘i’s senator after being appointed in September by former Governor Linda Lingle. Gary Hooser vacated Kaua‘i’s senate seat in August for an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor in last year’s elections. Lingle picked Kouchi from a list provided by the Democratic Party of Kaua‘i.
Prior to filling Hooser’s vacant seat, Kouchi had served for 22 years as a Kaua‘i County Councilman, including 12 years as the chair. Kouchi had also been a member of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Committee, and worked as a lobbyist for the Kaua‘i County at the state Legislature.
