‘We set the bar really high’

LIHUE — When state Senate President Ron Kouchi looks at the divisiveness in this nation, he is troubled.

“A lot of that is due to the increasing divide between the haves and the have-nots and the income gap,” he said.

There is a way to bridge that gap, Kouchi said, and it’s by putting more money into public schools. It’s why he’s glad the Legislature earmarked $500,000 for Waimea High School library improvement and other areas of education on Kauai.

Capital improvement projects targeting education passed by the House included $500,000 for renovations of the library at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School; $2.5 million for a new library at Kapaa Elementary School; $500,000 for the Agricultural Learning Center at Kapaa High School; $110,000 for air conditioning and photovoltaic panels at Waimea Canyon Middle School; and $2 million for a new gymnasium at Waimea High School.

“The most important thing we can do is invest in our public school system and give our children and opportunity to compete with anybody in the nation,” he said during the Lihue Business Association meeting Thursday.

He said there is a strong commitment in the budget toward helping agriculture and making students competitive with anybody in the world.

“I’m very proud of that,” Kouchi said.

Kauai’s legislative team of Kouchi and Reps. Dee Morikawa, Jimmy Tokioka and Nadine Nakamura recapped a few highlights of the recently finished session and fielded questions from about 40 people at Duke’s Canoe Club.

Morikawa said many good bills were passed. Those included one aimed at reducing the population of the rose-ringed parakeet, which is especially damaging on Kauai; establishing the Ohana Zones Pilot Program — one will be on Kauai — to help the homeless; and a law protecting homeowners from liability if they have a rescue tube on their property.

“We set the bar really high this year,” she said.

Of key interest to many at the meeting, though, were road improvements.

Ken Hughes, a computer technician who has been working at the Hanalei Colony Resort on the North Shore, said it’s often difficult and time-consuming, coming and going there. He asked when improvements to Kuhio Highway might happen after it was hit by landslides and sections were washed away in the April flooding.

“It’s very challenging to get out there,” he said.

Nakamura said she understands it will be at least another two to three months for two lanes to open up.

Morikawa said one reason the project is taking so long is the state is trying to stabilize the mountainside.

“With another rain, more mud comes down,” she said. “They have to stabilize the mountains before they improve the roads going into Haena.”

For Morikawa, a big concern is dealing with cesspools in the area and accessing public assistance on private property to replace them. The flooding unearthed cesspools on the North Shore and sent sewage into the ocean and streams.

The Legislature passed a bill that establishes a Cesspool Working Group to develop a comprehensive plan for the conversion of all statewide cesspools by 2050. There are about 270 cesspools in Hanalei.

“Definitely will not be approval of any more cesspools in that area,” she said.

Kouchi said the highway could open two roads in late July. But the rebuilding efforts have to be completed to prevent further damage next time a storm hits.

“Everything is shut down for now to do it right,” he said.

Regarding the cesspools, he said if public money can’t be used, perhaps a deal could be worked out so homeowners could make monthly payments on new septic tank systems, anaerobic treatment systems, or sewer connections, and avoid a big one-time hit, which could run in the $15,000 range.

“We’re at least exploring to see what we’re going to be able to do for those homeowners,” he said.

Larry LaSota asked if the road in front of Coco Palms couldn’t be improved sooner, rather than later. Repairs desperately needed, he said, because the roadway is full of potholes, dips and cracks.

“That affects everybody,” he said.

Tokioka said Kuhio Highway from Coco Palms to the Kapaa Bypass Road is targeted for improvements. The state marked $700,000 to resurface and improve the base of the road, with construction expected to start soon.

Tokioka said many have made it clear roads on Kauai should be a priority.

“Thank you for the input,” he said. “Without that, we are not as connected to the community as we need to be.”

Nakamura said her second year in the Legislature was a privilege — and overwhelming at times, with 51 members in the House of Representatives.

“To get anything passed, it’s not just having a good idea, but the support of your colleagues,” she said.

She said the Legislature budgeted money to fund interisland travel for students in state events.

“Our kids don’t have to scramble,” she said.

On homelessness, Kouchi noted that in 2016, $110 million for affordable housing was unprecedented at the time.

“No one could remember getting over $100 million for affordable housing,” he said. “So when we tell you this year there is $600 million, that was a strong statement from the Legislature.”

Morikawa said Kauai was selected for a pilot project, vote by mail.

“We’re going to have to show the state how it can be done and how it’s going to save in a lot of our resources,” she said.

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Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.