Council candidates answer questions on issues

The Garden Island sent three questions and a bonus question to all 24 candidates for Kauai County Council. The following are the answers from those who chose to participate. Some did not respond despite several requests from TGI. The primary election is Aug. 11.

All candidates were asked the questions in blue box.

Dom Acain

No. 1: By 2025 Hawaii will need approximately 22,000 affordable rentals. The state planned on using bonds to borrow $2 billion to get to that goal. Federal funding would be needed to build affordable rentals but the problem is that the Trump administration omitted affordable housing in its infrastructure plan and sought to take deep cuts to federal housing programs. Local government needs to revisit current regulations as well as give tax incentives for people offering up a second home or extensions for rentals. We are in a housing emergency situation and this issue needs to be treated as such.

No. 2: I would definitely take a look at alternate routes. I’m a firm believer in my motto, “Building our future through partnerships and cooperation.” We need to seriously sit down with private landowners and the state and look at what incentives we can work out to the benefit of all to build alternate routes to pull traffic off of state highways. We need to form partnerships and see what we can collaboratively do. There will need to be regulations set to minimize impact to surrounding land and resources but this would be a great solution to alleviate traffic.

No. 3: I have seen the division between locals and visitors increase. Visitors are looking for an authentic experience that’s been diminishing with the number of cultural practitioners who are struggling to maintain their identity. There needs to be a mechanism to allow Native Hawaiians the ability to continue their traditional practices and to be able to present them to our visitors without all of the Hollywood flair that visitors are now aware promotes cultural appropriation.

Cultural practitioners must be exempted from certain regulations in order to retain their identity while having an avenue to share their culture with the world.

Bonus: Born on Kauai with family roots since time immemorial, I was raised with ancient values where caring for the land and resources to benefit seven generations into the future is important. I believe in working collaboratively and forming strong partnerships to the benefit of all.

Kanoe Ahuna

No. 1: Affordable housing (AH) rates should be adjusted to the true cost of living on Kauai to meet the needs of low-income and median income families. As well as, reflect long-term agreements, keeping AH rentals and leases within the AH rates over a long-term period, such as 60 years. Moreover, non-resident TVRs should pay a higher property tax rate since they are not contributing directly to the local economy or helping with housing needs on Kauai. Thus, dedicating this to incentivize local homeowners with investment homes that are meeting the needs of affordable rental rates for other local families.

No. 2: Place a higher tax on rental cars and encourage other modes of transportation. Place bike racks and/or public bike rentals near bus stops to encourage multi-mode transportation for locals. Apply for federal natural disaster prevention grants to identify and fund emergency evacuation routes, road improvements and alternative transportation options mauka of our two state highways. Increase rental car tax and dedicate TAT funds to improve county roads.

No. 3: The need for infrastructure improvements is at the forefront of providing a good quality of life for local residences and balancing tourism. Build upon and create relationships/partnerships with state and federal agencies to advocate and fill in the gaps for adequate funding for capital improvements.

Encourage quality tourism versus quantity by focusing on Kauai’s lifestyle of rural, cultural and natural experiences. It’s more likely for returning visitors to place value on our rural lifestyle, have cultural sensitivity and support economic local sustainability. Thus, supporting the development and promotion of community-driven programs and stewardships that reinforce our unique sense of place.

Arthur Brun

No. 1: The council passed a bill I introduced allowing Additional Rental Units (ARU), so owners of single-family dwellings with adequate infrastructure can build an ARU for family members. We successfully lobbied the State Land Use Commission to reclassify the Lima Ola affordable housing project as Kauai’s first approved 201H project, making it 100 percent affordable and streamlining construction. The council is considering a bill I introduced that doubles Rice Street density to stimulate housing development in the Lihue Town Core. I’ll continue to advocate for policy change and affordable housing projects that will actually be built.

No. 2: I supported the GET tax because that will help us do a much better job keeping our roads in good shape. The council must hold the administration accountable for delivering on the promises that were made when the GET was passed. Expanding the reach of the Kauai Bus is important also and the Transportation Agency has a plan to move forward with that. We have to implement plans for the North Shore Shuttle and look at similar plans for other areas to reduce the number of rental cars on the roads.

No. 3: We must diligently enforce on illegal vacation rentals and keep visitors in accommodations in Visitor Destination Areas. We have to support projects like the North Shore Shuttle that help manage traffic and parking issues, and better protect our resources. Everyone wins when we do a good job of managing these resources so the resident feels confident we’re protecting the island and their quality of life, and the visitor has a better overall experience. We have to continue to fight for a bigger share of the TAT so we can mitigate tourism impacts and keep our parks in good repair.

Bonus: I’ve overcome many challenges and made major changes in my life to succeed. I know from experience you can turn things around if you put your mind to it. I’ve brought that same commitment and energy to the council, and hope I can continue to do that if re-elected.

Mason Chock

No. 1: Revise our affordable housing ordinance for more permanent affordability and securing affordable projects. Revision of the comprehensive zoning ordinance to allow tiny homes projects and ways to increase housing supply. Continue to fund the housing revolving fund that can be used for infrastructure, land banking and construction of affordable housing. Enlist planning principles for effective development traffic circulation, mixed use and form based code development to ensure housing can be planned and lived affordably.

No. 2: Support the development of shuttle services in visitor destination areas. Work with finance department to devise charging a county fee on rental cars. Increase transportation agency’s capacity for operations of new routes and increased frequency. Build feeder roads that assist by-pass roads taking cars off the highway such as in Wailua Houselots. Plan the future growth of our communities so it helps and does not hinder traffic circulation. Work with our state DOT and County Roads Divisions to leverage federal matches to plan for long-term solutions such as the transition of cane haul roads and alternative routes.

No. 3: Revisit and implement our tourism master plan with an emphasis on eco/culture/stewardship tourism. I have initiated many programs that connect visitors to aloha aina based projects that educate and bring awareness to visitors. One example is to work with the Haena community on a Haena stewardship program proposal to target visitors experience with cultural practices that will enrich the visitor experience while seeking to the balance community is seeking. We need our visitors to learn about the values we are about while having an authentic cultural experience so that we honor our lifestyle and quality of life.

Bonus: In my five years on the County Council I have shown to be a convener of ideas and a bridge of opposing perspectives so that healthy conflict can lead to effective decision making. If elected you can expect the same objective and thoughtful leadership that I represent.

Felicia Cowden

No. 1: Kauai’s affordable housing needs are immediate. A few fresh possibilities include looking within our existing housing to help subsidize homeowners committed Additional Rental Units to be “up-to-code” to provide qualified housing within neighborhoods. Incentivizing neighborhood vacation rental units to return to long-term rental is another less expensive but immediate investment. Using housing funding to buy units at the bottom of the market, foreclosures and short-sales can bring flexible rental inventory in diverse areas of the island into the rental pool. Rental-pool commitments that are not honored would be penalized with a fee and a lien.

No. 2: w Encourage a return to mixed-use and “complete communities” that provide most of the necessary services within close proximity to regional residential zones as is consistent with the Kauai General Plan Update. This requires less driving.

w Extend connector streets creating more of a spiderweb of routes rather than being reliant on one crowded, primary highway. Reutilization of simply-paved, cane-haul roads that largely go “inward and upward” removes vulnerability for Kauai in storms and emergencies. Rural character is retained.

w Improve the bus system for routes, times, and ability to carry baggage, including direct routing to airport.

No. 3: Accommodating visitors has replaced housing for too many residents. The community most impacted by the spring 2018 flooding has experienced the mixture of a disaster trauma and relief from the onslaught of visitors headed to our beautiful Na Pali Coast. The resulting shift of visitor activity choice has overwhelmed other island areas. It is clear we need to work with the visitor industry and our state legislators to strategize how to define and manage Kauai’s carrying capacity for tourism. This problem is happening in many beautiful destinations in the world. We need to examine other models of successful management.

Bonus: My present life focus already has me attending community and policy meetings for years, and mediating contentious challenges. With no competing employment and grown children, I have the time required to place my full-time focus on the responsibilities of council and putting the people first.

Norma Doctor Sparks

No. 1: I plan to increase the development of affordable rentals of apartments and duplexes and the 100 percent financing of house sales through federal-county programs. I would review Kauai county’s regulations concerning affordable housing and ensure that the county has a 30-year, instead of the present 20-year, restriction on the sale of the property and that the maintenance of the units are also required. I would ask the county Housing Agency and Department of Planning to review all approved proposals for affordable housing not yet implemented and determine any barriers to the implementation of the proposals such as financing or building requirements.

No. 2: I understand the importance of preserving our country lifestyle by not overdeveloping our infrastructure, but at the same time I am reasonable about needed upgrades and solutions to address traffic congestion and plan for the future. I would monitor the monthly progress of Kauai Public Works Department to repair our roads and bridges with the recent general excise tax increase. I would work with the plantation owners so that the owners might consider allowing the county to use their roads to reduce the traffic island-wide. I would work with the tourist industry to consider options to balance the needs of tourists and residents.

No. 3: I believe that a balance is needed to protect the needs of local residents while also providing the visitor industry the support it needs. We have to work with the hotels to minimize traffic, perhaps through shuttles to popular points of interest and an increase in the cost of rental cars. We also need to protect our environment. We may have to consider closing access to overused areas for part of the week. Residents and tourists are vying for affordable housing that is scarce. We have to be more effective in regulating short term rentals while supporting those homeowners who are legally providing alternative options.

Bonus: The County Council’s main responsibility is managing the county’s budget. I have extensive experience in managing large government budgets and have been successful in implementing effective programs. I listen to all involved, ask questions, and assess the situation. Through this process of involving all stakeholders, we have generally made better decisions.

Luke Evslin

No. 1: We need to attack the affordable housing crisis from all angles. As I wrote in a recent TGI op-ed, that means:

w Increase the supply of homes while following the principles of our General Plan to preserve ag land while minimizing traffic.

w Make it easier for families to add on to their existing homes.

w Increase the density of Lihue and incentivize infill development.

w Reduce illegal tourist accommodation units by going after online reservation sites.

w Discourage vacant investment homes by continuing to increase property taxes on them.

No. 2: We need to recognize that there is no state or county money available for comprehensive traffic solutions and so we will continue to just move bottlenecks around. And, since we can’t even afford the upkeep on our current infrastructure, every time we build new roads we’re passing on a maintenance debt to future generations that they will be even less able to afford. The best way to reduce the amount of time we spend driving is to increase housing options so that people can choose to live in a place where they don’t have to spend their lives in traffic.

No. 3: The Kauai Tourism Strategic Plan for 2016-18 states clearly that our island’s infrastructure can’t handle a daily visitor count above 25k per day. We have far exceeded that number, and we can all feel the impact on our roads and beach parks. While the county has limited options to bring that number back down, we need to start by eliminating all illegal vacation rentals from the market. I support any state efforts to either increase fees or cap the number of rental cars as well as state efforts to charge tourists fees for using state parks and recreation areas.

Bonus: It’s my generation that can’t afford a home and it’s my generation who will deal with the effects of climate change. As a father, a graduate student of public policy, and a small business owner, I am ready to work with the community to solve our island’s most pressing issues.

Richard Fukushima

No. 1: For more affordable housing on Kauai, I would follow up on the programs that are available for Kauai. The County of Kauai has numerous housing projects underway and we must look for more funding from the state and the federal government. The houses may seem smaller but it would be more affordable for people to own their own homes rather than pay rent (the owner’s mortgage on their second, third, etc).

No. 2: Traffic on Kauai is inevitable. Road improvements are costly. We should write to our senators and representatives in Congress to ask for federal aid for our highways and not wait for natural disasters to repair our roads. We should look into flex time for people to start/end work to ease the traffic flow and adjust the traffic lights accordingly. Hire more staff for the contra-flow to extend the hours longer and on weekends and holidays. The contra-flow is an asset for the Eastside and similar system should be set up for the people on the Westside also.

No. 3: Kauai’s population has grown from 40,000+ to 80,000. Tourism is Hawaii’s bread and butter. We should welcome the tourist and show them our aloha. It is a two-way street, a win-win situation in being nice to our neighbors. Most of the residents work for the visitors industry. It is the next-high-paying job after the government jobs on Kauai. These residents can look for affordable houses with the income that they receive from their jobs.

Bonus: I am a Christian and would like to say that there is only one supreme being. We should honor Him and worship Him and through Him, we can have unity, love and prosperity. We can overcome the adversities in life and feel comforted to know that there is a person who we can trust and live for.

Shaylene Iseri

No. 1: Creation of affordable housing can occur by 1) developing partnerships with DHHL who has large tracts of land, with OHA, who has an abundance of funds and housing agencies, who has a wealth of expertise in building homes and rental units, 2) increasing density, 3) promoting development of additional dwelling units on residential property, and 4) providing government subsidies for down payments or security deposits.

No. 2: Improving roads will reduce traffic as cars do not have to drive slower to avoid potholes and other damages. Turn out bus lanes have to be created so that stopping of a bus doesn’t disrupt the continual flow of traffic.

No. 3: Creating more eco-tourism activities brings in monies, advocates for more environmentally friendly practices and protects the natural and cultural heritage of our island.

Bonus: Serving my community, helping the poor, mentally ill, and victims of crimes have always been a part of my life. As an attorney for 29 years, a former councilmember, and a community advocate, I’ve helped thousands of families, not only survive but thrive! #OHANA STRONG!!

Ross Kagawa

I’ll work with our new mayor to address these issues. I’m not a micromanager, I support good ideas and criticize bad ones. My primary focus is local people on Kauai and betterment of their lives and their future.

Arryl Kaneshiro

No. 1: So much of our existing government regulations are a barrier to affordable housing. Current regulations are applied on all development — high end or affordable — evenly, which means developers will focus on high end development over affordable housing, every time …why? Because that’s where the biggest bang for the buck is. If the system is at fault, we need to change the system. We need to provide incentives to affordable housing development over luxury development. Only through incentivizing affordable housing — through tax credits, through fee waivers, through zoning initiatives — can we ensure our private sector will re-focus their efforts toward affordable housing.

No. 2: We can reduce traffic by promoting infill-development within our town cores. Creating more housing opportunities within our existing towns provides residents opportunities to live near their work places, lessens their commute times, and reduces the amount of vehicles on the road. Simply put, it eliminates the need for residents to drive from one town to another.

Also, as the Finance Chair, I have initiated holding this administration — and the next — to ensuring our county budget is dedicated to improving our roads. Maintaining this vigilance on the use of our taxpayers’ dollars to roadway improvements is paramount.

No. 3: Tourism is a critical economic driver that not only supports good paying jobs within the hotel industry, but it also supports complimentary businesses. However, we also need to find a balance between our growing visitor industry and our island’s rural character. Tourism cannot be overburdening on our residents’ infrastructure. New developments should be designed to create as little impact as possible and ensure they pay their fair share in infrastructure improvements.

Bonus: I am the product of this island and I want to contribute to its present and future. My core values and principles were shaped by this island through family, teachers, coaches and community. I will continue to bring homegrown sensibility and my business and accounting acumen to the County Council.

KipuKai Kualii

No. 1: To work with the mayor and the Housing Agency to:

w Repurpose county lands for affordable housing (i.e. passive highway park in Puhi, lands near Vidinha Stadium and lands near convention hall)

w Incentivize private landowners to develop affordable housing units in or near town centers

w Incentivize private landowners to provide the county lands for affordable housing projects in or near town centers

w Increase density, ease height restrictions and reduce parking requirements in specific town center areas (i.e. Rice Street)

w Decrease minimum lot size restrictions to support low-cost Tiny Home projects

w Increase allowable lot coverage area to support ADUs/ARUs on existing lots

No. 2: Work with the mayor and Transportation Agency to get the Kauai Bus operations to run more efficiently and serve more residents.

Work with the mayor, Planning Department and others to implement complete streets improvements to get more residents biking and walking.

Work with the mayor, Housing Agency and others to build more affordable homes and rentals close to services and jobs.

Work with the mayor, KPD, DHHL and others to open the Wailua emergency bypass road on a regular basis.

Work with the governor, State Transportation, state representatives and others to accelerate already planned highway improvement projects that alleviate traffic.

No. 3: To work with the mayor, Economic Development, Kauai Visitors Bureau and others (businesses, residents, environmentalists and visitors) to morph the Kauai Tourism Strategic Plan into a Kauai Tourism Sustainability Plan redirecting tourism to grow sustainably; guiding visitors to a quality experience that is an authentic, one-of-kind, nature, culture and local touch (residents, aloha spirit) experience. Collectively offering this quality experience at a higher price to fewer visitors who stay longer. Planning for the impacts we want from tourism. Maximizing our infrastructure investment to select places for visitors and residents to enjoy together. Good planning makes us proactive instead of reactive!

Bonus: On the council, I proved myself as a trusted, hardworking and experienced leader. A passionate fighter unafraid to ask the tough questions! A numbers person focused on budgeting responsibly and limiting taxes! And, a thoughtful thinker prepared to meet the added challenges brought on by the recent storms and floods.

Nelson Mukai

No. 1: First thing we should do is build a bypass road from Wailua Bridge to Hanamaulu. We need to also fix all of our state and county roads. We should bid out and prioritize all of the jobs. Planning ahead so that the necessary infrastructure is a must.

No. 2: For affordable housing we need to rezone areas of land as high-density residential land. Condominiums, apartments and studios are needed to find affordable homes for the homeless and low- income people. Right now we don’t need more hotels. Developers and tourist need to help pay a fee for infrastructure and maintenance of all county and state facilities

Bonus: I was born and raised on Kauai. I graduated in 2017 with a BA degree in Political Science from UH Manoa. I am the son of George and Yvonne of Kapaa. My desire is to see all people working together and be productive human beings.

Wally Nishimura

No. 1: My plan to create more affordable housing requires bringing everyone involved together including county officials, state representatives, our senator, the large land owners and the potential developers. The most recent affordable housing units being built in Hanamaulu are not affordable. The costs accumulated before breaking ground to build a new home are astronomical. In pursuance of minimalizing or eliminating the start-up costs for new development we must ensure that Kauai receives a reasonable portion of house bill 2748. In addition, bringing innovative ideas and incentives to fund our housing infrastructure that benefit both public and private sectors.

No. 2: We must use the 0.5 percent increase on the GET to fund our county road repairs. Each community needs a specific plan to utilize cane haul roads that we can work with private land owners to use. Once we have those paved and brought up to code I believe traffic congestion will be greatly reduced. For the areas on the island heavily impacted by tourists we need to create a shuttle program to reduce the amount of traffic congestion at the beaches to ensure locals have right of access (including parking).

No. 3: Tourism is our main source of income for Kauai and that will never change. We can’t stop commerce, but we can change the way tourists are transported to certain areas of the island by creating and enforcing areas zoned for tourism. Doing this will allow locals and visitors alike to enjoy Kauai. We can work with businesses in the visitor industry to advise tourists about the values and culture of our island and the importance of preserving what we have.

Bonus: I am a Native Hawaiian who spent his whole life on Kauai. I have seen and experienced the struggles that many locals face. I will work hard to create a better future for the next generation and generations to come because it is my kuleana.

Shirley Simbre-Medeiros

No. 1: The people of Kauai need to open their eyes, there is no affordable housing anymore. We need to clean up from the bottom meaning the planning, zoning, limitations on the county, state and federal.

No. 2: Getting on the state to implement a formula for developers to pay their share of infrastructure and making sure they comply before any project start.

No. 3: We must have a figure amount of how many bodies can our island can hold (kamainas + tourism = ?)

Bonus: I have been working in the community and County of Kauai, state, federal, nonprofits and Hawaiian organizations for over 14 years. I’ve done a lot of community service and with that said I was nominated the MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE OLDER AMERICAN in 2016. I have taken paralegal for personal as well as taxes from H&R Block.

Milo Spindt

No. 1: Land is only 30 percent of the cost of preparing to build on a site. Infrastructure like sewer, water, roads, power and sidewalks are 70 percent of site expense. Due to these up-front financial outlays and our 30 percent inclusionary zoning exaction, landowners are challenged to build without losing money.

To defray risk and bring down the cost to build, I would like to see the county and state partner with landowners on infrastructure projects in the urban cores. The state and county have access to funding like regional infrastructure bonding through a “Community Facilities District” and through funds like the state’s Durable Unit Revolving Fund (DURF). In exchange for providing funding for these infrastructure projects the state and county could receive land, with infrastructure, to build more subsidized rental housing.

We could also partner with non-profit companies like Kauai Habitat for Humanity and we can bring other building partners in to fill out the need for more condos and single family homes in the 80-140 percent “workforce housing” range. By having the county lead the infrastructure development, we can direct the “Smart Growth” of our communities in ways that meet with the new General Plan.

No. 2: Housing should also be an integral part of our traffic solutions. Most people can not afford to rent or buy a home close to their jobs, creating urban sprawl and more traffic. By building more affordable housing options, both rental and home buying, closer to job centers, we can make a serious impact on traffic.

Other parts of the our traffic solution should include staggered start times for work and school, increasing capacity of the Kauai Bus, and a county and state backed vanpool. The final lever that can make a difference in traffic is working with our partners in the visitor industry to make our island easier to enjoy without tourists needing to rent a car.

No. 3: Continuing to build positive working relationships with our partners in the visitor industry is a key part to finding a successful balance between tourism and quality of life for island families. We probably feel the impact the most in traffic, at the beach and on the hiking trails throughout the island. As suggested above, we can work toward creating a visitor experience that doesn’t require the use of a vehicle: Airport to hotel shuttles, local (Poipu, Kapaa and Princeville) trolleys that run every 10 minutes on loops through a town and the use of more eco-tours, to introduce our visitors to our local heritage and talk about how to help preserve our unique island environment. By working with our visitor industry we can continue to support the jobs that we depend on, create a better balance with our visitors and build a community that our children will be proud to inherit.

Bonus: Milo Spindt was born in Lawai and lives with his family in Kalaheo. His work background includes: 12 years in affordable housing, past manager DLNR Kauai Land Office, eight years as an EMT, 3.5 years as a firefighter and seven years as a soccer and track coach. He serves as the Kauai representative/chairperson on the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation Board of Directors.