As their long-time leader bids adieu, a new face emerges in a familiar crowd on the Kaua‘i County Council. Voters on Tuesday dethroned Chair Kaipo Asing after almost three decades of public service. Speaking with their ballots, they returned to
As their long-time leader bids adieu, a new face emerges in a familiar crowd on the Kaua‘i County Council.
Voters on Tuesday dethroned Chair Kaipo Asing after almost three decades of public service. Speaking with their ballots, they returned to office four incumbents, two former members and first-time candidate Nadine Nakamura.
When the newly elected seven take their seats around the table after being sworn in next month, we hope they remain focused on the priorities they stated during their campaigns and committed to taking whatever action is necessary to achieve those goals.
Whoever is chosen to take the reins as chair must hold them with a firm grip while ensuring each member maintains their voice in the direction our island should head.
We expect the next council to cultivate greater government transparency, implement smart growth principles, address economic needs and protect the unique Kaua‘i landscape we know and love.
We hope our next state senator, Ron Kouchi, a long-time former councilman himself, utilizes his existing relationships to bridge the gap between county and state government. We also ask that he fight hard for Kaua‘i to permanently keep its share of the state hotel tax money.
Similarly, we expect Bernard Carvalho Jr. to enter his first full-length, four-year term as mayor with a willingness to dig deep and get dirty. Some unpopular decisions need to be made, from the construction of a new landfill to the establishment of a drug-treatment center on Kaua‘i.
Voters are overwhelmingly behind him, so we hope he doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities as the man who can really make a lot of positive changes for our island.
There is no shortage of work to be done, including updating the comprehensive zoning ordinance and taking whatever steps are necessary to beef up the enforcement of land-use laws already on the books.
Voters again spoke loud and clear in response to a ballot question asking if council term limits should be extended. Most community members want their council members up for election every two years.
If used efficiently, this is ample time for them to prove themselves in office. Build up an arsenal of accomplishments and re-election should be a breeze.
But if a council member is just keeping a seat warm or seems to be straying from his or her campaign promises, he or she can expect to be booted in 2012. Kaua‘i won’t doesn’t deserve and won’t tolerate anything less than their best. Too much is at stake.
While the nation shifted toward the Republican Party, Hawai‘i chose to increase its Democratic stronghold. Regardless of which party is in power, we expect each of our representatives to put the people of Kaua‘i and the state above partisan politics.
We ask our newly elected officials, when faced with a decision that is unpopular with your affiliated party, choose your convictions over your party and don’t throw your constituency to the curb. After all, you represent every voter and their family — whether independent, green, donkey or elephant.
Find a solution to our unacceptably high level of unemployment that doesn’t involve raising taxes. We’re a bit tired of politicians demonizing those that work their tails off to create a higher standard of living for themselves. Yes, they pay taxes too. Close the loopholes but encourage risk taking and job creation. We’re all in this together — we don’t need Americans pitted against Americans to advance any party’s agenda.
Together we chose you to lead us in the right direction. The burden is heavy but we the community are counting on each of you to make the hard calls for a better future. And we ask that you do so under the light of day.
