Mel Rapozo, a private detective and former Kaua’i police officer, announced he will seek election to the Kaua’i County Council this year. At the same time, Kaua’i attorney Erick T.S. Moon, a former deputy prosecuting attorney and a chief deputy
Mel Rapozo, a private detective and former Kaua’i police officer, announced he will seek election to the Kaua’i County Council this year.
At the same time, Kaua’i attorney Erick T.S. Moon, a former deputy prosecuting attorney and a chief deputy public defender, pulled election papers on Monday for a Council seat.
Rapozo and Moon are among 21 Kauaians who have taken out nomination papers so far to run for one of seven Council seats this year. The Council election is run as a special non-partisan race.
Rapozo has declared himself an independent candidate, while Moon is a member of the Democratic Party.
Only five candidates have filed papers for the Council race. The list includes Robert Cariffe of Lihu’e; Jay Furfaro, general manager of the Radisson Kaua’i Beach Resort; George Menor of Lihu’e; Raymond Paler of Lihu’e and Rapozo, who is a resident of Kapa’a.
Three seats on the Council could open up should incumbent councilmembers Ron Kouchi, a Democrat, Bryan Baptiste, a Republican and Randal Valenciano, a Democrat, follow through on their plans to run for mayor.
And a fourth seat could open up should incumbent councilman Gary Hooser file nomination papers for Senatorial District 7, representing Kaua’i and Ni’ihau. Hooser would run as a Democrat.
The three remaining council incumbents expected to make another run are Kaipo Asing, Daryl Kaneshiro and Jimmy Tokioka.
The focus of the Council is likely to change with new lawmakers taking office. Potential Council candidates have advocated more emphasis on affordable housing and accountability in government.
Rapozo, who contends government needs to pay better attention to the needs of residents, ran unsuccessfully for the Council in the 1998 general election, having been edged out by Billy Swain for the seventh seat.
Rapozo, who recently filed nomination papers with the Elections Division of the County Clerks Office, said he is running this time around for many reasons, the biggest of which is “to bring back efficiency, accountability and responsibility to local government.”
Rapozo said he also is concerned the voices and concerns of Kauaians are not being heard and that he wants to “see that turned around.”
“The voices of Kaua’i’s people should be the driving force of our government, not special interest groups. The people should determine the direction of our beautiful and precious island,” Rapozo said.
Rapozo said he plans to hold frequent community meetings during his campaign and into his two-year term if elected.
With friends and supporters from all points of view, Rapozo said he feels that he can best represent the whole community as a nonpartisan public official.
“My decisions will be issue-based and people driven, not party influenced,” Rapozo said.
Rapozo said he has earned a reputation as one who has never shied away from tough situations or controversy.
Rapozo has been a watchdog of government department, stressing scrutiny of county department operations and audit of their expenditures.
Rapozo also has gone to bat for continuation of high-quality services for senior citizens of Kaua’i.
A former sergeant in the Kaua’i Police Department, Rapozo retired from the force in the mid-1990s.
He was cleared of charges in a case involving Monica Alves, an exotic danger, who was arrested in November 1995 during a police raid of a Kaua’i lap-dancing venture. During her booking, Alves claimed she was sexually fondled by police officers.
An arbitrator determined Rapozo, the supervisor of the officers at the time, was not present when the alleged offense occurred.
Following a police investigation, Rapozo was reinstated on the police force, but left the department in 1997 to start his business, M&P Legal Support Services LLC, a private investigation agency in Lihu’e.
Rapozo was born and raised on Kaua’i. He is married to the former Patsy Yoshii, and they reside in Wailua Houselots with their two children, Baron and Nicole.
Rapozo also is general partner of Kaua’i Metals & Pawn, also located in Lihu’e.
Rapozo is a board member with the Kaua’i United Way Board, member of the Rotary Club of Kalepa Sunrise Charter, board president of the Boys & Girls Club of Kapa’a, mentor with Hawai’i Youth Challenge and a coach with the Lihu’e Pop Warner program.
Rapozo also is a member of the Hawai’i Air National Guard.
Rapozo can be reached at 245-3539, or by e-mail at mrapozo@hawaiian.net.
Moon, meanwhile, said he is running for a Council seat because government hasn’t done enough to develop affordable housing for local residents.
Moon said he speaks from experience. He and his wife, Donna, moved from Honolulu to Kaua’i in 1996, and, in recent years, have been looking for a home, but can’t find one that is affordable.
“Prices seem to be out of line for a lot of local residents,” Moon said.
If elected, he said he would strive for more government accountability, adding “People in government try to skate around issues. Somebody has to put a stop to it.”
Moon, who runs a private law practice, has been involved in two high-profile criminal cases.
Moon will be representing Mark Vargas, 47, who will be on trial for an assault charge for allegedly stabbing another man Nov. 3 after an argument at a low-income housing project in Kekaha.
In another case, Moon also represented Scott Schofield, one of three Big Island men who allegedly kidnapped and beat a man on Kaua’i last summer.
Because the victim left Kaua’i and could not be found, the three men were allowed to make pleas to misdemeanor charges, Moon said.
Moon was born and raised in Wahiawa on O’ahu. A 1961 graduate of Leilehua High School, Moon attended the University of Dubuque in Iowa, graduating with a degree in economics and business administration in 1965.
Moon attended the University of Iowa School of Law, graduating in 1968, after which he returned to Hawai’i.
While in private practice, Moon served as an adjunct professor with the School of Business at Chaminade University.
Moon also has worked as a federal court clerk, deputy corporation counsel and chief deputy public defender.
Moon and his wife have four children from previous marriages and six grandchildren.
Staff Writer Lester Chang can be reached at mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 225).
