As a former member of the Kaua‘i County Council, I have resisted to a great extent falling into the role of an armchair quarterback. Today, however, I will venture down that path just a little bit.
Council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro and his six colleagues appear to have done a decent job during their term so far: avoiding controversy, balancing the budget and working with Mayor Kawakami to keep our ship of state on an even keel. Kudos are in order for this basic and significant achievement, especially given this time of COVID and the broad stress it has brought to all sectors of our community.
During the coming final year of this election cycle, my hope is that they would raise the ante a bit and reach for the fruit that sits a little higher on the tree.
Honestly, I can’t help thinking about what the Maui County Council is doing. They recently created a County Department of Agriculture designed to support small farmers and local food production. They actually reduced the money in their county tourism-promotion budget and utilized those funds to create a micro-grant program for small farmers. Last week, the Maui County Council passed a two-year moratorium on new resort development, and they are aggressively seeking other ways to slow the explosion of tourists presently inundating their county — overrunning their beaches, parks and roadways.
Some on our Kaua‘i County Council are also exploring ways to better-manage the very-real, negative impacts a vigorously-rebounding tourism industry is having on our own roads and beaches. We need the jobs and, yes, the economic impacts are welcomed by the many small businesses who have been teetering on the brink of survival during the long COVID shut-downs — but unlimited growth in the tourism sector is not healthy, and the brakes must be applied at some point soon.
While the power of the county to limit tourism is itself limited, there are levers that can be pulled at the county level to at the minimum send a strong message to the industry.
Increased property taxes on resort accommodations and shifting those funds toward local agriculture, and other local needs, is a good starting point. Designated parking spaces for local residents at beach parks is another obvious action that can be taken. To the tax increase naysayers: No hotel on Kaua‘i has ever closed or left town because their property taxes were too high. They can afford to pay more and will pass it on to the visitor in any case.
Emulating Maui and passing a moratorium on the development of all new resort visitor accommodations is something I hope our own County Council will put on the table for discussion. Until visitor-arrival numbers fall below a carrying capacity threshold as determined by our community, it is crazy to allow more to come on line.
To be clear, north, south, east, and west — the push to build new and expand existing zoned resort properties will only grow under the pressure of visitor numbers that increase daily. In Princeville, we already have resort “glamping” that is on the table. In Kapa‘a there are several hotel sites situated makai of Longs/CVS. And there is that elephant in the room, the property formally known as the Coco Palms Hotel and, yes, its time has definitely passed. Moving through Lihu‘e, Kalapaki, all the way to Koloa, Po‘ipu, and the far West — large landowners are chafing at the bit to both expand existing resort properties and develop new ones.
Given the existing strain on highways, sewer and water infrastructure, not to mention our parks and natural environment — it makes no sense at all to permit any further hotel or resort construction on Kaua‘i until, as a community, we figure this out.
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Gary Hooser is the former vice-chair of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and served eight years in the state Senate, where he was majority leader. He also served for eight years on the Kaua‘i County Council, and was the former director of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control. He serves presently in a volunteer capacity as board president of the Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action and is executive director of the Pono Hawai‘i Initiative.
I agree. Yes, I’m a registered Republican. But common sense from any source is welcome. I’ve posted similar comments over the years about Kauai having too much development. The strain on resources can even be seen by those of us that are regular visitors. But regardless of political party affiliation, follow the money and you’ll see the truth. More root cause analysis is needed to solve Kauai’s growth and social problems.
Says the man who doesn’t need to work because he is living off the backs of taxpayers…for what? Several years of “public service” in the Hawaii State legislature that gives him a lifelong subsidy on our dime. Easy to say no more development, Gary, especially when it’s working people that need the economy to thrive and who will bear the burden of your progressive nonsense.
RG DeSoto
“…working people that need the economy to thrive and who will bear the burden of your progressive nonsense.’
You do realize, don’t you, that your statement is demeaning to working people. Working people want a good quality of life like everyone else does and a major component of that want is an island community with a rich cultural and natural environment to thrive in. Another post by you that reeks of conservative, social darwinist, nonsense. We’re not just economic animals beholden to the almighty dollar, we also are social and cultural beings.
Really…and just how are people supposed to enjoy “the good quality of life like everyone else” without working?
I’m sorry Nonesuch, but your retort is nonsense. We are all economic animals as EVERY decision we make has associated opportunity costs. I suggest you read Economics in One Lesson if you fail to grasp what I mean by opportunity costs. But a simple example even you might be able to grasp: an individual’s decision to go to the beach, costs him the opportunity to do something else–like attend a cultural or social event or WORK. This is a hard and fast reality which we cannot escape.
Finally, I am not a conservative. If you understood half of what I’ve written you would see that I am a staunch libertarian, anarcho-capitalist.
RG DeSoto
Here you go:
https://www.liberalstudies.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Economics-in-One-Lesson_2.pdf
Mr. Hooser, can you please elaborate on which “large landowners are chafing at the bit” and which properties they want to develop? How much land do these “large landowners” own? If this statement is in fact true, then these “large landowners” should have enough land to donate to affordable housing in exchange for a modest amount of resort development. After all, there is so much land out there that is pretty much useless because our population is too small to support profitable agriculture and freight costs to the mainland make it extremely unlikely that produce grown in Hawaii can be landed on the mainland at a competitive price. May I suggest you turn your focus on Steve Case and the Robinsons and ask that they donate let’s say a mere 1,000 acres for future affordable housing development? Start raising the property taxes on these “large landowners” and then give a tax credit for the property they donate to offset the increase in tax. Of course you will argue that adding more affordable housing means we need to increase tourism to provide jobs for the residents that will be able to remain on Kauai rather than moving to Las Vegas to realize their dream of home ownership. Don’t be one of those people who got their piece of the rock and don’t seem to be too concerned for those who where born and raised here who have no choice but to move away if they ever want to own a home.
That just makes too much sense for the county to get it. Far to clear and concise.
O he doesn’t know any large landowner. Because he’s not rich. And they don’t consult with poor county council.
We are a small island and our ability to grow has definite limitations. We need to live within our means. Do more hotels make life better for all of us or just some of us. I would say more hotels makes certain people wealthier but they are not local. Our infrastructure is decades behind so why make it worse to benefit the few.
Give the palms back to the people!
IMHO, in order to support local agriculture you might consider putting more effort into agri-tourism and modify your vacation rental regulations to include those who wish to participate in operating a unit on the farm acreage to support the farmers. Margins are so low in farming, anything to help them financially will help you meet that goal towards sustainability. Not everyone likes to be crowded into the resorts.
Here, here! Bravo!
As a formerly frequent visitor to Kauai, I would be perfectly happy to visit, staying at our usual designated resort condo.
I have no need or want for a new or fancy resort. We are probably tourists you DON’T want, since we are low key, not flashy. We spend our vacation dollars on local food, local farmer market foodstuffs so we can cook our own, fabric, local goodies for gifts, local-made crafts, Kauai Kookies, and Island Soap products. And more fabric. We ship home 10-15 USPS “If it fits it ships” boxes crammed with gifts for our Missouri ohana.
Please give grants to the hard working farmers, ranchers, sewing persons, music makers, bakers, coconut syrup makers, etc. I am a chicken keeper, gardener and orchardist myself. It’s hard, unending work. (Thank you to my son who cares for it all when we go to Kauai).
I agree 100%!!!!!!!
OMG! I totally agree with Gary Hooser! What is this world coming to????? Seriously though this is a spot on and well thought out article, I commend Gary for it.
Is Gary trying to push for something he should have pushed for, had the chance to push for the entire time he was in office? Yet he decided to push different agendas & spread lies, mislead with statistics and try to divide and conquer the island? Nahh, that would be overstating the obvious
This makes complete sense, but you should prepare for a very well-funded industry to pull out all stops in order to block this idea.
If you’ve traveled to similar tropical resort destinations outside of the US, you’ll know that the level of tourism seen on Kauai is still relatively minimal. If left to its own devices, the market will fill Kauai’s shores and mountains with resorts.
Absolutely agree! Should have been done years ago, but better late than never. As I’ve said many times in the past, mahalo Mr. Hooser for your commitment to this island and the people of Kauai.
Thank You Gary for this. What ever happened to the General Plan of the the late 90’s?
You forget you weren’t taking care of the roads and bridges before the pandemic. It has become the excuse for everything.
The Red and the Blue. You guys are all elephants. Left behind. The rich and greedy moved on. As for the Democrats or county, useless to know them.