Issues
Housing
Maui is experiencing a shortage in affordable housing. We must create communities that reflect the people of Maui; for families, single persons, the disabled and the elderly. With a creative design, we can construct new neighborhoods with parks, recreation spaces, and shopping centers. With tree-lined sidewalks and bike paths, we can plan for a community that is friendly to the environment and aesthetically pleasing.
Our largest communities, such as Kahului, are the result of affordable housing initiatives. Kahului was built with a coordinated effort from the county government and members of the community. Labor unions spurred the need for affordable housing in Kahului and by creating new neighborhoods, our local unions can build homes that they can afford to live in. By using local labor, we can generate new jobs for the construction industry unions.
A centralized affordable housing list maintained by the county, should be transparent and open to the public. Currently, a list is held by individual developers. However, a centralized list will promote a system of fairness, open to all the people of Maui. Potential home owners would be able to choose which development they would like to live in. By having a centralized list, we could project a sustainable future. An open list, would permit all of the citizens of Maui County to take part in the visionary process of development. The Maui Island Plan projects future developments for the next 20 years. What we do with it is up to us.
The County should provide affordable housing for teachers, medical workers, police and fire personnel. By becoming partners with non-profit organizations and private companies, the County can off-set the costs that would be typically passed on to taxpayers. Many of our vital workers leave Maui county in search of better pay. Creating affordable housing would allow these workers to remain in Maui. Our future depends on providing incentives to keep the best and brightest in Maui county.
Not everyone on Maui is in a financial position to buy a home, which is why affordable rentals are also needed. It is no longer affordable to rent a home, or an apartment on Maui. Every month, more than half of our take-home pay goes toward paying rent. We need to develop more affordable rentals so we can afford to someday buy our own homes.
Building affordable housing is very important to me. We also need to invest in alternative sources of energy for these homes. Harnessing the sun with solar panels, and using wind to power turbines should provide large portions of the energy needs for the new neighborhoods. This investment into alternative energies will eliminate many of the costly bills faced by Maui county.
Agriculture
Agricultural lands are very important to Maui. They provide us with food, jobs, and they are aesthetically beautiful and pleasing to the eye. We need to support local agriculture by continued tax breaks and incentives to farmers. For instance, setting a low water rate by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) would allow small local farmers to focus on food production instead of paying high rates for water.
The bureaucracy of farming and food production needs to be streamlined. In my conversations with the farming community, I often hear that the process of getting permits is long, complicated and arduous. This hinders growth and diversification with local agriculture.
Removing the labyrinth of red tape and bureaucracy is an important first step in the creation of local, diversified farms. Reducing the costs of farming will benefit the consumer, whether we are eating at a restaurant or shopping at a grocery store. Our reliance on imports introduces a variety of pests to Hawaii’s fragile eco-system. We can effectively diminish the need for widespread pesticide use by becoming self-reliant with our agricultural practices.
Utilizing our agricultural lands to their full potential decreases our dependence on imports, promotes cultural awareness, and celebrates Hawaii’s agricultural heritage. Hawaii, and specifically Maui, was once the breadbasket of the California gold rush. During this time, we exported, instead of imported food! Agriculture was the leading industry in Hawaii’s economy for many years. Let us begin to diversify our economy through agriculture. Diversification allows us to fulfill much of our own food needs and re-establishing a thriving export industry of Hawaiian agricultural products, will promote a much needed economic stimulus to Maui County.
Water
All agriculture and future developments are dependent on an adequate water supply. Privatization, contamination, and wasteful water practices threaten our water resources. I support equitable distribution of water with in-stream flow restoration and kuleana users as a priority. Conservation, increased storage capacity, recycling of county wastewater, stream restoration, and the return of water management to the citizenry of Maui are just some of the ways we can ensure water availability in the present and into the future.
Parks and Recreation
Maui county’s parks are a valuable asset to our community. Our beaches, forests, streams, and trails must be protected and accessible for all to use. Increased funding and acquisition of additional lands for greenways, open space and new parks needs to be implemented. Additionally, our existing parks are in need of maintenance and repair. Maui lacks regional sports facilities and youth centers and our youth are in need of recreation options. I will advocate for increased funding and cooperative opportunities with private organizations for performance areas, expanded sports facilities, and activity programs.
Open Government
Corruption in politics and special interest money erode our trust in government officials. As your councilwoman, I will provide accountability, transparency and promote communication between our government and the people of Maui. When meetings are open to the public, all laws, rules and decisions must be open for discussion and comments. With transparency, there is less opportunity for those in authority to abuse their position for their own gain. I am committed to provide fair representation for the people of Maui County and make decisions that are in the best interest of our community and welcome suggestions and comments.
Land Transportation
The increase of highway traffic, longer delays at intersections and rising gas prices are forcing us to look critically at our transportation system.
Improving our bus system offers an alternative to drivers and cars on the road. This system will also provide transportation for those unable to drive, such as our youth and elderly. An efficient, timely, and easily accessible bus system will attract new riders.
With our temperate climate, bike lanes should connect every community on the island. A beautification program funded and implemented by community organizations and the county could transform our current neighborhoods and streets into shady, tree-lined corridors, friendly to pedestrians and bikes.
Future mixed-use developments will cut down on the need for transportation while increased education efforts will promote awareness of the transportation options we have available.
Energy
Maui needs to implement renewable energy sources. By doing so, we will become closer to energy independence and be immune to the high cost of importing fuel. With the abundant natural resources available to provide our own energy, it is imperative that we set a goal of self-sufficiency for our island. By rethinking building construction and landscaping, we can construct new homes and businesses that are self-supporting. The technology is available and our economy and the environment will benefit from our commitment to energy independence.
Home Based Businesses and TVRs
I support home-based businesses as long as they are quiet, do not produce unpleasant odors and do not have significant retail traffic. This helps save on fuel and reduce congestion on our roads. In order to support farmers and encourage local agriculture, TVR's located in agriculturally zoned areas should be part of a working farm..
I would include vacation rentals in the category of home-based businesses provided the owner is a Maui resident who pays resident income tax. I do not support absentee TVR's owned by offshore speculators who drive our home prices up. To facilitate communication between the existing community and the TVR owner there should be an onsite manager –a person whom the neighborhood could contact. We might require approval by the communities that the TVR'S are located in and create a mechanism for community input.
In any event I would oppose uses that cause problems for neighbors. The key to any home-based business is that it not change the character of the neighborhood or create significant parking, traffic, noise or odor problems. There is a way to support our local economy and the quality of life that our communities provide.